Monday, August 9, 2010

The Sun Also Rises: LAST BLOG

Before I even started reading this book, I was worried that I wouldn't like it or take anything away from it because of the things I heard about it, especially the things I heard about the author. Until I did some research and started looking for answers, I never knew that Hemingway was a World War I veteran. That alone changed some things for me. Instead of looking at him as a distant author not connected to his story, I viewed him as I viewed Tim O'Brien. I saw pieces of Hemingway incorporated in the book even though he was not a character. As I was reading something about Ernest Hemingway, I learned that he was seriously injured and wounded in Italy. Then I put the pieces together and thought that maybe the character Jake Barnes was a representation of himself. The both had things in common such as their involvement in WWI and their battle wounds. I got to thinking about it and wondered if maybe this story was Hemingway's outlet and way of expressing how he dealt with the postwar world. Maybe he wanted his unhappiness off of his chest but in an indirect way. Maybe this was him reaching out for help with his problems. I guess we'll never know now because he has passed away, but I thought it was interesting how Hemingway put a little bit of himself in a character.

The Sun Also Rises: Quote

"You're really about the best friend I have, Jake."

After Cohn and Barnes got into a little fight, this quote was said by Cohn. I feel bad for Cohn, because I know that Barnes definitely doesn't feel the same way. For the most part, I feel like their friendship is superficial and fake. Like I mentioned before in one of my blogs, Cohn never really fit in with the crowd that Barnes hung out with. I never really understood how the two started hanging out together in the first place. Like Cohn and Barnes, I think that there are also other false relationships in this book. For example, Montoya takes care of Barnes because he is a great and enthusiastic fan of bullfighting. At first Barnes returns respect and loyalty to Montoya, but I think in the end he betrays Montoya when he helps Brett be with Pedro Romero. Montoya tried to keep Pedro with his people and away from outside influence, and Jake completely messed that up when he introduced Brett to Pedro Romero. I think that many people in this book all needed to learn how to be a better friend.

The Sun Also Rises: Quote

"You can't get away from yourself by moving from one place to another."

I think this is a very powerful quote. These words are said by Jake to Cohn when Cohn is trying to get Jake to go with him to South America. Cohn obviously isn't happy at this time in his life, but I don't think it's because he is in Paris. Apparently, Jake and I think the same thing. I think Jake's void in life and habit of going through the motions can be attributed to his experience in the war. I think it also has something to do with his crazy social life and drinking habits. Cohn most likely thought that he could escape the real world and walk away from his existing problems by moving locations. However, I think that when he and his crew travel there are actually more problems created. The bottom line is that Robert Cohn thought he could step away from reality, but Jake set him straight and made him realize that one has to face reality wherever they are.

The Sun Also Rises: Quote

"Oh, Jake," Brett said, "we could have had such a damned good time together."
"Yes," I said. "Isn't it pretty to think so?"

I liked this quote on the last page of the book really made me think. I tried to apply the quote to my own life, and I came up with something. I feel like many people, including myself, let many opportunities and experiences pass by. This leaves them pondering the unknown with a feeling of regret. I think a lesson that I learned from this story is to take all of the chances that I can in life and to not be passive. I realize that everyone says this and it's such a chiche, but life goes by so quickly. I don't want to be like Brett and Jake asking what if questions about my life. When I look back, I want to know that I made decisions that helped me get to where I will be.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

The Sun Also Rises: Montoya

I really liked the character Montoya. He was no doubt a very avid fan of bullfighting. I loved the fact that Montoya was so genuine and really cared about the sport of bullfighting. He knew bullfighting very well, and I loved how he was so dedicated to the one thing that he was really passionate about. I also liked how Montoya was a loyal and true friend to Jake because Jake was also an aficionado. He looked out for Jake and made sure he was taken care of. In addition to being there for Jake, Montoya also looked out for Pedro Romero. He was a father-like figure for Pedro. Montoya sheltered Pedro Romero from fame and any form of media from that time. Montoya did his best to keep Pedro Romero close to his people and always had Pedro Romero's best interest in mind. I like Montoya because he put others before himself.

