Mary Hemingway Letter

Collection

Identifier: A3192

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection is comprised of one typed letter signed by Mary Hemingway to Mark Waldemer on April 30, 1971. Waldemer was a high school student who loved the works of Ernest Hemingway. He was extremely upset when his English teacher insisted that Hemingway wrote stories full of symbolism. Waldemer felt these symbols contrived by his teacher reduced the power of Hemingway's stories. He wrote a letter to Hemingway's fourth wife, Mary, who replied “…Ernest always said that no serious writer dreamed up symbols and then wrote a story…”

Dates

1971 Apr 30

Creator

Hemingway, Mary Welsh, 1908-1986 (Author, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use.

Conditions Governing Use

For permission to publish, quote from, or reproduce material in this collection, please contact the Archives Reference Desk at archives@mohistory.org. Copyright restrictions may apply. The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming to the laws of copyright.

Biographical Sketch

Mary Welsh Hemingway (1908-1986) was an American journalist and author who was the fourth wife of Ernest Hemingway. Her marriage to Hemingway spanned from 1946 to his death in 1961. Mark D. Waldemer was the son of Donald E. and Jean Whitehouse Waldemer. In 1971, he was a senior at Brentwood High School.