Captives by Ernest Hemingway (1923)
The novel follows the story of a young American couple, David and Catherine, who are living in Paris in the 1920s. They are both struggling to find their place in the world, and their relationship is strained by their different backgrounds and outlooks. When David is offered a job in the French Foreign Legion, he jumps at the chance to escape his mundane life and experience something new. He and Catherine travel to Morocco, where David joins the Legion and is sent to a remote desert outpost. At the outpost, David is confronted with the harsh realities of life in the Legion, and he soon finds himself in a desperate situation. He must find a way to survive in the unforgiving desert, while also trying to protect Catherine from the dangers of the Legion. The novel is a gripping tale of adventure, romance, and survival, as David and Catherine fight to stay alive and find their way back to each other.
By Ernest Hemingway · First published 1923 · Genre: Historical Fiction, War Fiction, Drama · 40 words
First lines
Some came in chains Unrepentent but tired.
Too tired but to stumble.
Thinking and hating were finished Thinking and fighting were finished Retreating and hoping were finished.
Cures thus a long campaign, Making death easy.
What this Textopian page supports
Captives is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ernest Hemingway, dated 1923 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ernest Hemingway
- Date: 1923 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, War Fiction, Drama, Romance
- Length: 40 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Captives by Ernest Hemingway
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Captives?
- How does this poem by Ernest Hemingway fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Historical Fiction first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Historical Fiction — Captives is set in the Spanish Civil War, which is a historical event, and the novel follows the lives of the characters as they experience the war.
- War Fiction — The novel follows the characters as they experience the Spanish Civil War, and the war is a major theme of the novel.
- Drama — The novel follows the characters as they experience the Spanish Civil War, and the novel focuses on the emotional and psychological effects of the war on the characters.
- Romance — The novel follows the characters as they experience the Spanish Civil War, and there is a romantic subplot between two of the characters.
Tags
20th century · 20th century fiction · American · American fiction · American poetry · Short stories · american and canadian literature · cures · death · easy · fighting · finished