In Ernest Hemingway's novel, "Banal Story," a young man named John is struggling to find his place in the world. He is a recent college graduate, and he is trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life. He is also trying to find a way to make a living and to find a woman to love. John's journey takes him to a small town in the Midwest, where he meets a variety of people, including a young woman named Mary. Mary is a free spirit who is trying to find her own way in the world. She and John become close friends, and they eventually fall in love. However, John's life is not as simple as it seems. He is haunted by his past, and he is struggling to come to terms with his own identity. He is also struggling to find a way to make a living and to make something of himself. John's journey is filled with highs and lows, and he eventually finds himself in a difficult situation. He must decide whether to stay in the small town and pursue his dreams, or to leave and start a new life elsewhere. In the end, John must make a decision that will shape the rest of his life.
By Ernest Hemingway · First published 1926 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Realism, Modernism