Topic > Characterization of Hadley

Ernest Hemingway fondly recalls his time in Paris in his memoir A Moveable Feast. The book chronicles his writing process and other fond memories of living in Paris with his wife Hadley. Hemingway often refers to Hadley strictly as his wife, but eventually switches from calling her his wife to Hadley. Throughout the book, Hemingway characterizes Hadley as a fun-loving and supportive wife. Although Hemingway's book is not in chronological order, he uses this subtle transition to mark a division in his and Hadley's relationship. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayHemingway tells the reader about his experiences in Paris and his encounters with other famous authors. The first chapter of the book begins with Hemingway describing his café where he prefers to write. At the end of the chapter he mentions a short conversation with his wife about a vacation they want to take. He describes her, “She had a beautiful, molded face and her eyes and smile lit up at decisions as if they were rich gifts” (Hemingway 19). With a simple description of his wife, Hemingway lets his dialogue take center stage rather than elaborately describing his wife. The images Hemingway uses to describe how he responds to the decision to go on vacation show how he views the vacation; think of the holiday as a rich gift that you don't receive often. Since Hemingway is so determined to go on this trip, his wife is happy to go. He supports Hemingway's decision to leave Paris, so he could write about Paris. Hadley also supports Hemingway when he decides to grow his hair. He even decides to cut his hair to the same length as Hemingway's, so they can grow it together. One of the most important decisions Hemingway makes during this Parisian period is to bet on horse races. Hadley asks Hemingway, "Do we have enough money to really gamble, Tatie?" (42). At this point in Hemingway's career, he is still writing for newspapers and has submitted a few short stories for publication. The Hemingways are nowhere near rich, but they don't think of themselves as poor either. They definitely don't have any money saved up to bet on horse races, but Hadley supports Hemingway anyway: "I think we should go... We haven't been in so long" (43). Hemingway also says that he has been strict with any income they have, so when he wants to gamble what little surplus, if you can call it that, that they have, Hadley continues to support him. Hemingway conveys how deep his relationship with Hadley is. in one specific scene, “It was a wonderful meal at Michaud's after we came in; but when we finished and it was no longer hunger, the feeling that had been like hunger when we were on the bridge was still there when we took the bus home” (49). In this scene it shows that their hunger wasn't just a physical sensation, but it was a desire for something more. Hemingway knew his wife so well that he could tell she was hungry just like him. Hemingway shows with this scene that he and Hadley had a strong bond which only makes their divorce even more tragic. In the sixth chapter of the book, Hemingway uses Hadley's name for the first time instead of referring to her as his wife. While this may seem insignificant, it hides a deeper meaning. The chapters in A Moveable Feast are not in chronological order, so this change in reference to Hadley could symbolize the beginning of how the relationship between Hemingway and Hadley began to deteriorate. In chapter sixteen, Hemingway closes the chapter with.