John Dos Passos' Paris

Although both Hemingway and Passos provide us with a distinct depiction of their surroundings, Hemingway focuses largely on his personal day to day life, Passos being more concerned with portraying the culture and depth of the area. 

Hemingway is much more concerned with his own perspective and life than Passos. For example, when describing the fishermen, Hemingway goes into an explanation of why he did not choose to fish. Further, he goes into long passages describing how he feels, stating, “I wish I had died before I ever loved anyone but her.” Hemingway gives us insight to his personal thought, which Passos fails to do so directly, giving Passos’ writing a more documentary feel than Hemingway’s, whose writing comes off as far more personal. Further, he focuses on presenting the perceptions of the people in his immediate reality. He doesn’t really make an effort to reach out, but instead writes about his wife, Sylvia Beach, the ‘rich’. He writes about the things that he is doing-buying books, taking a walk. 

With this being said, Hemingway paints a very vivid picture of his environment. For example, “The island ended in a point like the sharp bow of a ship and there was a small park at the water’s edge with fine chestnut trees, some huge and spreading, and in the currents and back waters that the Seine made flowing past, there was excellent places to fish.” Here Hemingway has given us a full image of what he is seeing, but fails to include the actual truth to the area. We get an image, a picture almost, of the area itself, but it seems like every other park-quaint, quiet, normal. 

Passos differs in this manner, including the nitty gritty details of the area that ultimately provides the reader a fuller perspective. For example, when describing the ‘grey town hall,’ Passos tells us that a riot occurred here, and that the square is ‘thick with knots of workingmen.’ Here, Passos starts by giving a basic introduction to what the street looks like, but goes into the culture that makes up the street. Although this is from Three Soldiers, his style stays consistent. By including this information, Passos is able to convey the essence of the area in a way that Hemingway doesn’t necessarily stress. Hemingway shows us an area, but Passos demonstrates the reality of it. 

This is further emphasized through the differing use of the first person narrative amongst the two authors. Passos’ use of first person is used for us to walk with him; observe what he’s seeing. Hemingway uses first person in the same manner, but also to provide us with a certain level of insight into his own thoughts, opinions, and ultimately self. This is expressed through his depiction of the wealthier people he encounters stating, “I trusted the pilot fish as I would trust, in those days, the Corrected Hydrographic.” 

As mentioned previously, John Dos Passos includes a wider variety of characters than seen in Hemingway’s writing. His characters range in socio-economic levels and jobs, adding multiple perspectives to his writing, which gives it a fuller feel. He’s focused on presenting the whole.

This contrasts with Hemingway who focuses on presenting the perceptions of the people in his immediate reality. When reading Hemingway, one is limited to his world, but not necessarily the entirety or truth of the area; more the truth of Hemingway’s perception of his surroundings. This is why Hemingway discusses writing to the extent that he does as well; writing interests him and Hemingway chooses to include long segments, even chapters, discussing the craft, for it is a part of his personal surroundings. 

Both Hemingway and Passos include small details of people to reveal their characters. For example, Passos includes that while Monsieur le Ministre was discussing the program of the Socialist Party, he was also, "Playing with little gold paper seals out of a box he had on his desk, the gold paper seals that are affixed to the bottom of official documents." 

With his emphasis on a variety of characters, however, Passos maintains a very fly on the wall style, not really intervening with his ‘characters’, but rather letting them do what they do. This again creates a more ‘real world’ experience for the reader. Passos even switches to the second person, further engaging his audience. When reading Passos, the reader is a part of that world. When reading Hemingway, the reader is apart of Hemingway’s world. 

Further, Passos is also a lot more direct in his interpretation of characters, telling the reader directly what he sees from people. Hemingway merely implies traits of the people whom he’s discussing. Although Passos does rely on the reader’s implication, he definitely expresses his opinion of people in a much more direct manner than Hemingway. 

For example, Passos describes a group’s conversation: “Voices were gradually growing more tense. The last warmth in these fading fictions that had unhappily survived their inventor was in their hatred.” Here we’re given a clear depiction of what these people are doing, but we’re also given Passos’ interpretation of them, forcing us to view them in this same light. 

Passos’ style continues in this opinionated manner, “As money was none too plentiful there had been suggestions from higher up that only the faithful be relieved. The deserving poor. They’d damn well better be deserving.” By including this, Passos emphasizes the essence of the area; the culture of it. This contributes to Passos’ matter of fact style, allowing him to describe what people are doing and the manner in which they are doing it. 

Passos’ description of Paris is that from the perspective of the working. He sheds light on the tired of Paris, describing the young as having, ‘an old look.’ Essentially he depicts a lot of anger in Paris that we’re not necessarily exposed to through Hemingway. Passos describes the working people of Paris, as generally calloused and worn down. We receive a lot of dark imagery: ‘grey,’ ‘dark’, ‘cold,’ ‘fog.’ In one passage, Passos even describes a mere barn as ‘desolate.’ 

Towards the end of the passage, “Think of them guys in Paris, havin’ a hell of a time with wine an’ women, an’ we stay out here an’ clean our guns an’ drill.” Here Passos even acknowledges the vision of this over-romanticized notion of Paris that he is ultimately contrasting. 

Through Andrews we’re introduced to Paris from an American’s perspective: the over-romanticized nation. Henslowe even says to Andrews, “D’you remember that man shot ooh the bite out of our wine-bottle…He didn’t give a hoot in hell, did he? Talk about expression. Why don’t you express that? I think that’s the turning point of your career. That’s what made you come to Paris; you can’t deny it.” Here we see Paris presented as this place of opportunity; a place to experience new things; a place to become inspired. 

It’s a kind of escape for Andrews. When he hears the train that will bring him from Paris back to his division, he has ‘a sick feeling of despair.’ Further, Andrews walks, trying to “Find a cafe where he could sit for a few minutes to take a last look at himself before plunging again into the groveling promiscuity of the army.” Paris is portrayed as an escape from reality; an escape from the horrors of the war-something that deep down Andrews, and presumably most Americans, wanted to avoid. 

We get an image of Paris as a city with something to offer from Passos. Henslowe stating, “But man, we’re in Paris. We’re not going to be here long. We can’t afford to stay all the time in one place.” Passos sheds light on the working of Paris and by taking himself out of his writing and speaking through the perspective of Andrews, Passos is able to show the difference between the American view of Paris and the reality of the city. 

Hemingway definitely also shows a certain reality to Paris, but it’s often smothered in his own over-romanticization of the city. Only towards the end of An Immovable Feast does Hemingway reveal, “Paris was never to be the same again although it was always Paris and you changed as it changed.” Even here though he’s still fascinated with it; still sees it as something that can give him something. 

Through Passos’ broader range of characters, more in depth descriptions, including background information, and also his lack of internal dialogue, we get a reality of the present that surpasses merely summarizing. Hemingway is very much more concerned with portraying his immediate reality; ‘his Paris.’