The Sun Also Rises: Reaction to the book

Going into this book from The Things They Carried, I thought this book would talk more about the war. The Sun Also Rises didn't even have any part of the war in it. I felt like it was just all about following the social life of a war veteran. I don't really see how this book got great reviews and is viewed as a masterpiece. I don't see anything powerful about it, and I don't understand how it helped make Hemingway one of the greatest writers of the twentieth century. I definitely thought that Tim O'Brien's story was more inspirational. I really wasn't able to connect to any characters or parts of the plot in The Sun Also Rises, but I felt like I went through some of the same problems and emotions as the people in The Things They Carried. I think that maybe the time period difference between the two books had some impact on the way I feel. I usually prefer books that are set in modern times. The Things They Carried is set closer to present day than The Sun Also Rises is. I guess I just expected this book to be better than it was because of how prestigious and well-known Hemingway is.

The Sun Also Rises: Conclusion

So, I finally finished this book, and I don't really understand the conclusion. I'm not even sure you could say that there really was a conclusion. I feel like Hemingway just leaves the reader at a random point. I hate books and movies like that. Nothing irritates me more than not knowing and having a cliffhanger ending. Does Brett end up being with Jake after all? Or does she end up going back to Mike? Would he even be willing to take her back? I still have unanswered questions about what really happens in the end with all of the characters. I don't know if Hemingway does this on purpose, but it makes me really mad. I liked the other book way better, because it actually ended at a definite point. There was no confusion and no questions asked.

"Isn't it pretty to think so?" THE END.....?

The Sun Also Rises: Situational Irony

When Brett's fiance Mike finds out that Brett had an affair with Robert Cohn, he was angry and upset to say the least. After he heard the news, he would go out, party, and drink excessively. Mike would get pretty drunk, and then he would say things to Cohn that made him feel uncomfortable and discriminated against. One night, things escalated and a fight began between the two men. Even though Cohn was antagonizing Mike about the affair, Cohn didn't even think to put any of the blame on Brett. Even though it was Brett who invited Cohn to go to San Sebastian, Mike doesn't really take much of his anger out on Brett. I thought Mike's reaction would be completely different because Brett's actions really caused the problem in the first place. The whole affair could have been avoided if Brett wouldn't have invited Cohn to travel with her. I think this could be classified as situational irony because I expected Mike to be extremely upset with Brett and call the marriage off right away. What actually happened was completely different from what would be appropriate to happen.

"I'm not clever. But I do know when I'm not wanted. Why don't you see when you're not wanted, Cohn? Go away. Go away, for God's sake. Take that sad Jewish face away." -Mike

The Sun Also Rises: First Person Point of View

When I first starting reading The Sun Also Rises, I was confused about many things. But one of the biggest things that I struggled with was figuring out who the narrator was. Even though the first chapter is short, it wasn't until the end of that chapter that I figured out who the narrator was. I had to look at the conversation between Cohn and the unidentified character at the time in the cafe. When Robert Cohn said, "good-night Jake", I realized that Jake was telling the story. The Sun Also Rises is told from first person point of view. As I've been reading this second book, I have tried to compare different aspects of it to the first book I read, The Things They Carried. Even though the style of the two authors of these different novels couldn't be more different, the point of view from which the writer actually tells the story are the same. I just thought it was interesting that the two stories are extremely different, but their narration style is exactly alike.

The Sun Also Rises: Theme

Throughout the course of the entire book, all of the main characters are involved in a crazy love triangle. Jake loves Brett and Brett loves Jake. But Brett won't be with Jake. Robert loves Brett, but Brett doesn't love him back. Brett also loves Pedro Romero, but then she decides that she can't be with him. There are so many connections and relationships in this book that just don't work out. A theme in this novel is sex creating only problems for people. For example, Cohn and Brett's relationship upset both Mike and Jake. After Cohn and Brett had an affair, Jake and Mike became jealous. Jake mostly kept his feelings to himself, but Mike became so annoyed and irritated in the end that he started a fight with Cohn. Lastly, Jake's war injury that prevented him from having sex was the reason that Brett wouldn't be with him. Overall, sex in the novel only added to the disfunction in the characters' lives.

