To Have and Have Not Analysis

In a Nutshell

Ernest Hemingway's “To Have and Have Not” is classic story concerning one man's fall into poverty and how he attempts to retake his spot via illegal activities. The story was published in 1937 and takes play in Key West, Florida. At this point in time, having a wife and many kids was a social expectation, whereas now if you had more than 2 kids many would question your sanity. Main character Harry Morgan has a wife and 3 daughters to take care of. Taking care of 4 women is hard even when there isn't an economic depression. However, Harry is surviving off of being a fishing tour guide. Eventually though, he gets swindled by an inattentive customer who then flees instead of paying for his own mistake, leaving Harry with a hefty debt. All Harry has now are his own two hands and his loyal boat. He resorts to human trafficking, stealing alcohol, and (accidentally) a getaway driver (boater?) for a bank robbery. All the while Key West is involved in the political turmoil in nearby Cuba and the book is full of Marxist undertones. Harry encounters Cuban revolutionaries, illegal Chinese, coast guards, alcoholics, and many more exciting people. Quite a cast of characters. Harry included, Harry is a real gangster and could body many current rappers if he were a real person. He drops that fire many times during the novel, not taking disrespect from anyone.

Why Should I Care?

Hemingway's novel has been and is still relevant. 25 years after the publication of “To Have and Have Not” was one of the most alarming times in American history, the Cuban Missile Crisis. Tensions between the U.S and Russia escalated almost to the point of Nuclear War. These two nations had opposed each other in the Cold War for almost 45 years, no actual fighting ever occurred but it seemed war could erupt at any time. Even after this conflict America and Russia are still wary of each other. Many great stories have a war or conflict going on, in the forefront or in the background. Conflict forces the cast to adapt, to survive, to thrive. Harry Morgan has to do just that. Harry fell to the bottom and had to climb out of the deep hole to provide for his family. Harry is on the come up during the entirety of this novel. He can't rely on the government to help him, as Eminem quips on Lose Yourself, “... I can't provide the right type of life for my family, cause man these god damn food stamps don't buy diapers...”. Harry has to overcome the odds himself, just like Eminem skyrocketed to the top of the rap game all by himself (well Dr. Dre helped) and he has and never will have money problems ever again. Harry Morgan wants to get to the top and be able to reflect upon his past like Biggie on Juicy, “Born sinner, opposite of a winner / Remember when I used to eat sardines for dinner”. Harry Morgan's struggle to survive is relevant and will stay relevant for a very long time.

Chapter 1

The story begins with an introduction to the main character and current narrator, Mr. Harry Morgan. The place is Havana, capital of Cuba. He is having a meeting with 3 Cuban men, well dressed and presumably moderately wealthy. They want Harry to smuggle them into Key West, they want out of Cuba. Harry refuses to smuggle cargo that “talks”, so no human trafficking or pimping for him. This infers that Harry may have smuggled alcohol or drugs in the past. The three men and upset and angry and then begin to leave the restaurant this meeting is taking place in. Only for all 3 to get ruthlessly murdered in a drive-by. Straight gangster. Harry is a witness to this drive-by and flees to the docks so he doesn't become a statistic as well. He meets up with his buddy Eddy and client Mr. Johnson to go on a fishing trip, Johnson pays for Harry to take him on fishing trips. Harry, Eddy, Mr. Johnson, and a black worker on the boat go out to fish. The whole squad is just chilling, drinking cold ones, a good time all around. Harry is advising Johnson how to fish, but he doesn't listen. Because of a mistake Johnson makes, Johnson loses a humongous fish and the whole rod. Johnson now has a huge debt to Harry, not only 3 weeks worth of fishing trips but all the lost equipment. Johnson promises to pay this debt, but instead catches a flight back to the United States. Johnson betrays Harry, Johnson throws his homeboy under the bus. Harry is left with a massive debt and left broke. At the end of this chapter, he decides to try smuggling some illegal product. Harry Morgan wants to Keep Dealing like Beanie Sigel, “Reporting live from the project benches / Hella caine', dope in cellophane, dirty syringes/ Heron zombies street-walking on three-week binges / Clientele look like the Thriller vid in 3D lenses”.

