The Sun Also Rises

“The Sun Also Rises,” published in 1926, is Ernest Hemingway’s first novel and a classic of modernist literature. It explores the disillusionment and moral bankruptcy of the post-World War I generation, often called the “Lost Generation.”

Plot Summary

The novel is narrated by Jake Barnes, an American journalist living in Paris. Jake is impotent due to a war injury, which complicates his romantic feelings for Lady Brett Ashley. Brett is a beautiful and free-spirited Englishwoman who is also part of the expatriate community in Paris.

The story begins in Paris, where Jake and his friends indulge in excessive drinking and aimless wandering. The main characters include Robert Cohn, an American writer fascinated with Brett; Bill Gorton, Jake’s humorous and sardonic friend; and Mike Campbell, Brett’s fiancé.

Tensions rise as Brett’s relationships with other men create conflicts within the group. Brett is engaged to Mike but is having an affair with Robert Cohn, leading to jealousy and resentment among the men.

The narrative shifts when the group travels to Spain to watch the bullfighting festival in Pamplona. The vibrant and violent spectacle of the bullfights mirrors the characters' internal turmoil and existential struggles. Brett becomes infatuated with the young, handsome matador Pedro Romero, further straining the group’s dynamics.

The trip to Spain exacerbates the characters’ conflicts and ultimately leads to the dissolution of their friendships. Jake, who remains deeply in love with Brett, is left to reflect on his unfulfilled desires and the transient nature of their hedonistic lifestyle.

The novel concludes with Brett and Jake in a taxi, reminiscing about what could have been. Brett laments, “Oh, Jake, we could have had such a damned good time together,” to which Jake responds, “Yes, isn’t it pretty to think so?”

Detailed Plot Breakdown

1. Parisian Life: The novel opens in Paris, where Jake Barnes, the protagonist, navigates a life filled with parties, drinking, and unfulfilling relationships. The city is depicted as a hub for the disillusioned Lost Generation, where characters seek to escape their traumas and find meaning in hedonistic pleasures. Jake’s impotence, a result of a war injury, symbolizes the loss and emasculation felt by many men of his generation.
2. Brett Ashley’s Character: Lady Brett Ashley, a key figure in the novel, embodies the liberated yet conflicted modern woman. Despite her numerous romantic entanglements, including an affair with Robert Cohn, Brett remains emotionally unfulfilled. Her complex relationship with Jake is central to the novel’s exploration of unattainable love and the consequences of their lost values.
3. Tensions in Paris: Introducing Robert Cohn, an insecure and overly romantic character, adds tension to the group. His obsession with Brett leads to conflicts, particularly with Jake and Mike Campbell, Brett’s fiancé. These tensions foreshadow the more significant clashes during their trip to Spain.
4. Trip to Spain: The group’s journey to Spain marks a pivotal shift in the narrative. The bullfighting festival in Pamplona serves as a metaphor for the character’s inner turmoil and the violent clash of their emotions. The vibrant yet brutal nature of the bullfights reflects the existential struggle and the search for authenticity among the characters.
5. Pedro Romero: Brett’s affair with the young matador Pedro Romero highlights her continual search for something genuine and pure. Romero’s skill and passion for bullfighting represent an untainted dedication that contrasts with the aimlessness of the expatriates. However, Brett’s relationship with Romero ultimately fails, underscoring her inability to find lasting satisfaction.
6. Dissolution and Reflection: The novel's climax sees the group’s relationships disintegrate. Robert Cohn’s violent outburst, driven by jealousy, further fractures the group. As the festival ends, the characters go their separate ways, leaving Jake to reflect on the transient nature of their experiences. The final scene between Jake and Brett encapsulates the novel’s themes of unfulfilled desire and the poignant realization of what could have been.

Review of “The Sun Also Rises”

“The Sun Also Rises” is a seminal work that captures the disillusionment and aimlessness of the Lost Generation. Hemingway’s distinctive writing style, characterized by its economy and understated dialogue, effectively conveys his characters' existential malaise.

