LITERATURE ANALYSIS #1

Literature Analysis: The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

1. Briefly summarize the plot of the novel you read according to the elements of plot you've learned in past courses (exposition, inciting incident, etc.).  Explain how the narrative fulfills the author's purpose (based on your well-informed interpretation of same).

The introduction begins with the narrative of Robert Cohn, Frances Clyne, and Jake Barnes who is the main protagonist. Unhappy with living in Paris, he travels to New York and tries to publish his story. After feeling very confident in life, he returns to Paris and tries to persuade Robert to go with him to South America to “live life to the fullest”. The rising action starts when Jake and Robert go to a club and meets Lady Brett Ashley, or Brett for short. Robert tries to dance with Brett but she and Jake leave the club since they get annoyed by Robert’s actions. He tries to get with Brett throughout the story. Jake worked as a Volunteer Aid Detachment in World War I and met Brett through there. Robert, Brett, and Jake have dinner with Count Mippipopulous one night and he talks about living life to the fullest by learning to love through the right values. After several exchanges and group plannings, an American veteran named Bill Gortan and Jake agree to travel to Pamplona, a countryside in Spain for a vacation. They have a good time there fishing and doing leisurely activities. Mike Campbell, Robert and Brett are also scheduled to arrive to Pamplona from a different route in which they arrived later and attend a huge party. The party dances and gets drunk, and watches a bullfight the next day. Brett is amazed by the performance of a bull fighter named Romero. Brett and Romero get together, and angers Robert since he became jealous. He picks a fight with Mike who kept harassing Robert for his love with Brett. Robert also fights Romero who he miserably lost to. The climax happens when another bullfighter named Vincent Girones is killed by a bull, and everyone in the crowd seems to ignore the dead man. Only Jake cares about his death and becomes confused as to what to do. Also, Brett and Romero leave the party. The falling action and resolution is when Brett asked Jake to come immediately to see her. She explains that she doesn’t want to be with Romero afterall. They get a drink together and at the end, Jake and Brett came a conclusion that they are happy to be together in a taxi. Jake was always there for Brett from the beginning of the story. The narrative fulfills the author’s purpose by emphasizing the elements of the lost generation. By telling a story about the expatriates, he can also provide valuables themes on the lost generation and every generation after.

2. Succinctly describe the theme of the novel. Avoid cliches.

One major theme is how the lost generation were confused and pointless with their lives. Many expatriates resorted to alcohol, how most of the main characters did. Some tried to bring back their lost virtues of life by trying to satisfy their lust, like how Mike and Robert tried. Another theme lies within the symbolism of the sun. The sun rises and falls every day and night. It moves on no matter what horrible or disillusionment the world brought. Just like the sun, the expatriates like Jake were trying to be like it. He truly loved Brett from the beginning, as he was there to support her and not just for his own lust. He still kept hope alive within himself and tried to not let his war experience affect his life in a negative way.

3. Describe the author's tone. Include a minimum of three excerpts that illustrate your point(s).

The author’s tone is neutral and appreciative.

• “Let us rejoice in our Blessings. Let us utilize the fowls of the air. Let us utilize the product of wine. Will you utilize a little, brother? After you, brother.” This passage reflects the moment Bill and Jake had in appreciating the beautiful nature of Spain.
• “Perhaps that wasn’t true, though. Perhaps as you went along you did earn something. I did not care what it was all about. All I wanted to know was how to live in it. Maybe if you found out how live in it you learned from that what it was all about.” Jake’s excerpt on his thoughts reflect his neutral tone on life. His view are not exactly optimistic or pessimistic.
• “ A taxi came up the street, the waiter hanging out at the side. I tipped him and told him where to drive, and got in beside Brett. The driver started up the street…’Oh, Jake,’Brett said, ‘we could have had such a damned time together.” Brett finally shows her true appreciation for Jake at this final excerpt.

4. Describe a minimum of ten literary elements/techniques you observed that strengthened your understanding of the author's purpose, the text's theme and/or your sense of the tone. For each, please include textual support to help illustrate the point for your readers. (Please include edition and page numbers for easy reference.)

2006 edition.

1. “The plateau was dull and gloomy, and the shapes of the trees and houses were changed.” (p. 174) The gloomy description of the environment foreshadowed the death of the bull fighter.
2. “She saw why she liked Romero’s cape work and why she did not like the others.” (p.171) The imagery of Romero’s beautiful movements emphasize his purity as a person.
3. “Far back in the fields were squares of green and brown on the hillsides.” (p. 114). The metaphor of the countryside is explained.
4. “So, are. that’s what they are. Pilgrims. Goddam Puritans, Bill said.” This is an allusion to puritans that Bill is making to the American tourists in Spain.
5. “We came into the town on the other side of the plateau, the road slanting up steeply and dustily with shade-trees on both sides, and then levelling out through the new part of town they are building up outside the walls.” (p.100) This is another imagery of the town in Spain.

CHARACTERIZATION

1. Describe two examples of direct characterization and two examples of indirect

characterization.  Why does the author use both approaches, and to what end (i.e., what is your lasting impression of the character as a result)?

1. “It was his money and he discovered he liked the authority of editing. He was sorry when the magazine became too expensive and he had to give it up.” The indirect characterization of Cohn implies he didn’t do what he truly loved, but for the money..
2. “He was nineteen years old, he said.  His brother was with him as a banderillero, but he did not live in this hotel.” This is a direct characterization of Romero.
3. “It’s yours Mike, Bill said. Old Mike the gambler.” This is a direct characterization of Mike.
4. “He was crying” Cohn was crying since he felt betrayed by Brett. This is an indirect characterization for Cohn’s feelings towards Brett.”

Hemingway uses both types of characterization to give a clear sense and structure to each character. My lasting impression is that I am able to distinctly define the difference in each main character.

2. Does the author's syntax and/or diction change when s/he focuses on character?  How?  Example(s)?

The author’s syntax does not change in general when he focuses on characters. The syntax is still easy to read and flows well.

3. Is the protagonist static or dynamic?  Flat or round?  Explain.

Jake Barnes is dynamic and round. He develops to come to understand the values of life, while before, he was confused or in somewhat disarray in virtues. His experiences with Mike, Bill, Cohn, Brett, and Romero helped him develop his own idea of life.

4. After reading the book did you come away feeling like you'd met a person or read a character?  Analyze one textual example that illustrates your reaction.

“Robert Cohn was one middleweight boxing champion of Princeton….He cared nothing for boxing, in fact he disliked it, but he learned it painfully and thoroughly to counteract the feeling of inferiority and shyness he had felt on being treated as a Jew at Princeton.” I felt like I met a real person, Cohn since he represents real people who try to do something excellent to make up for their inferior status. Every man has some type of insecurity and Robert Cohn was a perfect example of that.