"Cowardice... is almost always simply a lack of ability to suspend functioning of the imagination"

Cowardice is typically viewed as a lack of nerve or bravery, but Ernest Hemingway suggests that it is more frequently a lack of imagination. He recommends that cowardice is a result of an inability to suspend the performance of the creativity. To put it simply, an individual who is cowardly is not able to imagine the effects of their actions, or the potential outcomes of a scenario. This absence of imagination prevents them from taking risks or facing their fears. Hemingway's quote indicates that if a person can learn to suspend their creativity, they can end up being more brave and less fearful. It suggests that courage is not necessarily a trait that one is born with, but rather something that can be developed through practice.