No other place is as informative about influential personas as the places where they lived. It is no wonder why Ernest Hemingway’s house in Key West has attracted so many visitors, me included. Hemingway’s residency is now a public museum that preserves authenticity due to Hemingway’s possessions remaining there. When I went to visit The Hemingway Home and Museum during my trip to Key West, I did not realize how much it would affect me. Yet, Hemingway’s residency had a profound impact on my life by propelling me to read his works, study his working surroundings, and think about his overall legacy.
Knowing that Hemingway lived in Key West has invigorated my interest in literature in me. I always knew that the city prided itself on having housed a famous writer. However, only after visiting the museum did I actually want to read his pieces. Some of his most successful stories were created in my city (His Life). Therefore, I was particularly interested in reading A Farewell To Arms, Green Hills of Africa, To Have And Have Not, and Islands in the Stream. Afterward, I proceeded to read works of authors who would resemble Hemingway in some way. Particularly, I turned to Mark Twain, Ray Bradbury, Aldous Huxley, and George Orwell. As such, exposure to Hemingway’s place of living has led me to become acquainted with and appreciate American and English authors.
Most unusually, Hemingway’s house layout has influenced my lifestyle habits. The feature that particularly surprised me was the apparent decadence. The building looks too luxurious for an author who writes stories about people in need, desperation, and pure asceticism. Nevertheless, Hemingway managed to write deep and insightful stories, create meaningful and believable characters while having a financially savvy lifestyle. Having understood it, I have also started to experiment with contrasting environments. A subsequent discovery was that I was able to connect with people of different social and economic backgrounds. I managed to make many friends and meet people that I would not otherwise even talk to. Overall, Hemingway’s house showcased the importance of contrasts in life to me.
Hemingway’s impact on Key West and American culture has shaped my understanding of important life decisions. When he arrived, the building, which would become his residency, was in ruins. Ernest and his wife spent enormous sums on reconstruction, nearly draining their finances. Yet, not only was the building rebuilt, but it also became an important landmark and museum in Key West. Naturally, Hemingway’s writing has made a substantial impact on the history of American literature. Yet, his possessions and belongings also spoke volumes of him and his life. The story of this residency taught me a valuable lesson of the importance of the legacy one leaves behind. What may seem exuberant and useless now may actually be worthwhile to future ancestors.
Altogether, visiting Hemingway’s house had a significant impact on me as I became acquainted with his writing, paid more attention to the environment I live in, and started to consider the ways I can influence future generations. First, reading Hemingway’s stories has spurred an interest in me towards American literature. Second, the study of his dwelling has taught me to value people from different walks of life and initiate communication with them. Third, analysis of his creations that still remain in both physical as well as literature world has caused me to give more to think about my legacy. None of it would have happened had Hemingway not lived in Key West and left behind a house, which allows everyone to ponder on the life of one of the most influential American writers.
Work Cited
“His Life“. The Hemingway Home & Museum. Web.