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To Have or Have Not

In: English and Literature

Submitted By peepie061205
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To Have and Have Not – Essay In Ernest Hemingway’s novel, To Have and Have Not, Harry Morgan is portrayed as a fisherman whose life is a struggle between following the law or his own instincts to provide for his family. He is a flawed person who is in a downward spiral and acts on desperation. The American dream applies to Harry Morgan; however, the dream works backwards for Harry and collapses around him. The American dream takes Harry Morgan from something to nothing. Despite this backwards direction Harry Morgan never gives up hope of doing better. Even though Harry Morgan runs liquor, Cubans, and murders people, he is a good man. Harry Morgan’s first business deal with Mr. Johnson does not go the way he had hoped it would. Harry is chartered by Mr. Johnson, who not only skips out without paying for the three weeks he chartered Harry’s boat, but also loses his fishing equipment. “Johnson had fished fifteen days, finally he hooks into a fish a fisherman would give a year to tie into, he loses him, he loses my heavy tackle, he makes a fool of himself and he sits there perfectly content, drinking with a rummy” (Hemingway 22). Even though Mr. Johnson lost all these things, he can still sit on Harry’s boat satisfied with his trip. “…It was my fault. I should have known better” (Hemingway 27). Despite losing income and equipment Harry still has his boat which is how he makes his living and he still has his family. Next Harry Morgan chose to run twelve Chinamen for Mr. Sing. Harry needed a way to provide for his family and this was an opportunity for him to do so. “I was damned if I was going home broke and starve a summer in that town” (Hemingway 28). Harry knew the danger of being caught, he was better to take the money and run. Better to kill one Mr. Sing instead of twelve Chinamen. “Ten years at least. But there is no reason to go to jail, my dear captain. You run only one risk-when you load your passengers” (Hemingway 33). Harry Morgan is acting on his own individualism when he murders Mr. Sing. Harry is doing what he believes is the right thing even though it is illegal. Harry’s next money making adventure is running alcohol from Cuba. Harry is not intellectual or heroic. He gets shot up, loses an arm and his boat, all for getting mixed up with the Cubans. “I hope they don’t take her. I hope they can fix my arm. How was he to know they’d shoot at them after they could go and come there open for six months? That’s Cuban’s for you. Somebody didn’t pay somebody so we got the shooting. That’s Cuban’s all right” (Hemingway 86). Harry is desperate by this point. Harry feels that he has no choice but to do these illegal things to make money because all legitimate sources of income are viable. Harry doesn’t want to involve others but knows he can’t do these things alone. On Harry Morgan’s last money making venture he was to take the Cuban’s, who robbed the bank for their revolution, to Havana. “What the hell do I care about his revolution? F-His revolution. To help the working man he robs a bank and kills a fellow works with him and then kills that poor damned Albert that never did any harm. That’s a working man he kills…” (Hemingway 168). “All I got to do is make a living for my family and I can’t do that” (Hemingway 168). Harry was surrounded by pain, violence, brutality, and alienation. Harry chooses to follow his own instincts again when he decides to kill the Cubans. In the violent process of shooting the Cubans Harry himself is shot in the stomach. When the Coast Guard tows in Freddy’s boat, the Cubans are dead and Harry Morgan lay on the deck bleeding from his gunshot wound to the stomach. As they bring Harry to the dock so they can get him medical attention, we hear of the well-to-do, wealthy yachtsmen. These “privileged” individuals let greed lead them to do illegal activities which brought them stress and loneliness. You have the grain broker who is in trouble with the Internal Revenue Service. Francis, even though they’re a happy family and love each other, has a fiancé that is a Skull and Bones man. Dorothy is oversexed and has no idea what her true identity is. She can only find physical pleasures. They may have money but the American dream is more than how wealthy we are or our class. One thing that Harry Morgan never loses sight of is his family. Harry and Marie share a deep love for each other. He spends his life making choices so he can provide for his wife and their two daughters. As he lay on the deck of the boat dying, his last thoughts are of his wife Marie. “I wish I could do something about Marie. Plenty of money on this boat…Anybody be O.K. with that money” (Hemingway 174). Marie was Harry’s dream, his whole life. He likes everything about Marie just the way she is. Harry did and would do anything for her, just to keep food on the table, a smile on her face, and his family together. Marie also adores Harry. Marie knows that Harry is operating outside the law and loves him just the same. “She lay for a long time looking at him. I’m lucky, she was thinking. Those girls. They don’t know what they’ll get. I know what I’ve got and what I’ve had. I’ve been a lucky woman…I don’t mind” (Hemingway 114-115). Even though Harry lost an arm, his boat, and some money, Marie never worried. She knew Harry would find a way to provide for his family. She feels lucky to have such a wonderful man. He took care of their children, worked hard, and never gave up hope. Harry and Marie loved each other even with their faults. Harry Morgan did not always choose to do the right things. In order to put food on the table and have a roof over his families head he made choices which involved breaking the law. He lost his boat, his income, and eventually his life. People like Harry Morgan had few, if any, other options in their lives. Through everything the love of his family propels him to strive for a better tomorrow. Harry Morgan had a passion for life and for living by standing up to and against the nothingness. Harry does the best he can do and provides for his family until his death. Harry Morgan is a good man!

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