The Sun Also Rises: Stereotype

From reading about The Sun Also Rises on the sparknotes website, I learned more about the time in which the story took place. I found out that the time period in which the characters lived was called the Lost Generation. The Lost Generation began after World War I when people lost direction in life after experiencing such a difficult and scarring chapter in their lives. Hemingway incorporates the stereotype of people living life during the Lost Generation in The Sun Also Rises through many of his characters, especially those who were war veterans. The main character and protagonist of the novel as well as many of his friends fall under the category of this stereotype in the novel. These people seem to be going through the motions in life. They have no real goals that will lead them anywhere and no set priorities that will better their futures. What used to be important to them is now no longer significant to them. I think Hemingway does a pretty good job of tying this fixed idea of the way people were during that time into the plot of his story.

The Sun Also Rises: Motif

Wherever the characters are and whatever they are doing, drinking always comes up and becomes a part of their plans. These people literally drink everywhere. Most of the people that Jake hangs around with and associates with are alcoholics. When this group of friends goes out, there tends to be a recurring situation that occurs. Alcohol can bring out the worst in people, and the characters in this book are examples of this statement. When they are drunk, they tend to get in fights with each other and say things that shouldn't be said. At first, I never really understood why they continued to participate in these crazy nights if they only ended in chaos and arguments. But after thinking about it, I came to the conclusion that these characters were happier with alcohol. After going through a terrible war and living during the Lost Generation, characters who were affected by it, especially Barnes, could take time away from the real world while being drunk. Alcohol was a way to escape their problems, so Hemingway incorporated it as a motif in the novel.

"Do you think you amount to something, Cohn? Do you think you belong here among us? People who are out to have a good time? For God's sake don't be so noisy, Cohn!" -Mike

The Sun Also Rises: Jake Barnes

During the entire novel, I felt bad for Jake Barnes. Like many of the people that he socialized with, he struggled with self-motivation and life purpose. He went through a difficult war, and it impacted every aspect of his life and his future. His injuries from the war alone even destroyed his chances of being with the one woman that he loved. Even though he knew that he had no chance of ever being with Brett because she was not willing to make sacrifices, Jake stuck around in Brett's life and let himself suffer. He watched the woman that he loved become infatuated with a number of other men. I think that Jake was a very strong person because even through all of these tough times, he was still there for Brett when she needed him the most. Even when Brett went to Jake for help when she knew she could, Jake never let her down. I think Jake is really a good person with good intentions, but he constantly battles issues from his past that hold him back from his true potential.

"LADY ASHLEY HOTEL MONTANA MADRID ARRIVING SUD EXPRESS TOMORROW LOVE JAKE"

The Sun Also Rises: Robert Cohn

When Cohn was made fun of by Barnes and all of his friends, I felt sympathy for him. But after he fights Barnes, Mike, and Pedro Romero, I started to dislike him. I am not a huge fan of the way Robert Cohn worries too much about what people think about him and how people discriminate against him. I don't agree with the fact that people discriminate against him, but I think that he could react in a much better manner. Also, I think Cohn tries too hard to be accepted by the crowd of people that Jake hangs around with. I would think that Cohn could take a hint that he isn't really wanted and doesn't really fit in with the rest of the group. I understand that he was in love with Brett and could be upset by her ignoring him after they went away together and had an affair, but he doesn't handle the situation very well. Cohn uses his affair with Brett against Mike because that is the one thing that he has that can upset Mike. Cohn then expects everyone to forgive him immediately after he seriously hurt them. When that doesn't work out, he takes the easy way out and leaves with his problems unsolved.

