Voorheesville Public Library Book Discussion

BACKGROUND

The Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939
   Robert Jordan’s Spanish comrades-in-arms refer to themselves as “revolutionaries.” In fact, they were fighting in support of the legally elected government of the Spanish Republic.
   Alfonso XIII became king of Spain in 1902. A military coup led by Primo de Rivera in 1932 resulted in the suspension of the constitution. After losing the support of the army, Rivera resigned, and Alfonso XIII was forced to accept free elections in 1931. The king relinquished the crown and went into exile, and a republic was declared.
   A coalition of leftist parties supported the election of two prime ministers. A series of reforms by these governments challenged the political and social domination of the country by wealthy land owners and the Catholic Church.
   The 1936 election brought a narrow victory to the Popular Front, a coalition of leftist parties. The new government attempted to legislate reforms, including agricultural reforms and sent several prominent military leaders, including Francisco Franco, to overseas outposts. Several military leaders opposed the policies of the Popular Front government. On July 19, 1936, army leaders declared themselves in revolt against the government and attempted a coup, which failed.
   Francisco Franco invaded Spain with his Army of Africa; he became leader of the rebellious forces and declared himself generalissimo. The generals called themselves the Nationalist government. In 1937 Franco brought all of the Nationalist forces together under the Falange Espanola. Franco’s troops were supported by the Catholic Church and received military aid, including troops, from Mussolini’s Italy and Hitler’s Germany.
   On April 1937 the German Condor legions bombed the civilian city of Guernica, a massacre made famous by Picasso’s painting. Atrocities were committed by both sides.
    The Popular Front government was aided by the Soviet Union. Volunteers from many countries went to Spain to fight for the Republic, where they were organized into International Brigades. Infighting among factions weakened the Popular Front and contributed to its defeat in 1939. On March 27 the National Army entered Madrid without significant opposition.
    Many who had fought for the republic fled Spain, most of them walking across the Pyrenees to France, where they were put into camps. Some were subsequently sent to Nazi concentration camps after the outbreak of WWII. It was a brutal conflict. Although the exact number of casualties is not known, it is generally estimated that approximately 500,000 were killed, tens of thousands on both sides were murdered for their political affiliations, and an estimated 10,000 civilians were killed in German and Italian bombing.
   After the war, Franco ordered the imprisonment of thousands of his former opponents, many of whom died in prison. He also ordered the execution of as many as 130,000 former republicans.
The Spanish Civil War was a testing ground for military weapons and tactics, such as the bombing of civilian cities and the idea of total war, and it is also considered a precursor to WWII and the struggle against fascism.

QUESTIONS

How does the war make comrades of people who are not alike and/or who do not like each other?
Jordan was a teacher in the U.S. How is he a teacher to the peasants?
What is the relationship between Pilar and Jordan? Does it change over the course of the novel?
Why does the story Pilar tells about the killing of the Fascists completely change the story?
What makes Pilar’s story of the massacre such a powerful testimony?
Which characters discuss or think about collective responsibility and collective guilt?
What does Jordan believe in?
What does Jordan want out of life?
Why can’t Jordan kill Pablo?
How does religion, or the lack of it, figure in the novel?
Jordan talks about the Spanish being practitioners of the “old religion”. What does he mean?
What role does fatalism have in the novel?
How does the novel work as a love story?
How are people tested, literally and figuratively?
What’s Jordan’s opinion of the Spanish people? Why does he fight for them?
Who is heroic in this novel? Is there heroism on both sides, or only on the republican side?
Who are Robert Jordan’s heroes?
Is Jordan idealistic? Are there situations where he has to compromise his ideals?
Jordan and his comrades have several conversations about the war. What are the Spanish republicans fighting for? What is Jordan fighting for? How do the comrades feel about killing?
The characters speak about “dying well”. What does it mean? Why is it important to “die well”?
At the end of the novel, when Jordan is talking to himself, he says, “There’s no one thing that’s true. It’s all true.” What does he mean by that?
Is Jordan a Christ figure?
Is this an anti-war novel?

LAST QUESTION:
What fictional character (in all of literature) do you consider a hero?

