Hemingway and Faulkner

Faulkner’s comment to Hemingway “Hemingway has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary."

Hemingway’s comment to Faulkner “Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words? He thinks I don't know the ten-dollar words. I know them all right. But there are older and simpler and better words, and those are the ones I use.”

Hemingway Faulkner Short sentences many monosyllabic words to create a seemingly simple story Write without emotion Long sentences Many words to weave an intricate picture in the reader’s head Embeds a lot of emotion in his writing

However, Both…. Write about what can be considered universal truths. Faulkner uses a lot of words, while adding in these universal truths. Hemingway writes in a deceptively simple manner. He writes in the manner of an iceberg, very little meaning is easily seen.

Iceberg Theory “I always try to write on the principal of the iceberg. There is seven-eights of it under water for every part that shows. Anything you know you can eliminate and it only strengthens your iceberg. It is the part that doesn't show.” (Ernest Hemingway, 1958) First mentioned in “Death in the Afternoon” 6