Final Thoughts

I really don't know what to think of this book. It was interesting at times, but also very boring. I did not like the part where Hemmingway vividly described how the bullfighters killed the bulls with "the sword high between the shoulders" (pg 224). I also didn't like the ending. What happened with Brett and Jake? We don't ever know if they get together or if she goes back to Mike.

I honestly don't get how Jake and Lady Brett are two of Hemmingway's most unforgettable characters. I think after this semester, I will most likely forget most of the things about them. All Jake was was a depressed, at times layed back guy who liked to get drunk to solve his problems. All Brett was was a bold woman who did what and whoever she wanted. She had no feeling for the people who loved her most.

The other characters were interesting. Robert Cohn was a crybaby who shouldn't have been so week. I say, he was a boxing champion! I feel sympathy for Mike. He loved Brett and wanted to be with her, but she lost interest in him and ran off with some nineteen-year-old bullfighter. Bill was amusing. I thought he was more of the logical character and was cool with just about everything.

Over all, this book was okay. It was interesting at times (like in Paris) and then it started to become slow. Would I read this book again? Probably not. I'm not saying it wasn't good, just something I wouldn't consider reading for pleasure.

Books 1, 2, and 3

I thought splitting the book up into three parts was really clever. Each book's setting was in a different place which made following the book easier. Discussion about the book as a whole will also be more simple because one can just talk about the bullfights and you will know that they are only talking about Book 2.

Book 1 was set in Paris. It was all about Jake's activities with his friends in the wild nightlife of the city. This book was different from the other two books because it was set in a different country; therefore, the culture is different.

Book 2 was all about the bullfights and the fiesta. This was my least favorite section because it felt like the characters were in a different time period then they were in Paris. It seemed less in touch with reality.

Book 3 seemed like it was almost a turning point for Jake. He was away from Brett and from his reoccurring depression. He was able to relax by himself in San Sebastian. Then, Jake was summoned by Brett with the message "could you come Hotel Montana Madrid am rather in trouble" (pg 242). Of course Jake was going to go to Brett. I think this letter put Jake back to where he started in regards to Brett.

Mood

The last chapter was concerned with only Jake and Brett. The author creates the mood for this chapter to be relaxed and layed back. Jake seems like he is getting to be happy with his life. He is not depressed anymore and is able to deal with the situation with Brett. Usually, when he was feeling bad, he would drink all the time. But in the first half of the chapter, Jake hardly drinks at all.

Then Brett sends Jake a telegram saying that she need him in Madrid. "That meant that San Sebastian was shot to hell" (pg 243). Jake's days of relaxing and feeling fine were over. Brett once again used Jake as a crutch to get through the feeling of getting rid of another one of her lovers. And once again, Jake started to drink and get drunk.

Bull Fight

Sometimes, I don't get where Hemmingway's inspiration for his topics comes from. Chapter 18 was all about the last day of the festival and Romero's bull fight. His descriptions were quit detailed about killing the bulls. Hemmingway also used short sentences. At times, I was confused at the point of spending a whole chapter on bull fights.

I was surprised at the fact that Brett took off with Romero. I fell sorry for Mike because he couldn't keep a hold on the woman he was supposed to marry. He had to drink his sorrows away and changed into a person who was rowdy and obnoxious. Maybe it is a good thing that Brett is gone so the whole love thing does not get in the way anymore.

Dramatic Irony

Cohn has finally cracked. It was good for him because no one really wanted him there anyway. Hemmingway added dramatic irony in this chapter when we knew where Brett was and Cohn did not. He became very made and eventually ended up punching Jake, one of his best friends, and Mike in the face.

Then he cried about it. What kind of guy punches someone in the face and then cries about it? It was a good thing that he decided to leave though. That was one of the best decisions he has made throughout the whole book. Robert was too blind by love to realize Brett was never in love with him and didn't really care about him. That was why he got so made when he found out Brett was with Pedro Romero.

Rhetoric

What is up with Brett and being in love? She saw Pedro Romero in the bull ring and was immediately in love with him. She knows she is hurting most of the men around her yet she still does what she wants. Brett even says it herself: "I do feel such a bitch" (pg 188). And she should. I don't think she cares for anyone around her. She may say she loves Jake but I think that is all just an act, a form of irony.

Then Brett goes and actually talks to Pedro and flirts with him. The kid is nineteen years old! And what is she...thirty-four?! That is just wrong on so many levels. She successfully uses rhetoric to get Pedro to leave with her. Jake should stay away from Brett because all she will end up doing is hurt him and add even more to his misery.

Similes and Metaphors

In chapter 16, the author used a few different similes and metaphors. I thought this variety of literary devices added positively to the novel. Instead of using regular comparisons, Hemmingway spiced up his writing by using the metaphors and similes.

On page 157, the author wrote "the cafe was like a battleship stripped for action." He used a simile to compare the cafe to a battleship instead of just saying "the cafe was really busy." Hemmingway also compared a firecracker to a bomb. He wrote "the ball of smoke hing in the sky like a shrapnel burst..." This comparison makes the writing more interesting. It also provides imagery because a reader can picture the burst of light in the sky.

