Book Report On For Whom The Bell

Tolls Essay, Research Paper

Part II

The title For Whom the Bell Tolls symbolizes the uncertainty of life and destiny, where the main character in this story finds himself in a series of unpredictable situations that are beyond his control. The only certain event in life is death and knowing that this may happen to anyone at any time, renders the protagonist powerless against destiny, which he approaches with a fatalistic disposition.

Part III

For Whom the Bell Tolls takes place in Spain, during the bloody civil war, between the years of 1938 and 1942. It unravels among people who live in the rural mountain areas of Spain. They were forced to kill others in order to survive and to defend their country from fascist. The environment where the actions unfolds are the roughed mountains. A lot of killing takes place in this story. It certainly was a time of fear and desperation. Many heroic military deeds are depicted here: Robert Jordan and his group of internationalists sabotaged bridges, trains and building. Lots of peasants are starved, tortured and killed, and many children were left orphaned.

Part IV

1 ?He lay flat on the brown, pine-needle floor of the forest, his chin on his folded arms, and high overhead the wind blew in the tops of the pine tree?(p.1)

2 ?He crosses the stream, picked a double handful, washed the muddy roots clean in the current and then sat down again beside his pack and ate the clean, cool green leaves and the crisp, peppery-tasting stalks?(p.12)

3 ?Robert Jordan breathed deeply of the clear night air of the mountains that smelled of the pines and of the dew grass in the meadow by the stream. Dew had fallen heavily sin the wind had dropped.?(p.64)

4 ?Now the morning was late May, the sky was high and clear and the wind blew warm on Robert Jordan?s shoulders.?(p.311)

5 ?Then he heard the far-off, distant throbbing and, looking up, he saw the planes?(p.329)

6 ? Sweeeish-crack-boom! It came, the swishing like the noise of a rocket and there was another up-pulsing of dirt and smoke farther up the hillside?(p.494)

7 ?The others came behind him and Robert Jordan saw them crossing the road and slamming on up the green slope and heard the machine gun hammer at the bridge?(p.505)

8 ?He looked very carefully around the withers of the dead horse and there was a quick hammering of firing from behind a boulder well down the slope and he heard the bullets from the submachine gun thud into the horse?(p.333)

9 ?They are brave, but stupid people, he thought?(p.334)

10 ?The cigarette glowed brightly?(p.67)

Part V

1 Dexterous; p.25 Skillful and competent with the hand.

2 Flaccid; p.29 (Flabby) Deficient in turgor

3 Bayonet; p.40 A steel blade made to be attached at the muzzle end of a rifle and used in hand-to-hand combat

4 Fascist; p 45 party to oppose communism

5 Heather; p. 155 A common evergreen heath of northern alpine regions with small crowded stem less leaves.

6 Pallor; p. 168 Lack of color especially in the face

7 Contemptuously; p. 458 existing, occurring, or originating during the same time

8 Echelon; p. 344 A formation of units resembling a series of steps (as troops)

9 Decadent; p. 263 marked by decay or decline

10 devaluate; p. 417

Part VI

??What have you to justify your identity?, Asked the man in the carbine?(p.12)

??Very practical,?He explained? (p.22)

??I?ll get a tank,??The gypsy told him?(p.22)

??Ta! Ta!Ta??He exulted?(p.33)

??The barracks,?Pilar began?(p.110)

??Are there more,?Pablo shouted?(p.110)

Part VII

?But in the meantime all the life you have is today, tonight, tomorrow, today, tonight, tomorrow, over and over again (I hope), he thought and so you better take what time there is and be very thankful for it?(p.181)

I picked this as my favorite quotes because it applies to everyone and embodies the central theme of the author?s work: People take their life for granted, or are preoccupied with less important thing. People should live their life day by day and realize that tomorrow may never happen so live in the moment and be grateful for what you have because it may be the only thing that you will ever have.

Part VIII

For Whom the Bell Tolls is part of the book canon because it is a book that gives history and at the same time informs the reader of the thoughts of people during wartime. I believe that in a hundred years this book will still be part of the book canon, because war, love, and death provoke the strongest and most intense emotions a human being is capable of and has a universal value that transcends time. It is something that does not changes with time, it remains a constant in human history. This book makes the reader think on the meaning of life and destiny.