The Sun Also Rises LitChart

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The Sun Also Rises

The Sun Also Rises has two quotes as its epigraph that point to
INTR
INTRO
O some of Hemingway's influences. One is Gertrude Stein's "You
are all a lost generation". Stein and her modernist style and
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF ERNEST HEMINGWAY
values were a big influence on Hemingway, and she coined the
Ernest Hemingway grew up outside a suburb of Chicago, term "lost generation" that has come to define the themes of
spending summers with his family in rural Michigan. After high this and so many novels from the twenties. The other epigraph
school, he got a job writing for The Kansas City Star, but left quote is a passage from the Bible's book of Ecclesiastes, which
after only six months to join the Red Cross Ambulance Corps is also the source of the novel's title, in the line "The sun also
during World War I, where he was injured and awarded the ariseth, and the sun goeth down". This quote, which comments
Silver Medal of Military Valor. Afterward, he lived in Ontario on the fact that despite the passing of generations, the earth
and Chicago, where he met his first wife, Hadley Richardson. In and its normal rhythms remain—a new day will always
1921 they moved to Paris, where he began a long friendship dawn—offering a note of optimism to the novel, that the lost
with F. Scott Fitzgerald and other ex-patriot American writers generation may not be lost forever. Hemingway lived and
of the "lost generation." After the 1926 publication of his first worked among a host of other American, expatriate, modernist
novel, The Sun Also Rises, he divorced Hadley and married writers in Paris, and was surrounded by bold new voices in
Arkansas native Pauline Pfeiffer. The couple moved to Florida, literature, like Stein, James Joyce, Ezra Pound, as well as
where Hemingway wrote A Farewell to Arms (1929), which cutting-edge painters of the time like Pablo Picasso. The Sun
became a bestseller. Hemingway finally moved to Spain to also Rises is part of a family of works from the modernist period
serve as a war correspondent in the Spanish Civil War, a job that deal with the post-war sense, of the generation who
that inspired his famous 1939 novel For Whom the Bell Tolls. experienced World War I, of restlessness and being lost. The
After its publication, he met his third wife, Martha Gellhorn. Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Tender Buttons by
Hemingway married his fourth and final wife, Mary Gertrude Stein, and The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot are other
Hemingway, in 1946, and the couple spent the next fourteen examples of literature dealing with these themes.
years living in Cuba. After a final move to Idaho, Hemingway
took his own life in 1961, following in the footsteps of his father KEY FACTS
who had committed suicide in 1928. Hemingway left behind his
wife and three sons. • Full Title: The Sun Also Rises
• When Written: Between the summer of 1925 and the winter
HISTORICAL CONTEXT of 1926.
World War I transformed Europe. It re-drew the map, • Where Written: Pamplona, Spain and Paris, France
destroying Empires (the Ottoman Empire, The Austro- • When Published: October 1926
Hungarian Empire) and annihilated Europe's conception of • Literary Period: Modernism
itself as a finely balanced set of national powers that would • Genre: Post-war; expatriate; modernist
never descend into total war. With its dehumanizing machine-
• Setting: Paris, France; Pamplona, Spain; and various other
based and trench warfare, the war also profoundly changed
Spanish and French towns in 1924.
people's understanding of war, from something that could be
heroic to something that could not. Hemingway fought in the • Climax: Cohn fighting with Jake and Mike during the fiesta in
Pamplona
First World War as a young man and suffered both a physical
injury, the transformation of his own thoughts and ideals in the • Antagonist: No single character serves as an antagonist;
face of that experience, and the anguish of realizing that many perhaps the most accurate description of an antagonist would
of those who did not experience the war still held to those be the meaninglessness of post-war living
romantic visions of the war. In the post-war years, Hemingway • Point of View: First person; Jake tells the story in the past
also experienced many of the same things his characters in The tense
Sun Also Rises do: he was a journalist for the Toronto Star, was an
expatriate living in Paris, and took several trips to various EXTRA CREDIT
European cities. The Sun Rises Over and Over Again. The Sun Also Rises has
inspired many works of art, and many other writers have been
RELATED LITERARY WORKS influenced by its short, sparse prose style. And not only
that—the characters of The Sun Also Rises continue to live on
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through different media: in 1956, the novel was made into a Pamplona with Mike. Cohn decides to stay in Pamplona to wait
screenplay of the same name by Peter Viertel, and in 2013, was for her while Jake and Bill head out into rural Spain to fish. For
adapted for dance by The Washington Ballet. five blissful days Jake and Bill fish, play cards, drink, and
remember their days and friends from the army. But on the fifth
day they learn that Brett and Mike will be arriving in Pamplona
PL
PLO
OT SUMMARY that night, and they immediately head back.
