Amidst the maelstrom of violence and horror of the Spanish Civil War, there is immense beauty in Hemingway’s description of the terrain and in the simplicity of the operation. When a General asks Robert Jordan whether he likes partisan activities he replies, “Very much. It is very healthy in the open air.” 

 

“The night was clear and his head felt as clear and cold as the air. He smelled the odor of the pine boughs under him, the piney smell of the crushed needles and the sharper odor of the resinous sap from the cut limbs.”

 

We also begin to get a look at who Robert Jordan is as a soldier. Foundationally, he is an expert in his trade, having blown bridges of all sizes and conditions. And his thoughts reveal genuine fearlessness. At least at the beginning of the story, he appears to have nothing to lose.