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Chapter 14, though short, is important for plot development and
character revelation. Plans for blowing up the bridge receive a
setback, Pablo becomes more of a villain, Jordan does some more
philosophizing, and we learn quite a bit about Pilar\'s background.
It is late on the second day when Jordan, Pilar, and Maria return to
the hideout. And it\'s snowing. Jordan is furious. The job is difficult
enough without the extra burden of freakish weather. Pablo, on the
other hand, is positively enjoying the snow, or at least giving that
impression. Remember, he doesn\'t want the bridge blown up. It\'ll
ruin his security here in these hills. We can\'t tell whether he\'s
gleefully anticipating calling off the operation or just perversely
enjoying the bad luck of the people who are engineering the mission.
After fuming at the snow, Jordan returns to the composure and
philosophy expected of a Hemingway hero. What if there is snow? What
if the task is a little difficult? Calm down, stop complaining, and
get the job done.
A great deal of the latter part of the chapter is devoted to Pilar\'s
former lover, Finito. She reminisces about him, a relatively
mediocre bullfighter who gathered quite a following nonetheless by his
brave manner in the ring.
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NOTE: BULLFIGHTING To many people bullfighting is almost synonymous
with Spanish culture. Beyond question, it is Spain\'s best-loved sport.
Spectacle is perhaps a better word than sport, for in bullfighting,
unlike conventional sports, there is little doubt of the outcome
between the combatants, the matador and the toro. It is an elaborately
staged drama comprising three acts, and the script calls for the
bull to die. Bullfighting has been compared to ballet, for the
bullfighter executes definite, stylized movements. An essential
attraction of the spectacle is the courage of the matador, who
places himself in a dangerous position from which he can emerge only
with much skill.
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Why is all this time spent on Finito, a character who is long dead
when the story opens and who does not affect the plot in even a
minor way? Pilar tells us that Finito was always fearful before a
bullfight. Yet during the fight he did what he had to do and even
distinguished himself. What he got for all this was the respect of a
few people, a severely broken body, and a partly broken spirit.
He gave bullfighting his best effort... and ended by publicly
coughing up blood as he stared in terror at the head of a bull.
What is Hemingway trying to tell us? Perhaps that even if defeat
is inevitable, a person should behave honorably. Keep Finito\'s story
in mind as Robert Jordan\'s story continues to unfold.
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