Jake Barnes, the narrator, describes his friend, Robert Cohn. In Pamplona, they stay at a hotel owned by Montoya, a man
Cohn, like Jake, is an American expatriate living in Paris, who loves bullfighting and appreciates Jake's own love of the
although unlike Jake he did not fight in World War I. He's a sport. Jake, Bill, Cohn, Mike, and Brett all meet up. They go to
Jewish writer who has recently published a novel and was a watch the unloading of the bulls, and see a bull kill a steer.
middleweight boxing champion in college at Princeton. Cohn Afterward, Mike compares Cohn to the steer because Cohn
lives with a woman named Frances Clyne, who was originally won't stop following Brett around.
using him for his money but now that she's older wants to make The fiesta begins, and Pamplona is filled with drinking and
him marry her. After reading a book that romanticizes travel dancing. During the bullfights on the first day, a nineteen-year-
Cohn has come to the conclusion that he's wasting his life, and old bullfighter named Pedro Romero especially stands out.
one day he visits Jake, who is a journalist, at his office to ask him Brett is mesmerized by the violence of the fight (while Cohn is
to take a trip with him to South America. Jake refuses, on the made ill by it). Brett is also particularly taken with Romero.
grounds that the only people who don't waste their lives are Brett eventually gets Jake to introduce her to Romero, much to
bullfighters. Montoya's dismay because he thinks she will corrupt the boy.
That night, while out with Cohn and others, Jake runs into Lady Mike again verbally attacks Cohn, and they almost fight before
Brett Ashley. Brett is an independent, tomboy-ish, soon-to-be- Jake pulls them apart. Later that night, Brett asks Jake to help
divorced wife of an English lord who as a volunteer during the her find Romero. He does, and she and Romero go off together.
war helped to treat Jake for a war wound he received. While Later that night, while Jake is out with the drunken Mike and
she was treating him, they fell in love. Brett confesses to Jake Bill, Cohn arrives and demands to know where Brett is. After
that she is miserable and still loves him, just as he loves her. But Jake refuses and insults fly, Cohn knocks down Mike and
though they never say it explicitly, the conversation implies that knocks Jake out cold. When Jake comes to and returns to the
Jake's injury made him impotent, and that Brett is unwilling to hotel, he finds Cohn weeping in his room. Cohn begs Jake's
give up sex, so they can't be together. Still, they make plans to forgiveness. After some resistance, Jake gives it. Cohn says he
see each other the next afternoon. is leaving Pamplona.
Jake has lunch with Cohn the next morning. Cohn is smitten by The next morning, a man is killed by a bull outside the
Brett, and is upset when Jake describes her in less-then- bullfighting stadium. Soon after, Jake learns from Bill and Mike
positive terms (and also when he learns that she's soon to that the night before Cohn also beat up Romero, but Romero
marry a Scottish war veteran named Mike Campbell). Brett wouldn't back down. Cohn gave in, and asked Romero to
stands Jake up for their afternoon plans. But in the middle of forgive him, but Romero just punched him. At the bullfight that
the night she appears at his apartment along with Count afternoon, a bullfighter who had come out of retirement named
Mippipopolous, a rich Greek man who really knows how to Belmonte fails to live up to his reputation and is jeered by the
enjoy life. In a moment when they are alone, Brett tells Jake crowd. But Romero fights magnificently, and the crowd adores
that it's too hard for them to be near each other and that she's him. Later that night, Jake learns from Mike that Romero and
leaving the next day to go to San Sebastian, a beach town in Brett have left Pamplona together.
