Hello Hemingway

The events take place in 1956 Cuba, a year marked by economic hardship and social divisions. It follows Larita's pursuit of a scholarship to study in the United States amid family tensions and financial strain. The year also foreshadows social unrest as student protests and political tensions begin to surface, influencing the characters' choices.

The story unfolds in a ramshackle house on the outskirts of Havana, with a view of Ernest Hemingway's white mansion visible from the garden. The setting shows a poor, working-class family striving to make ends meet while pursuing education and opportunity. The atmosphere captures a mid-20th-century Cuba where wealth and access to schooling are unevenly distributed.

✨ Dreams vs Poverty

Larita cultivates a dream of higher education and a new life beyond poverty. Her scholarship pursuit becomes a lens on ambition, resilience, and the barriers created by social class. The narrative links personal aspiration with the constraints of her environment, showing how hope motivates action. Reading Hemingway and pursuing references symbolize the power of literature to illuminate possibility.

⚖️ Illegitimacy & Social Pressure

Larita's illegitimacy and the lack of recommended letters threaten her scholarship prospects, exposing the stigma attached to birth and class. Family dynamics emphasize economic dependency and the weight of social reputation. The story uses these pressures to critique a system that limits opportunity for those without established connections. The tension drives Larita to seek external validation, such as a reference from Hemingway.

📚 Literature & Aspiration

Literature acts as both solace and a pathway for self-definition. Larita's immersion in reading The Old Man and the Sea mirrors her own search for meaning and escape from hardship. The classroom, the bookshop, and the teacher's encouragement highlight the role of education in shaping identity. The narrative suggests that stories can empower individuals to imagine futures beyond their circumstances.