Chapters 2-5

Harry's friend Frankie sets Harry up with Mr. Sing, a Chinese businessman. Mr. Sing wants to smuggle 12 Chinese immigrants to a specified location. Harry agrees to a payment of $1,200 which will be payed in two parts. Harry later gets a message that accuses him of setting up the drive-by on those 3 Cubans in Chapter 1. Harry wants to get paid quickly and go home to avoid trouble. Harry is preparing his boat for the trip when Eddy comes aboard and explains how he wants to go with Harry. Harry refuses and eventually hits Eddy to knock some sense into him. Harry later begins his voyage and turns the engine off after getting far enough away from the gulf. He gets into the cockpit, only to discover a drunken Eddy sleeping there. Harry contemplates killing Eddy there and then, but decides against it just in case he needs Eddy later. Eddy has no idea about what the trip is about yet and Harry decides not to tell him yet. At nightfall, Harry preps Eddy with lots of alcohol to calm his nerves and stop his withdrawals. Harry explains that Mr. Sing will arrive with 6 of the 12 passengers and 600 dollars of the 1,200 in payment. Later he will return with the other half of the passengers and payment. Harry gives Eddy instructions to steer the boat and handle the passengers during the two exchanges. After the second exchange, Harry murders Mr. Sing by choking him and breaking his neck. Harry is a straight savage. He disposes of the body by throwing it in the ocean. Harry and Eddy drive the boat back to the Cuban shore and force the passengers to get off. As they are heading home, Harry convinces himself that the authorities will not find out about the murder as no one will snitch on him. Harry doesn't believe Eddy will open his mouth either. Later when Harry is home with his wife, Marie, Eddy attempts to visit but is turned away. Harry feels great, like a god, on par with Jesus himself much like Kanye West on I Am a God, “ I just talked to Jesus / He said 'What up, Yeezus?' / I said 'Shit I'm chillin / Tryna stack these millions'”.

Chapters 6-8

Chapter Six starts Part Two, and with Part Two comes a third person narrator who objectively views Harry. It starts in the middle of action, Harry and his black shipmate, Wesley are in a panic. They have fled a bootleg liquor exchange that turned sour, as evidenced by both having gunshot wounds. Wesley has a leg wound and is lying and crying on the cockpit floor. Harry's right arm is dangling out of its socket, effectively unusable. Harry senses that they will be caught, and dumps the bootleg liquor out of the boat with just one arm and his legs somehow. That's why you never skip leg day. Soon another boat passes by, and two passengers on it are revealed to be two U.S government officials. One Frederick Harrison and his assistant. Harrison demands the captain, Captain Willie, turn the boat so they can see if his suspicion of bootlegging is true. Captain Willie refuses and plays dumb to knowing Harry, but shouts about his nosy passengers. Harry is grateful and dumps the last of the liquor overboard. Harry thinks about who he can really trust just like Kanye West on Real Friends, “Lookin for all my real friends / How many of us? How many of us are real friends / To real friends, to the real end”.