Strengths

1. Characterization: Hemingway’s characters are vividly drawn, embodying the ennui and disillusionment of the post-war generation. As the novel’s narrator, Jake Barnes is a particularly compelling figure whose personal struggles reflect broader themes of impotence and disillusionment.
2. Writing Style: Hemingway’s sparse prose and use of the “iceberg theory” (suggesting deeper meaning beneath the surface) create a powerful and immersive reading experience. His dialogue is particularly notable for its realism and subtlety.
3. Themes: The novel’s exploration of themes such as the futility of war, the search for meaning, and the complexities of love and friendship resonate deeply. The depiction of the expatriate lifestyle and the bullfighting festival adds a rich cultural context.

Criticisms

1. Plot: Some readers may find the plot meandering and needing a more traditional structure. The novel’s focus on character interactions and existential themes sometimes eschews conventional narrative drive.
2. Pessimism: The pervasive sense of disillusionment and despair can be heavy, and the characters’ often self-destructive behaviors may be off-putting to some readers.

Lessons from “The Sun Also Rises”

1. The Search for Meaning: The novel illustrates the post-war generation’s struggle to find purpose in a world devoid of meaning. The characters’ aimless activities and hedonistic pursuits reflect their deeper existential crises.
2. The Impact of War: The psychological and physical scars left by World War I are central to the narrative. Jake’s impotence is a direct metaphor for the disempowerment and loss felt by many veterans, while the characters' general disillusionment highlights the war’s broader societal impact.
3. Unattainable Love: The complex relationship between Jake and Brett demonstrates the pain of unattainable love. Their love is genuine yet doomed by circumstances beyond their control, mirroring the broader theme of longing and unfulfilled desires.
4. The Illusion of Escape: Despite their attempts to escape their pasts and find new beginnings in foreign lands, the characters cannot escape their internal conflicts. The novel suggests that true escape is impossible, as they carry their emotional baggage.
5. The Pursuit of Authenticity: The contrast between the expatriates’ hedonistic lifestyle and Pedro Romero’s dedication to bullfighting underscores the novel’s exploration of authenticity. Romero’s character represents a genuine passion that the other characters lack, highlighting their existential void.

Impact of the Book

“The Sun Also Rises” remains a seminal work in modern literature, profoundly influencing subsequent generations of writers and readers. Its portrayal of the Lost Generation provides valuable insights into the post-war psyche and the cultural shifts of the early 20th century. Hemingway’s innovative narrative style, emphasizing dialogue and subtext, has been widely studied and emulated.

The novel’s themes of disillusionment, the search for meaning, and the complexities of human relationships continue to resonate with contemporary audiences. Its exploration of the human condition, set against the backdrop of the vibrant yet morally ambiguous expatriate community, offers a timeless reflection on the challenges of finding purpose in a fractured world.

About the Author

Ernest Hemingway, author of The Sun Also Rises, was an iconic American novelist, short-story writer, and journalist. Born on July 21, 1899, in Oak Park, Illinois, Hemingway is renowned for his distinctive writing style, marked by brevity, clarity, and understatement. This style is often called the “iceberg theory” or “theory of omission.”

Hemingway’s life was as adventurous as his characters, encompassing experiences as an ambulance driver during World War I, a war correspondent during the Spanish Civil War and World War II, and an avid big-game hunter, fisherman, and traveler. These experiences significantly shaped his literary works.

Published in 1926, The Sun Also Rises was Hemingway’s first major novel and established him as a leading voice of the “Lost Generation”—a term that describes the disillusioned youth of post-World War I. The novel reflects themes of expatriation, the search for meaning, and the complexities of human relationships.

Hemingway’s other notable works include A Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls, and The Old Man and the Sea, which won him the Pulitzer Prize in 1953 and the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954. Hemingway passed away on July 2, 1961, leaving a legacy as one of the most influential writers of the 20th century.