Along with similes, the author also used metaphors. For example, Hemmingway compared "a guard of soldiers" (pg 159) to giants. He was able to compare two different things with out the use of like or as. The variety in his writing keeps the readers interested and enthralled in the novel.

Jake Part II

Jake seems to be in one of his depressed moods again. He has mixed feelings about Brett and Mike and Robert. He uses the excuse of alcohol to get rid of his troubles. I think he should just forget about Brett and find someone else. He has to realize that she is going to marry Mike and there is just no chance for him. Once again he says "to hell with you Lady Ashley" (pg 152). I think Jake would enjoy this trip way more if it was only Bill and him who were there. He loves bull-fighting but he can't get past the fact that Brett is there and so are Mike and Robert.

Foreshadowing

Jake, Mike, Robert, Bill and Brett are all finally in the same town in Spain together. I was starting to think that they would never get together. In chapter 13, I was surprised that Mike was the one who went off on Robert for being obsessed with Brett. Although what he said to Robert was rude, I think Robert deserved to hear what Mike had to say. Robert had no right to join Brett in San Sebastian and "follow [her] like a steer" (pg 146). I think this situation foreshadows something big to come. Either Mike or Jake will somehow make Robert leave since he really is not wanted there by any of them. If Robert refuses to leave, I feel that someone will end of fighting him, and since he was a boxing champion, I think the opponent will loose.

Irony and Pitty

Bill Gordon is a very interesting and fun character. He is a writer so he says things that are entertaining and sometimes confusing. I am still trying to figure out what he meant by "show irony and pity" (pg 118). Then he starts to sing the song and says "when they're feeling...oh, give them irony and give them pity" (pg118). I think he means when someone is feeling sorrow or maybe even anger, one is supposed to say something that they don't even mean but will make them feel better and show pity on them. It is like a false act and pretty much lying to the person if you don't really mean what you say or show. This may be foreshadowing the fact that Bill may use this later in the novel with the situation of Jake and Brett. He will try to comfort Jake when Brett is married to Michael, but actually, I don't think he really cares.

Traveling

To me, this section of the book is a little bit boring. It was getting old reading about their journey to the town where they were going to fish. I thought the novel was much more interesting when the scenes were in Paris and there was interaction with some of the main character. Now that Robert has stayed behind to wait for Brett and Michael, the story has become plain and a bit repetitive.

I think the story will pick up again once Jake and Bill make it to their destination and the other three meet up with them. With the three men who all love Brett in the same place, it is bound to become interesting again. At times, I get the feeling that Brett will break it off with Michael and go to Jake. How could she marry someone who she doesn't even love? Why is she going to marry him anyway?

Local Color

I am very excited that they are finally in Spain. Jake was describing the landscape, the road, the town, and the food. I find this very interesting because I will be experiencing the same things in 5 days. I am going to be leaving for Spain for seven weeks on Sunday. This is going to be really cool because I can experience the same things Jake, Bill, and Robert experienced when they stopped in the town.

Now since they are in Spain, local color will be used and they will be speaking Spanish and using Spanish words throughout their dialogue. I will be able to understand the phrases they say since they are in Spanish and I speak it. Like when Jake was describing that "every town had a pelota court" (pg 97) I knew that that meant a ball court, like tennis. I think the rest of the novel is going to be even more interesting.

Imagery

The imagery in chapter 9 really add detail to the trip Jake and Bill Gordon are taking to Spain. Jake describes what they see, what the waiter is like, and how they feel about the group of Pilgrims taking up the dining cars. It seems that the landscapes they see out their window is very beautiful. For example, Jake discribes the country as "sandy pine country filled with heather" (pg 94). The author didn't specify if they were still in France or Spain but I am willing to bet that they are in France because of the town names, like Bordeaux. I am interested to see what will happen in Spain with Brett, Robert, Mike, and Jake there together. Robert is still in love with Brett and so is Jake. This should end up being an interesting trip.

Finally Meeting Mike

In Chapter IX, we are finally introduced to Mike. I was wondering when he was going to show up in the text. He seems very attracted to Brett and very much in love with her. "Isn't she a lovely piece?" he kept repeating toward the end of the chapter. This epistrophe puts emphasis on the fact that he is proud that she is the woman he is going to marry.

I think that Mike is the antagonist who is blocking Jake, the protagonist, from being with Brett. Jake is so much in love with Brett that it hurts him to be around the two of them. I was surprised at how well Jake handled see Brett and Mike together. Instead of showing his emotion, he kept it buried inside of him. I think he will end up crying again when he gets home where there is no one to hide his emotions from.

Jake

To me, Jake seems like an entirely different person at this point in the book than when he was at the beginning. We now have a glimpse into his life and his personality. At first, I thought he was a guy who had everything going for him. He had a great career, he had many friends, and he seemed to have money. Although these are nice aspects of life, they are not everything. He was missing a family and company. Then I found out about Brett. She was charming, bold, and did what she want. She was absolutely the foil character of Jake. While she was lively, he was at times quiet and empty. The count even commented on Brett's character: "She is the only lady I have ever known who was as charming when she was drunk as when she was sober" (pg 66). Brett seems like the type of person who people were drawn too.