Chapters 9-14

Chapter 9 starts Part 3 which takes place a bit after the events of Part 2 in the winter. Albert is the narrator for Chapter 9, Albert is a struggling relief worker who relies on side jobs to provide for his family. Harry is also missing his right arm now, the doctor had to amputate it. Harry is hired by a lawyer, Bee Lips, to bring 4 Cuban revolutionaries from Florida to Cuba. Harry however needs to steal his boat back since it was impounded. Harry recruits Albert for the job and they agree upon a payment of $1,200. For Chapter 10 the narration goes back to Harry. Harry is worried about the job. The Cubans could set him up. The stealing back of his boat could go awry. He doesn't trust Albert or Bee-Lips either, but he needs them. For Chapter 11 the third person narration returns. Harry and Bee-Lips meet up at Freddy's Bar to discuss plans for getting back the boat and the trip. Bee-Lips is like Biggie in the fact that he's Ready to Die. Harry and Bee-Lips steal the boat from the Navy Yard without any trouble. They coast away in the boat so they don't make noise and Harry thinks about Bee-Lips. Why is he so involved in this? Why is he so desperate to leave Key West? How is he unafraid of dying? Harry hides the boat up the creek to meet up there with the Cubans later tomorrow. Harry then goes home and goes into bed with his wife, Marie. She's a forty five year old bleached blonde woman with too much weight on her body. Marie is self conscious about her looks and just wants to stay attractive for Harry. She idolizes him. Later they drive to the dock to prepare for the boat trip. She's lucky to have a man like Harry. At Freddy's, two customs officers question Harry about his missing boat. He denies having any part in it. After the officers leave, Bee-Lips says someone saw the boat from the top of a truck. Harry realizes Bee-Lips double-crossed him. Bee-Lips also says that the Cubans want to make an afternoon trip. After this betrayal Harry decides to drop Albert as a partner as well. Harry and Bee-Lips then put up the money to borrow the boat of the owner of Freddy's Bar, Freddy. Harry is desperate, he even offers up his MTV Crib as a collateral for the boat. They secure the boat with a $1,200 collateral. After this Harry goes home and talks with his wife and kids. Harry tells Marie to load up his Thompson since Harry cannot with just one arm anymore. She supports Harry even when he's verbally abusive or neglectful. He takes the gun and leaves. All eyes are on Harry, just like how they were on Tupac, “Motherfuckin O.G / Roll up in the club and shit, is that right / All eyes on me / All eyes on me”.

Chapters 15-20

Harry walks into the bar and meets three tourists. An ugly woman with a writer husband and a different strange looking man, Professor John MacWallsey. Harry insults the ugly woman, which needed to be done, and goes to the back to meet with Bee-Lips and Freddy to seal the deal. He then leaves for the dock to get ready. Richard Gordon and his wife Helen Gordon then enter the bar. Richard is an established writer and Helen is a very beautiful woman. The two writers discuss a party thrown by the Bradleys, and it is apparent Richard is having an affair with Mrs. Bradley. Helen is aware of it, and the couple reference it. Helen leaves the bar but Richard stays with the other couple. Harry gets to Freddy's boat and hides the Thompson on it. Albert comes along and begs to be in on it, as his hours got cut and he really needs money. Harry lets him in on it and gives Albert some things to do. Harry completes some prep then returns to Freddy's. Harry is drinking at Freddy's and ponders his future. He concludes all he can do now is dirty work. He has a criminal record and only one arm, he doesn't have many options. Harry leaves the bar when the unattractive couple from before come in then Richard Gordon becomes the focus. He's on his way to the Bradleys' home to find Mrs. Bradley home alone. The focus shifts back to Harry and he is on the boat with Albert. They hear gunshots coming from a nearby bank and realize it's being robbed by the four Cubans they're going to transport. A taxi pulls up to the boat and the four men are in it. Albert protests helping the criminals, but he is murdered by largest Cuban, Roberto. The boat heads towards Havana but Harry is upset about Albert's death. Two white boats and a coast guard boat attempt to follow them but Freddy's boat is too fast. Harry plots revenge. He steers the boat slightly off course to buy time. He is friendly with the youngest Cuban and tells him to steer, making the boat go even more off course. Two Cubans are seasick and sleeping, leaving only Roberto. Harry suggests they should dump Albert's body so they don't have to later. Roberto agrees and helps. But as they dump it overboard, Harry kicks Roberto's machine gun overboard. Roberto realizes his gun is gone and becomes angry. He threatens to kill Harry when they arrive at Havana. Harry then talks to the young Cuban again and he reveals that Bee-Lips was killed by Roberto during the robbery. Harry decides to retaliate and gets his Thompson he stashed by the engine. He shoots the young Cuban in the back of the head, kills the two in the bunks, and kills a hiding Roberto. But then Harry gets shot in the stomach by one of the two Cubans in the bunks he thought he killed. Harry finishes him, but he's suffered a very bad wound. Harry turns off the engine, and lays on the floor. He gets internal hemorrhaging from his wound. He can't move and is worrying about Marie. The perspective shifts back to Richard Gordon. He is leaving Freddy's when he sees Marie leaving the sheriff's office. He is disgusted by her appearance and goes home to write about her. The perspective goes back to Freddy's boat, Harry is alive but is also delirious and paranoid. The boat is drifting on the water, and there's a tanker in the distance.

