ABINGTON, Pa. — A Penn State Abington student presented her research on Ernest Hemingway this summer at the 18th International Hemingway Conference in Paris.

Junior Adriana Vagelli wrote "The Painting of Hemingway's 'Garden of Eden'" on how Modernist painters influenced the crafting of Hemingway’s writing. With the assistance of her English professor, she submitted the paper and was ultimately invited to read it at the conference to experts from around the world.

Vagelli said when she initially read the "Garden of Eden" for a class, something about the novel struck her.

“Certain imagery that Hemingway creates in this novel painted a portrait of the characters,” said Vagelli, a biology major.

She explained that Hemingway’s novels reflect the inspiration he drew from the paintings of artists such as Paul Cézanne, Joan Miró and Francisco Goya through his description of landscapes, use of color, iconography and so forth.

Vagelli, a student in Penn State’s highly competitive Schreyer Honors College, credits Linda Miller, distinguished professor of English at Abington, with exposing her to Hemingway.

“I developed a captivating interest in Hemingway during a Schreyer honors seminar with Dr. Miller,” she said. “The course allowed me to pursue my long-term love for art, as I learned how Hemingway interlaced his regard for paintings within his writing in those early years in Paris.

“If Dr. Miller hadn’t exposed me to Hemingway, I would have gone my whole life without knowing this much about him. It’s really cool that one person, one class, can do that for you. I will read Hemingway for the rest of my life.”

Miller, a renowned Hemingway scholar, attended the Paris conference with Vagelli and Ellen Knodt, professor of English at Abington.

Vagelli said the travel was “the adventure of a lifetime — academically and personally. There was something magical about a week in Paris. My favorites memories were aimlessly wandering in a general direction and just walking.”

About Penn State Abington

Penn State Abington provides an affordable, accessible, and high-impact education resulting in the success of a diverse student body. It is committed to student success through innovative approaches to 21st century public higher education within a world-class research university. With nearly 4,000 students, Penn State Abington is a residential campus that offers baccalaureate degrees in 19 majors, undergraduate research, the Schreyer honors program, NCAA Division III athletics, and more.