Soldiers Like Quote by Ernest Hemingway
““And Barcelona. You should see Barcelona.” “How is it?” “It is all still comic opera. First it was the paradise of the crackpots and the romantic revolutionists. Now it is the paradise of the fake soldier. The soldiers who like to wear uniforms, who like to strut and swagger and wear red-and-black scarves. Who like everything about war except to fight. Valencia makes you sick and Barcelona makes you laugh.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: For Whom the Bell Tolls, Ernest Hemingway, 1940
The passage sat Barcelona as a place that has become a stage for pretentious post, where the romantic idealism of earlier times has turned into a superficial display of militarism and spectacle.
In simple terms: Barcelona is portrayed as a comic, superficial stage of false heroism.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and question superficial displays of bravado.
Themes
illusion
culture
politics
identity
war
society
Mood
wry
critical
reflective
Type
literary
satirical
observational
When to use this quote
- travel
- political critique
- social observation
- literary analysis
Key Concepts
postmodernism
symbolism
satire
Questions to Reflect On
- How does humor reveal deeper societal critiques?
- What does the shift from romanticism to militarism say about cultural evolution?
A Different Perspective
The satire may overlook genuine local struggles and the complexities of cultural change.