Chapters 21-22

Helen confronts Richard at their house about his open affair with Mrs. Bradley. Helen says their marriage is over, and Richard agrees. Helen says that Professor MacWallsey has asked her to marry him. Richard slaps Helen after this confession. The narrator then tells about the scene right before where Richard was at the Bradley household. He was having sex with Mrs. Bradley when her husband walked in. Richard could no longer perform since the husband was watching. Mrs. Bradley proceeded to kick Richard out of the house. The story goes back to the confrontation between recently separated husband and wife, and Richard leaves the house. He wanders the streets of Key West and ends up at a local bar. The sheriff, who is a friend of Richard's, enters. He tells Richard that Freddy's boat is being taken to the Navy Yard, and there are five men on it with four dead. The sheriff asks if Richard wants to come with him to the Navy Yard later, and Richard says yes. The sheriff and Richard go to Freddy's bar, where there are a bunch of drunk and rowdy WWI veterans. There are fights breaking out constantly. Richard makes friends with a couple vets and attempts to drink his troubles away. Richard spots Professor MacWallsey at the bar and becomes incredibly angry. Richard's drinking buddies offer to beat up or kill MacWallsey, but Richard insists for them not to. Eventually, the two end up next to each other at the bar. Richard expresses his hatred and MacWallsey apologizes. Richard clocks him in the face and the bar bouncer knocks out Richard and throws him out. MacWallsey carries Richard into a taxi and tries to bring Richard home. But MacWallsey stops to get some ciggies and Richard leaves while he's gone. The driver points to Richard limping down the street. The taxi catches up the Richard and MacWallsey tries to get him to get in. Richard refuses, going so far as to try and land another punch. MacWallsey gets back into the cab and heads back to Freddy's bar.

Chapters 23-26

The Coast Guard is towing Freddy's boat back to the Navy Yard. Harry is dehydrated, delirious, and dying. Two coast guards try to make sense of Harry's ramblings, but they are incomprehensible. But finally he says the moral of the his story, “No matter how a man alone ain't got no bloody fucking chance”. The coast guards return to the cockpit to steer, not expecting Harry to live. The narrator describes the boat being towed to the dock. There is a large crowd trying to get through the front gate. The narrator talks about passengers on other yachts at this dock. A homosexual couple from Harvard, and one of the men commits suicide since he suffered a large financial loss. A swindling, 60 year old broker who stole all of his clients' money, finally feels remorse for his actions and cannot fall asleep. A well to do family who made their money honestly sleep soundly, the daughter ready to meet her fiance the next morning. A woman cheating a her husband with a younger man resorting to sleeping pills and masturbation to fall asleep. The coast guard finally arrive with Freddy's boat and Harry is taken off in a stretcher. The crowd breaks through the front gate, including Albert's wife. She wants to know if Albert is alive, but a sheriff states his body wasn't found. She begins hysterically wailing and cannot be consoled. She is pushed into the water by the crowd and two coast guards save her and she wails even more. At the hospital, Marie and her three daughters are anxiously waiting. A doctor tells Marie that Harry has passed away. Marie brings the girls home afterwards and tells them not to talk about Harry. After dropping them off home, she returns to the hospital to see her husband's body for the last time. She finally cries over her husband's death. A week afterwards, Marie thinks about how she will survive without her husband. She admits she doesn't care for her daughters, she only cared for Harry. She wishes she died instead of Harry, and has flashbacks of their younger years together. They were passionate and in love, and that's the way she wants to remember their relationship.

Themes

Marriage

The marriages of Harry Morgan and Richard Gordon are compared throughout Part 3 of the novel. Both marriages eventually end, but end very differently. Harry's marriage was strong and healthy and only died because he did. Marie still loved him and would have kept loving him. Richard's marriage ended after his wife grew sick of his cheating and they divorced. Harry and Richard are counterparts in many ways, and their marriages are an aspect of this.

Questions:

1. Are marriages where one person idolizes the other (Harry/Marie) easier to maintain than one where both people are the same value (Richard/Helen)?