Spain. Cohn also leaves Paris around this time to spend time The fiesta ends the next day. Jake, Mike, and Bill leave
out in the country. Pamplona together, then go their separate ways. Jake decides
A few weeks later, a writer and army-friend of Jake's named Bill to lay low in San Sebastian rather than return to Paris. But he
Gorton arrives in Paris. They plan to go fishing in Spain and soon gets a telegram from Brett saying she needs his help in
then to go to the fiesta and bullfights in Pamplona, and to join Madrid. He goes immediately, and learns that Brett has left
up with Cohn along the way. That afternoon, Jake runs into Romero because she feared corrupting him but also because he
Brett, who has returned from San Sebastian and is with her wanted her to act like a more traditional woman. As they ride in
fiancé Mike. Mike and Brett also want to come to Pamplona. a taxi through Madrid, Brett sadly comments that she and Jake
Brett privately asks Jake if Cohn is also coming, revealing that could have had such a good time together. Jake says, "Yes, isn't
she was actually with Cohn in San Sebastian. it pretty to think so?"
Bill and Jake meet Cohn in Bayonne, France, and then all three
travel to Pamplona. Brett, however, falls ill while traveling to

Monto
Montoya ya – The owner of the hotel in Pamplona where Jake and
CHARA
CHARACTERS
CTERS his friends, as well as the best bullfighters, stay. He tries to
protect Romero's integrity and values the pure passion of the
Jak
Jakee Barnes –The narrator of The Sun Also Rises. At the start of
aficionados (those who are truly appreciative and
the novel, he is an expatriate working as a journalist in Paris. He
knowledgeable about bullfighting) over everything else, which
served in World War I, in which he suffered an injury that made
is why he shares a special bond with Jake.
him impotent. This hinders his otherwise very close
relationship with Brett Ashley. He typifies the Lost Generation, Wilson Harris – An Englishman whom Jake and Bill meet on
always seeking escape and finding no meaning in life after the their fishing trip. The threesome share much in common,
horrors and intensity of the war. including the war, and Harris is sad to part with them at the end
of the trip.
Robert Cohn – An ex-boxer from Princeton and a writer. He is
the only one of the male characters who is not a veteran of the Georgette – A Parisian prostitute whom Jake picks up and
war. He is divorced, and at the beginning of the novel is in a takes to a club near the beginning of the novel. But he finds her
relationship with Frances Clyne, though he drops her after dull and goes off with Brett instead.
publishing a novel. He believes in love, romance and the ideals Belmonte – Romero's bullfighting rival in the final fight. He
he finds in literature but he gets on the nerves of most of the cannot live up to his own legend and is outshone by Romero's
other men in the novel by the way he pathetically hangs around genuine skill.
Brett and with his "superior, Jewish" way. He becomes a target Count Mippipopolous – A rich, Greek expatriate who takes a
for the other men's dissatisfaction.
liking to Brett and is kind to Jake. His goal seems always to get
Lady Brett Ashle
Ashleyy – A British, charismatic, and independent the most enjoyment out of life. He has been through many
woman with a drinking problem. She is the love of Jake's life wars, and has developed opinions about values and love.
and she loves him too, but she (and Jake) both see his Harv
Harveey Stone – Another expatriate friend of Jake's. When Jake
impotence as an impossible obstacle to a relationship and she meets him in Paris, he is broke and unhappy and lashes out at
leads a promiscuous life of romantic adventures. She is waiting
Robert Cohn.
to get divorced from the aristocrat from whom she got her title,
and then plans to marry Mike Campbell. She is terminally Edna – A friend of Bill Gorton's who, along with Bill and others,
unhappy and always wanting someone else. She falls in love gets thrown out of a bar in Pamplona after nearly starting a
with Romero at the bullfight and becomes his inspiration at the brawl.
ring. Br
Braddocks
addocks – A friend of Jake's in Paris.
Frances Clyne – Cohn's girlfriend at the start of the novel. She Krumm – A newspaperman who tells Jake that he soon plans to
is a social climber who uses Cohn for his money but becomes quit and go out to see the country.
possessive and wants to marry him when she realizes she is
losing her good looks. Cohn eventually leaves her.