"I'm going away in the morning." -Cohn

Saturday, August 7, 2010

The Sun Also Rises: Foil Characters

From the time that Pedro Romero came into the story, I really liked his character. He is motivated and enthusiastic about bullfighting. Pedro Romero is passionate about what he does, and he is a very hard and determined worker. As soon as his character showed up in the plot, I immediately thought that he was a foil character to Jake Barnes and all of his crazy friends. While Pedro Romero is dedicated to his bullfighting, Barnes and his party crew live lives of corrupt chaos. Romero is someone who can be viewed as a role model with high standards and expectations for himself. He expects nothing but the best from himself, while others from his time were willing to settle for less. I think Pedro Romero is a noble and honorable character in a time that it was very difficult to be able to accomplish something like that.

The Sun Also Rises: Mike Campbell

From the time that Mike was introduced into the story, I never really liked him. I feel like Mike just goes through life aimlessly with no purpose or motivation. Being a drunk and a bankrupt, I think the only thing that Mike has to look forward to is marrying Lady Brett Ashley. But then his hope is somewhat crushed when he finds out that Brett had an affair with Robert Cohn. I would be extremely upset if I found out that my fiance was with someone else, but Mike did not handle it very well at all. Instead of dealing with the issue in a mature manner, Mike went out and drank even more than he already did before he found out the bad news. He also didn't approach Cohn in an appropriate way. Instead, he made fun of Cohn in public in front of all of their friends and was completely immature. I think it's not very smart of Mike to make it such a huge priority to get even with Cohn, but not even make Brett take any responsibility for her part in the affair when it was probably her idea in the first place. I think that Mike would be a lot better off if he was willing to make some serious changes in his life.

The Sun Also Rises: Lady Brett Ashley

Throughout the entire book, Lady Brett Ashley has proven herself to be a very independent yet selfish woman. There are parts about her character that I like, and there are parts about her that I can't stand. I love the fact that she is so independent and does her own thing. She isn't concerned with how others view her or with what others think about her lifestyle. However, I don't like how Brett isn't up front with herself and her feelings. I hate how she is obviously in love with Jake Barnes but won't let herself have a relationship with him because of his war injury. She takes the easy way out by having affairs with numerous men. You can't get much more selfish than that. Overall, I think Lady Brett Ashley's priorities are not in order. But she is not the only character in this book with this problem, because that was the case with many people during the time period in which Brett lived.

Monday, August 2, 2010

The Sun Also Rises:Style

I have about 100 pages left in this book, but I've noticed that Hemingway has a particular way of writing. After reading Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried, Hemingway's style is extremely different and somewhat hard to adjust to for me. Throughout his writing, Hemingway uses short and simple sentences most of the time. O'Brien, on the other hand, uses long and descriptive sentences. Even though they both write about the similar topic of war, their methods of doing so couldn't be any different. Personally, I prefer O'Brien's style to Hemingway's style. There were few, if any, points in O'Brien's novel where I misunderstood something that happened or was confused. However, with The Sun Also Rises, I have been confused trying to follow the characters since the very beginning of the book. I feel like O'Brien was so much more straight forward and got to the point in his story, while Hemingway gives every unimportant detail in a monotomous manner. Even though I like O'Brien's style better, I'm hoping that this book gets a little better at the end and that I will understand everything about it in the end.

The Sun Also Rises: Stream of Consciousness-Page 102

As Jake Barnes reminisces about his time in Spain, he gives the reader a view of how his mind works. Hemingway incorporates a stream of consciousness in his character Jake that shows how chaotic Jake's inner thoughts are. I think that this stream of consciousness helps readers realize, if they already had not before, how confusing and disordered Jake's life really is. I've been confused about Jake and the plot of the story since the beginning of the book, but now I somewhat understand. Being a veteran of war, Jake went through an experience that no one who hasn't experienced war can understand. Like Tim O'Brien in his book The Things They Carried, Jake had to go through the transition of war to peace. However, I think that Jake and Tim O'Brien dealt with the change very differently. While O'Brien went through the transition with ease, Jake Barnes has struggled with his battle wounds, which I think are not only physical but also mental. War is such a powerful thing that can create havoc in a person's life, and I think that Jake Barnes is an example of this. Reading about Jake's crazy friends and drinking habits as well as this incorporated stream of consciousness, I have a better understanding about Jake's life and the reason why he is the way he is.

"That has nothing to do with the story. Anyway,..."