2. Is a divorce a better option than staying in a marriage you are unhappy with?

3. Do you need to marry someone in order to show that you truly love them?

Quotes:

“I've been a lucky woman. There ain't no other men like that.” -Marie pg. 85

“'His goddamn face,' she thought, 'Everytime I see his goddamn face it makes me want to cry'.” -Marie pg. 96

“I've tried to be a good wife, but you're as selfish and conceited as a barnyard rooster.” -Helen Gordon pg. 137

“Richard Gordon said nothing. A hollow had come in him where his heart had been, and everything he heard, or said, seemed to be overheard” -After Helen said MacWalsey asked to marry her pg. 139

Government

The government is an aspect in everyone's lives. They're our leaders, they make the rules.The governments of America and Cuba are both important entities in the novel. They both hang over Harry as he commits crimes, they could ruin his life if they found out about his dealings. The American government is trying to catch those running illegal loads in Key West. The Cuban government's deprivation of the middle class made the people start a revolution. These two governments are deeply involved in this story.

Questions:

1. Is it morally wrong to commit crimes against the government if you cannot survive through legal methods?

2. Do the ends justify the means when it comes to revolution? Is it okay to ruin the lives of innocent people as long as the government is reformed?

3. Should the government get involved in regulating the economy (ex. Banning alcohol/ taxing cigarettes heavily) or should they let the market and people handle it?

Quotes:

“We want to do away with all the old politicians, with all the American imperialism that strangles us, with the tyranny of the army” -Cuban revolutionary pg. 125

“...we have to use means that later we would never use. Also we have to use people we would not employ later. But the end is worth the means.” -Cuban revolutionary pg. 125

“Before we were ruled with clubs. No we are ruled by rifles, pistols, machine guns, and bayonets.” -Cuban revolutionary pg. 126

“It’s the Cubans run Cuba. They all double-cross each other. They sell each other out. They get what they deserve.” -Harry pg. 126

Alcohol

Alcohol is a common drink among adults and also among teenagers, but it can be dangerous if abused. The American government imposed Prohibition because of this, which only ended 4 years before the publication of this book. Prohibition increased the consumption of and crime relating to alcohol. Prohibition forced those who wanted to drink to do so under the table. Key West is still feeling the effects of the dry spell, many are abusing the newly returned drink.

Questions:

1. Should alcohol be banned for its dangerous side effects?

2. Is alcoholism a legitimate disease?

3. Should alcohol have more restrictions on its usage?

Quotes:

“Eddy was a good man on a boat once, before he was a rummy, but he isn't any good now” pg. 14

“There ain't no lucky rummys” -Marie pg. 50

“ 'Listen, Harry. Would you give me just one?' he asked me. 'I don't want to get the shakes'.” -Eddy pg. 35

“I know you haven't got any cojones unless you've got rum and there isn't much on board” -Harry pg. 36

Characters

Harry Morgan: Harry is the protagonist of the novel. He is aloof and distrustful of everyone he meets, even aloof around his own wife and kids. His distrust can be attributed to when he was swindled by Mr. Johnson in the beginning of the story. His debt was caused by him being too trustworthy of a stranger, and throughout the story he doesn't want to be screwed over because of someone else again. He killed Mr. Sing, even though nothing went wrong and there was no indication that anything would. Harry said he killed Mr. Sing since things seemed to be going too well in their deal. Harry was being extremely paranoid. Harry only trusts himself, as evidenced by his initial refusal of Eddy and Albert when they tried to accompany him on his two trips. Eddy snuck on to the boat, but Albert was able to get on by using Harry's sympathy for him. Harry's distrustfulness in my opinion is his main character flaw.

Richard Gordon: Richard is a successful writer taking a vacation with his wife, Helen, in Key West. Richard is also in an open affair with Mrs. Bradley. This affair eventually leads to Helen and Richard's separation, but Richard is also rejected by Mrs. Bradley, leaving him with nobody. The last time we see Richard he is drunkenly stumbling down the sidewalk, with nowhere to go.

Albert Tracy: Albert is a relief worker. He gets paid only $7.50 a week, and with a wife and two kids to provide for he simply isn't getting by. He does side jobs with boaters like Harry to make some extra income. He agrees to help Harry bring the 4 Cubans back to Havana, but when they come on the boat shortly after robbing the bank, Albert screams at Harry not to help them escape. Roberto, one of the Cubans, is angered by this and kills Albert with a machine gun. Albert's body ends up in the ocean, never to be found.