Bill Gorton – Jake's buddy from the war. A writer who moved
THEMES
back to America after the war, he is a joker, using humor to hide In LitCharts each theme gets its own color and number. Our
from and disguise the horrors of his experiences of the war. He color-coded theme boxes make it easy to track where the
goes along with the group, unattached to Brett but getting themes occur throughout the work. If you don't have a color
caught up in the romantic business anyway, alternately peace- printer, use the numbers instead.
making and joining in with the fighting.
Mik
Mike
e Campbell – Brett's fiancé and a war veteran. He gets 1 THE LOST GENERATION
drunk all the time and starts fights. His insecurity about Brett
Though seldom mentioned, World War I hangs like a shadow
causes him to break down and attack others. He is also
over the characters in The Sun Also Rises. The war devastated
renowned for being a bankrupt.
Europe, wiping away empires and long-standing governments.
Pedro Romero – A young, good-looking bullfighting prodigy Similarly, its brutal trench warfare and machine-driven killing
who is so skillful and beautiful that Brett falls in love with him. made clear to all of its participants that the long-standing ideals
His skill and subtlety in the bull-ring impress everybody and of honor, courage, and stoicism were hollow and meaningless,
create genuine emotion in the crowd. He seems at times to be as were the national identities that drove the countries of
at one with the bulls. When Cohn learns of Romero's effect on Europe to war in the first place. In short, the war changed all
Brett, he fights him. Romero and Brett run away together but those who experienced it, and those who came of age during
Brett leaves him soon after when he tries to turn her into a the war became known as "the lost generation." Through Jake
traditional woman.

and his friends and acquaintances, The Sun Also Rises depicts Cohn boxes at Princeton, he refuses to fight anyone outside of
members of this lost generation. the ring. He follows the rules of sport and honor. But as Robert
Jake and his friends believe in very little. While in some ways becomes unhinged by his obsession with Brett, he starts a
this is liberating, it is also depicted as a loss. In losing their belief brawl.
in the ideals, structures, and nationalism that drove self-
identity in the time before the WWI, they seem to have lost 3 MASCULINITY AND INSECURITY
some core of themselves. The characters are always restless, There is only one main female character in The Sun Also Rises,
always wandering, looking for a constant change of scenery, as and the men circle around Brett like bees to honey, creating an
if looking for an escape. They would prefer to live in America atmosphere of rivalry between the male characters. The
than Europe, but for some reason they don't leave. The competition between the men is won and lost in different, often
characters have made themselves expatriates, disconnected unpredictable, ways. Sometimes it is physical vigor that wins
from their home, sampling the cultures of Europe without ever out, in the case of Romero. But sometimes physical strength is
joining them. There is a sense that Jake and his generation a liability. Robert Cohn strikes out at Mike, Bill and Romero,
don't belong anywhere. Though many of Jake's friends have overpowering them physically, but later is found alone and
occupations, in writing and editing, these jobs don't seem to crying. For men in The Sun Also Rises, to win seems impossible.
have regular hours and none of them are accountable to any
boss or location. The characters spend their time socializing, In this way, The Sun Also Rises shows how men have been
drinking, dancing, and playing games. Though these activities changed by the experience of war, and World War I in
are usually seen as youthful pursuits, in such endless repetition particular. Honor, courage, stoicism, glory—none of these
they become empty and wearying, and part of a vicious cycle in traditional masculine traits meant a thing huddled in the
which the characters are always thinking of the next escape. Of trenches as mortars fall from the sky. There was no glorious
all the characters, only Cohn seems to not fit this description of clash of skill between two warriors. There were just men
a lost generation. He has an identity forced on him: he's Jewish. getting cut down by machine gun fire in a futile effort to move
And he has ideals—romantic, perhaps silly ideals—but still their trench forward another inch. All of the men have been
ideals. It's not a coincidence that he is the only male character damaged by the war, their sense of selves demolished because
in the novel not to have experienced the war first hand. Yet in none of what they were taught about themselves as men seems
the course of the novel even Cohn betrays his ideals, to apply any more, and they are all made so insecure by this loss
suggesting that while the loss of belief in the old systems is a that they can't even discuss it. The cruelty of the men toward
terrible personal loss, it also just may be a more accurate view Cohn emerges not just because Cohn is so obviously acting in
of the world. non-manly ways in his desperate pursuit of Brett, but rather
because the men know that they themselves, secretly, are just
as unmanned. Jake himself is a symbol of all of these dynamics
2 SPORT of masculinity and insecurity. He has literally, physically been
From Robert Cohn the boxer to Pedro Romero the bullfighter, emasculated by a genital injury in the war, but that injury is
the characters of The Sun Also Rises compete and combat in never directly mentioned by anyone. Brett's behavior further
various sporting events for honor and to impress the insatiable brings into play the idea or value of manliness. Just as the men
Brett. Whenever a trip is proposed, there is usually some display traditionally feminine behavior, Brett, with her short
sporting reason—Jake and Bill Gorton travel to Spain to fish, haircut, bantering conversation, and constant desire for sex, is
and the whole crowd is drawn to the bullfighting at the fiesta. the most traditionally "masculine" character in the novel, and
Sport provides an escape for Jake and his friends from what the fact that she comes off as something of a heartless monster
they see as the meaninglessness of the rest of their lives. Sports raises questions about whether those traditional manly virtues
have rules, and those rules define winners and losers, define were even virtues at all. And yet, without them, what are the
beauty and skill. men?
