Earnest Hemingway
...have characteristics and values in common with each other. This is shown through some of his short stories, but is more evident in his novels. The three novels that best show these striking similarities in character are The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms and The Old Man and the Sea. The persons who show these similar qualities best are the main characters from each novel: Jake Barnes from The Sun Also Rises, Frederic Henry from A Farewell to Arms, and Santiago from The Old Man and the Sea. But these are not the only characters to display the qualitites by far. The characteristics are just more prominent in them. These characteristics are easily displayed sometimes, while at other times they are very subtle.
Hemingway's characters tend to follow a code for their life, in an attempt to give their lives more meaning. The values and standards that the characters live by are what makes them what is called code heroes. A code hero is defined by Dwiggins as "a man who lives correctly, following the ideals of honor, courage and endurance in a world that is sometimes chaotic, often stressful, and always painful" (Dwiggins). But a code hero is much more than can be described accurately in a single definition, there is much more about them to explore.
The code Hemingway uses for his characters deals with nada, which in Spanish means nothing(Dwiggins). In The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, and, The Old Man and the Sea, the stories end with the code hero receiving nothing. In fact the code hero usually losses
something very dear to him, as is the case with these three novels.
The code hero is typically an individualist and free-willed.
Although he believes in the ideals of courage and honor he
has his own set of morals and principles based on his beliefs
in honor, courage and endurance. A code hero never shows
emotions;...
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