Marie Morgan: Marie is Harry's loyal wife. She's a relatively flat character, her main quality is her love and devotion to Harry. She loves him even though he does illegal things and even when he loses his arm she still loves him the same. She is the one most affected by Harry's death at the end of the book. She wished she died instead of Harry, she can't stand to live without him. She doesn't love her daughters, she only loved Harry. The book ends with her staring out the window crying, remembering Harry.

Plot Analysis

Initial Situation

Harry Morgan is a former Miami policeman turned sports fishing tour guide in Key West. People pay him to sail on his boat and learn how to fish. He makes more than the average person in Key West, around 30 dollars a day.

Conflict

Harry is swindled out of about 1000 dollars by Mr. Johnson. Mr. Johnson had went on three weeks worth of fishing trips, and on the last day he went out, he broke Harry's fishing equipment when he didn't listen to Harry's advice. Harry told Johnson he had to pay his debts the next day, but then Johnson bailed by taking a plane home. Harry is broke at this point, and needs to make some money to survive.

Complication

Harry agrees to bring 4 Cubans to Havana on his boat. Though there are problems during prepping this operation, he manages to get everything ready. That is until Harry and his first mate Albert witness these 4 Cubans rob a bank then come on the boat to get away. These Cubans kill Albert and now Harry knows he will die when they get close to Havana.

Climax

Using his smarts and survival instincts, he manages to kill all 4 Cubans before they murder him. Unfortunately though, he suffers a very bad wound to the stomach. He cannot move at this point, and lays down on the floor of the boat and feels extreme pain in his body.

Suspense

Harry's boat is being towed back to the Navy Yard, and his situation is unknown to the audience for several chapters. For several chapters the story focuses on Richard Gordon and his story, with no new information about Harry's fate.

Denouement

Harry is being questioned by two coast guards who want to know what happened on the boat. Harry however cannot make a coherent answer, as he is delirious and dehydrated. The two coast guards eventually stop trying, as they are convinced that Harry is going to die.

Conclusion

Harry gets to the hospital. His wife and children wait anxiously to see if their father will pull through and live on. Unfortunately, the doctor informs them that their father has died. The book ends with Harry's wife looking out the window of her home crying about her dead love.

Setting

Key West and the surrounding sea is the setting for the novel. At this point in time, Key West was a very interesting place. Firstly, the Great Depression was in full swing, and Key West is like a vacation spot. Vacations do not happen as frequently during economic downturns. Businesses is the area are especially suffering because of this. The second reason Key West is interesting is because revolution was starting in nearby Cuba. Just like how today Texas is the first place illegal Mexican immigrants reach, Cuban refugees hit Key West when they first arrived. Key West is the first stop in the revolution's foreign spread.

Narrator Point of View

This novel has 3 different point of views. The first is first person from the mind of Harry. This point of view is used throughout Part 1. This point of view used the literary technique of “caricature”, Harry stereotypes in his descriptions of characters like Mr. Sing and taxi driver Hayzooz. The second point of view is third person, which is used for all of Part 2. Third person objectively describes the events occuring in the 3 chapters of Part 2. Part 3 uses both of these point of views plus first person from the mind of character Albert Tracy. Albert is more normal and loose than Harry, and he doesn't use stereotypes like Harry does in his descriptions.

Title

The title of this novel is “To Have and Have Not”. Have represents the wealthy and Have Not represents the poor people. The Great Depression decayed American society, putting a large percentage of people in the poverty pile. The number of Have Nots steadily increased throughout the depression. Until FDR was elected, the government simply refused to help the poor.

Trivia

The novel inspired 5 different films and one of the films inspired a syndicated radio series. 1. To Have and Have Not (1944) 2. The Breaking Point (1950) 3. The Gun Runners (1958) 4. The Deep (1977) 5. Captain Khorshid (1987)

Discussion Questions

1. Why did Harry not trust anybody?

2. Marie says at one point that “there are no lucky rummys”, what does she mean by this?

3. How do you think Bee-Lips died during the bank robbery?

4. Do you think Marie will commit suicide based on the ending?

5. Why do you think Hemingway added the story of Richard Gordon and placed it where he did?