And yet, like World War I erupting from the carefully balanced
tensions of Europe in the 1910s, for the characters of The Sun 4 SEX AND LOVE
Also Rises, the matches spill over from the arenas onto the The romantic partners in The Sun Also Rises change suddenly
streets of Pamplona, into the bars and cafes. Violence that and frequently. The relationships are made and broken along
should be controlled becomes threatening. A man is killed by a the journey from country to country and, though marriage is
bull outside Pedro Romero's bullfight. And the male characters' sometimes mentioned, it is never actually attempted other than
competition over the careless, rule-breaking Brett turns them Cohn's disastrous and unhappy first marriage. The characters
into sportsmen of sorts, competitors for her love. Rules, tactics, do not establish domestic lives for themselves. The nightly
and victories in the form of insults or emotional injuries drinking parties and long leisurely meals in public places serve
become "moves" in the game of social power. When Robert

as the primary domestic activity of the novel. The occupations
and movements of the characters are aimless and restless. So, SYMBOLS
too, is love. It is avoided and ignored. But while the insecurities
Symbols appear in red text throughout the Summary and
of the male characters cause them to avoid love and sex, Brett
Analysis sections of this LitChart.
excels as a sexual being. She is healthy, charismatic, and lives
like the ideal bachelor. She has sex without being married and
without feeling ashamed. The typical attitudes of men and BULLFIGHTING
women have been troubled and upturned by the changes of Hemingway uses bullfighting as an ongoing metaphor for war
wartime. The men have been shackled. Brett has been and the nature of masculinity. The bullfight represents, in part,
liberated. the ideals of war that were destroyed by the mechanized war of
At the same time, in her last lines of the novel, even Brett is World War I. The bullfight is a battle of skill, of two beings
revealed to yearn for love, with Jake. At numerous points in the coming face to face in search of victory and glory. As such, the
novel it seems that Jake and Brett share a real love, and could bullfights fascinate the characters: the fight has rules, it has
be a true couple, if only Jake did not have the injury that made honor, it has skill all the things that they no longer believe in out
him impotent. And yet Jake, in his response, "Isn't it pretty to in the "real world."
think so," dashes even that idea. In his response he is saying that The bullfight also represents the dangers of sex and love. The
the only reason Brett, Jake himself, or anyone else could bullfights are described as seductions, in sexualized language (it
imagine that their love might be perfect, might be an answer to is a fight after all, in which a man tries to stick a long hard object
all the meaningless of postwar life, is because his injury makes it into the bull), and yet it always ends in destruction, of either the
impossible. If Jake was not injured and a relationship between bullfighter or the bull. Similarly, Belmonte is cast aside in the
he and Brett were possible, he is saying, it wouldn't end any affections of the fans as soon as someone better comes along,
better than any of her other relationships. And so The Sun Also in this case Romero. The fickleness of the crowds mirrors
Rises ends with the suggestions that just like all the other ideals Brett's behavior, as she jumps from lover to lover.
