Tuesday, March 9, 2010

And now for something completely different...


I don't like Ernest Hemingway.  At all.  I am currently sending loathsome thoughts to where ever he is buried.  So it's really a shame that my high school english teacher decided to dedicate six weeks to studying his writings, because we never really got along after that.

But.

Hemingway once wrote a (very) short story in just six words:

"For sale: baby shoes, never worn."

And at first I think "oh yea, Ernie, good job.  Like my flippin' first-grader couldn't do better.  Psha.  gah.  whatever."  And then Richard and I spend the better part of an evening coming up with our own six-word stories, and find it surprisingly difficult.  And I even begin to admire some things about Hemingway's little story, like the symmetry, the compression of a whole lifetime of grief, and the how he creates distance while remaining intimate.

And that is where I draw the line, because I stubbornly refuse to ever admire Hemingway, the old jerk:

(  __________________________________  )



So here's a fun challenge:  write a story! make it six words! post them in the comment section to share with everyone- it's kinda like actually getting published!

Here's some of the ones Richard and I hashed out:

"Dear John.  It was fun.  Not."

"Airport Parking.  Arrivals/Departures.  Terminal Hotel."

"What did you think would happen?!"

"I'm sorry.  No admittance without insurance."

For the monomaniacs:
"Wanted: White whale harpooner.  Light travel."

For the Austen-ites:
"Just married: Elizabeth Bennet, Fitzwilliam Darcey"

And for the Twilights:
"Vegetarian vampire marries high school sweetheart."

Have Fun!

11 comments:

  1. Don't do it! I'm tellin' Mom!

    or

    This a good length? Oh, shoot.

    This is really fun. I may end up thinking about them all night. And I, too, dislike Hemmingway stuff.

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  2. I'll do it in a day......
    No more sick kids ever, PLEASE!

    Seriously fun idea. I will try it when the kids are well. Hope yours are well

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  3. Ok, I have never "officially" read any Hemingway, but his short lines really are sad when you really ponder what he is saying and to me that is a skill to evoke emotion in just a few short words. Of course now I have to read some more of his work to see if I really like what he has to say. :)

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  4. Mine: "I hear about this on NPR."

    Love it.

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  5. Ok here is mine "stuttering robber leaves empty handed."

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  6. Sharon and I talked about this for a good half hour this morning. We made up all kinds of 6-word stories with varying degrees of success.

    Here's my [current] story:
    Devoted wife supports disappointed executive's schooling.

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  7. Ok you are so totally gonna be sick of me at the end, but I meant "Stuttering robber leaves BANK empty handed!" ha ha! One minor detail I had left off on my previous comment. ;)

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  8. I'll try again later. All of mine sounded mopey...and borish.
    Utter rubbish, I say.
    (Can you tell I'm a wee bit obsessed with a BBC show at the moment?)
    Cheeri-o, my good man.

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  9. Veteran writes: no nonsense, abrupt ending.

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  10. hold my beer and watch this

    stranger,friend, lover- dementia- lost forever

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  11. Gone on hike with the dog.

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