Journal #18

1. What is the significance of the story’s title?

There are two ways in which they are alienated because they are literally now in a different country than where they were and a physical alienation because of their injuries. This sets them apart and makes them a part of their own separate group. He also has an emotional injury that has set him apart from most people in everyday life.

2. Which character do you think best represents the “Hemingway hero”? Why?

The major is the hero because he suffered the most and had the hardest time dealing with it but he still managed to get through it with grace. Especially since he could no longer fence and his wife died he was suffering a personal and a physical loss. So he can no longer make money being a fencer and now he can't fence as well or maybe even at all.

3. What can you infer about the photographs the doctor hangs up? What is the significance of the major’s reaction?

That the photos weren’t actually real but just staged to look like the machines were working. They were the first to use the machines so there is no way that the injuries were healed by the machines. This acted as more motivation than actually proof of the machines that were working. Their reaction was that they didn’t really buy into it because they were the first ones to use it and the machines were experimental. They are skeptical about how much they will get better.