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            Research Paper The central theme in Hemingway's work is heroism. Most of his novels are not primarily studies of death or simply researches into the lost generation. They are essentially the portrayal of a hero, the man who by force of some extraordinary quality sets the standards for those around him. Hemingway has always kept four subjects in his mind when writing. These four subjects which have always fascinated Hemingway are fishing, hunting, bullfighting, and war, in which all have shown some type of international aspects. But most of Hemingway's novels are the studies death. They are a portrayal of a hero, but also a heroes struggle and perception of death. What truly influences Hemingway's writings, more over to the portrayal of a hero is the notion of death. To be a hero means to dare more than other men, to expose oneself to greater dangers, and therefore more greatly to risk the possibilities of death and defeat. (Connolly, p.226) Hemingway said, "My favorite characters are men who deal in death and accept its risks". To understand why Hemingway revolves his novels around the concept of death, one must look at his own life and how the meaning of death affected Hemingway himself. In 1928 Hemingway's father Edmonds Hemingway committed suicide. It is said that he had much bad luck, and was not all of it his own. Many thought that Hemingway's next theme would actually be fear. Through out Hemingway's childhood he remained unhappy. He was only compatible on the surface between his parents. His mother nudged him toward music, preferably church music. His father put a fishing rod in his hand at the age of three and a rifle at ten. In Hemingway's first novel In Our Time, shows of Hemingway's own struggle with his parents through the eyes of Nick Adams. For example, in one of Hemingway's short stories from In Our Time it reads: "Your mother wants you to come and see her," the doctor said.