The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

The Sun Also Rises

Ernest Hemingway

Published 1926

American novel

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I'm so excited to have finished this book because it had been sitting on my shelf since before the turn of the century. My husband had to read it in college back in the late 90s, and this is his copy. He hated this book, but I'm not surprised that I enjoyed reading it. 

The Sun Also Rises is the story of a group of young Americans living in Paris, following WWI, who travel to Spain to see the running of the bulls and a bullfight during the long siesta. They drank, smoked, and ate continuously. They rarely slept. They were literally lost, and maybe that was why they were referred to as the Lost Generation.

The plot was light and the writing simplistic or minimal; but the themes were numerous. For example, the theme of masculinity was significant, especially because it involved the main female character, Brett. She was assertive, racy, and promiscuous for her time. She fit in like one of the boys. She could drink liquor like a man drank, wore her hair short, and was sexually assertive the way men so wantonly were. She could not commit to anyone or anything. Sound familiar?

Meanwhile, the male characters struggled with their own masculinity. This affected the relationships with one another, as well as their connection with Brett, whom they were all in lust and had each been intimate with her. It made for uncomfortable moments, increased tension, and unbridled conflict.

Another theme was restlessness. There was the burden that life was flying by and the characters were not taking advantage of living. Maybe that was why they never slept and were always searching for adventures, afraid to miss something. There was a fear of having not lived enough. 

It helped to understand that the male characters were soldiers during WWI. After the War, they were left feeling dissatisfied and discontent. 

I also think there was something going on with the bull and steer motif because it seemed to mirror the male characters' relationships with Brett. Was she the steer that lead the bulls into the ring? Or was she the matador who killed the bull at the end of the bullfight? I'm not sure, but maybe both ideas worked.

SHOULD YOU READ THIS?

This story was really effective because the reader is on this journey with the characters. You travel through Spain and see the sights and hear the sounds and feel the seasons change and experience the excitement of the crowds, the running of the bulls, and the tension of the bullfight. You may be tempted to think that there is no plot to the story due to its simplicity, but it is not true. 

Overall, my favorite part of reading The Sun Also Rises was the experience itself because the story or atmosphere felt similar to that of The Great Gatsby, by Fitzgerald, which was published in 1925. You truly get a feel for the time period by reading these two books.

If you have not read Hemingway, this is a good place to start, or you could begin with The Old Man and the Sea. Again, his writing style is minimalistic and light, but he incorporates themes and ideas to know and think about. Hemingway demands sympathy from his readers, and he doesn't write without purpose. 

And, if you want to visit Spain, well, this is one way to do it, and you won't regret the sights; but I apologize now for the company you will keep. Our characters are troubled.