Questions compiled by Suzanne Fisher (fishers@uhls.lib.ny.us)


	For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
	BACKGROUND The Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939 Robert Jordan’s Spanish comrades-in-arms refer to themselves as “revolutionaries.” In fact, they were fighting in support of the legally elected government of the Spanish Republic. Alfonso XIII became king of Spain in 1902. A military coup led by Primo de Rivera in 1932 resulted in the suspension of the constitution. After losing the support of the army, Rivera resigned, and Alfonso XIII was forced to accept free elections in 1931. The king relinquished the crown and went into exile, and a republic was declared. A coalition of leftist parties supported the election of two prime ministers. A series of reforms by these governments challenged the political and social domination of the country by wealthy land owners and the Catholic Church. The 1936 election brought a narrow victory to the Popular Front, a coalition of leftist parties. The new government attempted to legislate reforms, including agricultural reforms and sent several prominent military leaders, including Francisco Franco, to overseas outposts. Several military leaders opposed the policies of the Popular Front government. On July 19, 1936, army leaders declared themselves in revolt against the government and attempted a coup, which failed. Francisco Franco invaded Spain with his Army of Africa; he became leader of the rebellious forces and declared himself generalissimo. The generals called themselves the Nationalist government. In 1937 Franco brought all of the Nationalist forces together under the Falange Espanola. Franco’s troops were supported by the Catholic Church and received military aid, including troops, from Mussolini’s Italy and Hitler’s Germany. On April 1937 the German Condor legions bombed the civilian city of Guernica, a massacre made famous by Picasso’s painting. Atrocities were committed by both sides. The Popular Front government was aided by the Soviet Union. Volunteers from many countries went to Spain to fight for the Republic, where they were organized into International Brigades. Infighting among factions weakened the Popular Front and contributed to its defeat in 1939. On March 27 the National Army entered Madrid without significant opposition. Many who had fought for the republic fled Spain, most of them walking across the Pyrenees to France, where they were put into camps. Some were subsequently sent to Nazi concentration camps after the outbreak of WWII. It was a brutal conflict. Although the exact number of casualties is not known, it is generally estimated that approximately 500,000 were killed, tens of thousands on both sides were murdered for their political affiliations, and an estimated 10,000 civilians were killed in German and Italian bombing. After the war, Franco ordered the imprisonment of thousands of his former opponents, many of whom died in prison. He also ordered the execution of as many as 130,000 former republicans. The Spanish Civil War was a testing ground for military weapons and tactics, such as the bombing of civilian cities and the idea of total war, and it is also considered a precursor to WWII and the struggle against fascism. QUESTIONS How does the war make comrades of people who are not alike and/or who do not like each other? Jordan was a teacher in the U.S. How is he a teacher to the peasants? What is the relationship between Pilar and Jordan? Does it change over the course of the novel? Why does the story Pilar tells about the killing of the Fascists completely change the story? What makes Pilar’s story of the massacre such a powerful testimony? Which characters discuss or think about collective responsibility and collective guilt? What does Jordan believe in? What does Jordan want out of life? Why can’t Jordan kill Pablo? How does religion, or the lack of it, figure in the novel? Jordan talks about the Spanish being practitioners of the “old religion”. What does he mean? What role does fatalism have in the novel? How does the novel work as a love story? How are people tested, literally and figuratively? What’s Jordan’s opinion of the Spanish people? Why does he fight for them? Who is heroic in this novel? Is there heroism on both sides, or only on the republican side? Who are Robert Jordan’s heroes? Is Jordan idealistic? Are there situations where he has to compromise his ideals? Jordan and his comrades have several conversations about the war. What are the Spanish republicans fighting for? What is Jordan fighting for? How do the comrades feel about killing? The characters speak about “dying well”. What does it mean? Why is it important to “die well”? At the end of the novel, when Jordan is talking to himself, he says, “There’s no one thing that’s true. It’s all true.” What does he mean by that? Is Jordan a Christ figure? Is this an anti-war novel? LAST QUESTION: What fictional character (in all of literature) do you consider a hero? Questions compiled by Suzanne Fisher (fishers@uhls.lib.ny.us)