obliterated by World War I, love, too, is no answer to the
emptiness of the lost generation and perhaps, more broadly, to
the emptiness of life. QUO
QUOTES
TES
The color-coded and numbered boxes under each quote below
5 NATURE make it easy to track the themes related to each quote. Each
The social scene in The Sun Also Rises takes place mostly in bars, color and number corresponds to one of the themes explained
cafes and restaurants. Between the meals and drinks are in the Themes section of this LitChart.
journeys along Parisian streets and across the square in
Pamplona. For most of the novel, there is a noticeable lack of
CHAPTER 1 QUOTES
natural landscape. The action is urban and repetitive. There are
descriptions of drinking and dialogue instead of the sky or the I mistrust all frank and simple people, especially when their
weather. There is also a sense that since the war, civilization has stories hold together, and I always had a suspicion that perhaps
been moving away from nature and from natural experiences. Robert Cohn had never been middleweight boxing champion. –
The characters are dissatisfied with city life and suggest trip Jake
after trip to try to find satisfaction, but these urban rituals keep •Speak
•Speaker
er: Jake Barnes
repeating themselves, until Jake's brief excursions into nature,
which give momentary peace and escape. There are several of •Mentioned or related char
characters
acters: Robert Cohn
these excursions, including the bullfight, with its display of the •Related themes
themes: The Lost Generation, Sport, Masculinity and
violence of nature, and Jake's trip to the sea, where he steps Insecurity
out into the water and finds simple pleasure in being able to see •Theme T
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only the sky around him. Then there is also the fishing trip that
Jake takes with Bill, which Hemingway describes in language 1 2 3
that lacks the undercurrents of emptiness and dissatisfaction
present in the city scenes. "This is country," says Bill as they CHAPTER 2 QUOTES
arrive in the beautiful area they have chosen for their fishing –
both men feel that the natural landscape has something real "You can't get away from yourself by moving from one place to
and essential in it that the town does not have. another. " – Jake
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Jake Barnes

•Mentioned or related char
characters
acters: Robert Cohn •Related themes
themes: The Lost Generation, Masculinity and
•Related themes
themes: The Lost Generation Insecurity, Nature
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CHAPTER 6 QUOTES
"I can't stand it to think my life is going so fast and I'm not really
living it." "Just try and be calm. I know it's hard. But remember, it's for
"Nobody ever lives life all the way up except bull-fighters" literature. We all ought to make sacrifices for literature. Look at
– Cohn and Jake me. I'm going to England without a protest. All for literature." –
Frances
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Jake Barnes, Robert Cohn
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Frances Clyne
•Related themes
themes: The Lost Generation, Sport, Masculinity and
Insecurity •Related themes
themes: The Lost Generation, Sex and Love
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CHAPTER 3 QUOTES CHAPTER 7 QUOTES

"Who are your friends?" Georgette asked. "This wine is too good for toast-drinking, my dear. You don't
"Writers and artists." want to mix emotions up with a wine like that. You lose the
"There are lots of those on this side of the river." taste." – Count Mippipopolous
"Too many." •Speak
•Speaker
er: Count Mippipopolous
– Georgette and Jake
characters
acters: Lady Brett Ashley
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Jake Barnes, Georgette •Related themes
themes: The Lost Generation
•Related themes
themes: The Lost Generation, Masculinity and •Theme T
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1 3 CHAPTER 10 QUOTES
I have never seen a man in civil life as nervous as Robert Cohn –
CHAPTER 4 QUOTES nor as eager. I was enjoying it. It was lousy to enjoy it, but I felt
I passed Ney's statue standing among the new-leaved chetnut lousy. Cohn had a wonderful quality of bringing out the worst in
trees in the arc-light. […] He looked very fine, Marshal Ney in anybody. – Jake
his top-boots, gesturing with his sword among the green new
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Jake Barnes
horse-chetnut leaves. – Jake
characters
acters: Robert Cohn
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Jake Barnes
•Related themes
•Related themes
themes: The Lost Generation, Masculinity and Insecurity
Insecurity, Nature
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CHAPTER 12 QUOTES
It is awfully easy to be hard-boiled about everything in the "You're an expatriate. You've lost touch with the soil. You get