Although Brett seems like a good enough person, I don't like how she is torturing Jake. She knows that he is hopefully in love with her and she still encourages his affection, yet she is going to get married to another man. Then she says she is leaving as soon as possible and says "I won't see you again" (pg 71) to Jake. I think this will only cause more problems for them and make Jake more miserable.

External Conflict

Chapter 6 starts off with Jake having a drink with Harvey Stone. Then Robert comes to join them, and later so does Frances. In this chapter, the author uses direct characterization to describe the true character of Robert. We find out how he dresses, what he looks like, and how he acts like after he has fallen in love with Brett. Since this novel is in the first person point of view, Jake is the one describing Robert.

When Frances tells Jake that she thinks Robert is going to leave her, I was not surprised. Robert was already married and divorced twice so what is going to stop him from leaving the woman who is only his girlfriend?

Frances then goes into a rant that completely rips through Robert and his reasons for why he want to leave her. I found her speech very interesting and entertaining. I thought it was great how she could say whatever she felt like saying to him to make Robert feel really bad. Her use of rhetorical questions added emphasis to her argument and made Robert feel even worse. If he were to answer one of those questions, she would have gone off even more. For example, she said "You won't mind, will you?" (pg 57). If Robert were to answer that question, she would have either kept going as she was, or kept going but as even more angry. Her rant eventually made Jake walk away and leave them.

Lady Brett Ashley

Jake is in love with Lady Brett Ashley and she is in love with him. The only problem with this is that Brett is "getting a divorce and she's going to marry Mike Campbell" (pg 46). This is why Jake is so depressed: he's in love with someone who he can never have. This whole situation causes a big internal conflict for Jake.

What also makes this situation so messed up is that Cohn has formed an interest in Brett. When he asks Jake about Brett, he tells him how they met and what she is like. I thought that was a good way to tell the audience about the woman Jake is in love with. Instead of just flat out stating facts about her, the author incorporated it into a conversation between two characters. It made the novel more intriguing and I am anxious to keep reading to see what will happen between Jake and Brett.

Indirect Characterization

Jacob Barnes is not the "cool cat" everybody thinks he is. He is obviously bothered by his wound from the war and is troubled with his relationship with Brett. He says "it is awfully easy to be hard-boiled abut everything in the daytime, but at night it is another thing" (pg 42). Jake seems a little bit depressed about some aspects of his life. He is obviously in love with Brett, but then he says "to hell with Brett" (pg 38). I think he is having a hard time trying to get back into ordinary life after serving in the war. He acts like there is nothing wrong with him, so his friends don't ask. At the beginning of the novel, Jake was the one giving advice to Robert about going to Africa instead of South America and trying to do activities on his own. Jake should be the one getting advice not giving it. His night starts with him sitting alone at a restaurant having a drink. He invited Georgette to sit with him because it had been a while since he had shared the company with another person, one on one. Jake is lonely and not happy with his life. Although he's in love with Brett, it seems like he is still missing something, like he is still empty inside.

Chapter III

I can honestly say that I am already confused with this book. The first two chapters of the book were easy to understand, but this chapter was quite hard to follow. The parallel structure of the very first paragraph made me feel like the narrator was just rambling on about the night life of Paris and the woman who kept walking by him.

That is another thing. Who is this woman and why would she randomly sit at Jake's table? I found that part kind of different. He pretty much picked this woman (Georgette) off the street and took her to dinner. I can see her as sort of a flat character, but I will just have to wait until the story progresses to see where she fits in.

I also found it interesting how Jake introduced Georgette as his fiance to his friends when they joined them for coffee. Maybe it was just to cover up that fact that he just met her, or it could have been a joke like Georgette said. That also confused me.

I did like how Jake alludes to the fact that he was in the war. Since he is the narrator and the story is in his point of view, readers haven't really found too much out about his background and characteristics.

Then, the whole dancing club, meeting Brett, and the group Brett was with part held an abundant amount of details. I could tell that there was something going on with Jake and Brett by the way she rejected Cohn's invitation to dance with him. Either they are just old friends or they could even be involved romantically. I'm just going to have to read on and find out.

Robert Cohn

Robert Cohn is potrayed to be a complex person. All his experiences in life, like Princeton and being a boxing champion to writing a novel, has made him into someone who is hard to figure out. The ancedote at the beginning of the novel gives readers just a glimpse into his life.

Although the book does not directly say it, one can assume that Cohn is a writer. His Princeton background and his work as an editor after his divorce shows that he is passionate about books and writing. I wonder what his motivation was for writing a novel, and what made him decide to publish it in the United States after it recieved such bad reviews in France.

I think Cohn has a few issues and lacks self esteem. After he read a book about South America, he imediatly thought that going there would solve all his problems. Just because the characters in to book ended up happy doesn't mean that will happen in real life. Jake tries to tell Robert that but he has his ideas and opinions already formed in his head. Robert doen't lack money and "book smarts", but I think he lacks "street smarts" and needs to be introduced to reality.