Advice to a Son

Advice to A Son

Never trust a white man 

Never kill a Jew

Never sign a contract

Never rent a pew

Don't enlist in armies

Nor marry many wives

Never write for magazines

Never scratch your hives

Always put paper on the seat

Don't believe in wars

Keep yourself both clean and neat

Never marry whores

Never pay a blackmailer

Never go to the law

Never trust a publisher

Or you'll sleep on stray

All your friends will leave you

All your friends will die

So lead a clean and wholesome life

And join them in the sky

 -Ernest Hemingway

This poem was written during the modern period after World War I, and he expressed his feelings on economic, racial, political and societal issues of this era.

In the poem Advice to a Son, Hemingway uses his realistic view on society and life through poetry. Hemingway shows us his life role as a father directing his son to do what he says so he can live long and healthy life. This poem is written in the first person, and it is conveying direct message to his son. Hemingway wanted to warn his son of the harsh realities of life and the dangers of this world. His usage of straightforward bold tones assert his compassion and concern for his son not to make the same mistakes he has seen been made that had negatively impacted other peoples lives, and even his own life such as the war. The war had a negative impact on Hemingway’s mental health. One line that stood out to me the most was "Don't believe in wars" Hemingway’s intention was to deny any ideas of war related glory in the eyes of his son. Hemingway was an ambulance driver, he made it to the Italian front by 1918, and he witnessed the carnage of war. Hemingway wants to protect his son from the physical and mental damages that he himself encountered from the war. 

Hemingway and son Jack

Work Cited:

“Ernest M. Hemingway.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/ernest-m-hemingway.

                         Picture from: Shameem, Tanvir. “Tanvir's Blog.” Ernest Hemingway Quick Facts, 7 June 2015,          tanvirdhaka.blogspot.com/2015/06/ernest-hemingway-quick-facts.html.