daytime, but at night is another thing. – Jake precious. Fake European standards have ruined you. You drink
yourself to death. You become obsessed by sex. You spend all
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Jake Barnes
your time talking, not working. You are an expatriate, see. You
hang around cafés."– Bill

•Speak
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er: Bill Gorton •Theme T
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CHAPTER 15 QUOTES
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At noon on Sunday, July 6th, the fiesta exploded. There was no
1 3 4 5 other way to describe it. – Jake
•Speak
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er: Jake Barnes
CHAPTER 13 QUOTES •Related themes
themes: The Lost Generation, Sport
Those who were aficionados could always get rooms even •Theme T
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when the hotel was full. Montoya introduced me to some of
them. They were always very polite at first, and it amused them 1 2
very much that I should be American. Somehow it was taken for
granted that an American could not have aficion. – Jake
The things that happened could only have happened during a
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Jake Barnes fiesta. Everything became quite unreal finally and it seemed as
characters
acters: Montoya though nothing could have any consequences. – Jake
•Related themes
themes: The Lost Generation, Sport, Masculinity and •Speak
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er: Jake Barnes
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1
It was like certain dinners I remember from the war. There was CHAPTER 17 QUOTES
much wine, an ignored tension, and a feeling of things coming
"She hasn't had an absolutely happy life, Brett. Damned shame,
that you could not prevent happening. Under the wine I lost the
too. She enjoys things so." – Mike
disgusted feeling and was happy. It seemed they were all such
nice people. – Jake •Speak
•Speaker
er: Mike Campbell
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Jake Barnes •Mentioned or related char
characters
acters: Lady Brett Ashley
characters
acters: Robert Cohn, Lady Brett •Related themes
Ashley, Bill Gorton, Mike Campbell •Theme T
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1 CHAPTER 18 QUOTES
"Well, it was a swell fiesta."
CHAPTER 14 QUOTES "Yes," I said; "something doing all the time."
"You wouldn't believe it. It's like a wonderful nightmare."
That was morality; things that made you disgusted afterward.
"Sure," I said. "I'd believe anything. Including nightmares."
No, that must be immorality. That was a large statement. What
– Bill and Jake
a lot of bilge I could think up at night. What rot, I could hear
Brett say it. What rot! – Jake •Speak
•Speaker
er: Jake Barnes, Bill Gorton
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Jake Barnes •Related themes
themes: The Lost Generation, Sport
characters
acters: Lady Brett Ashley •Theme T
Trrack
acker
er code
code:
•Related themes
themes: The Lost Generation, Masculinity and 1 2
Insecurity

CHAPTER 19 QUOTES Jake comments that he That Jake mistrusts simplicity
naturally distrusts anyone who and honesty suggests the depths
"Oh, Jake,' Brett said, "we could have had such a damned good
seems as simple and honest as of Jake's skepticism of
time together." Ahead was a mounted policeman in khaki
Cohn, but after some checking everything, and also suggests
directing traffic. He raised his baton. The car slowed suddenly
around he did verify that Cohn that he himself is not being
pressing Brett against me.
was in fact what he said he entirely honest about himself.
"Yes," I said. "Isn't it pretty to think so?"
was.
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Jake Barnes, Lady Brett Ashley 1
•Related themes
themes: The Lost Generation, Sex and Love Cohn emerged from college Cohn married not for love, but
shy and self-conscious, and rather on the rebound from a
•Theme T
Trrack
acker
er code
code:
quickly married the first girl tough college experience. Note
1 4 who was nice to him. He had that Cohn did the traditional
three children in five unhappy thing upon leaving college: he got
years during which he lost married. He also then tried to do
I hated to leave France. Life was so simple in France. I felt I was much of a fifty-thousand dollar the honorable thing in resisting
a fool to be going back to Spain. In Spain you could not tell inheritance left to him by his leaving his wife for as long as he
about anything. – Jake father. Finally, just as Cohn did. Both following tradition and
was deciding to leave his wife, being honorable ended up badly
•Speak
•Speaker
er: Jake Barnes
she left him for another man. for him.
•Related themes
Insecurity 3 4
•Theme T
Trrack
acker
er code
code: Cohn moved to California Cohn assumes that being in a
after the divorce. He fell in relationship with someone must
1 3 mean you love them. He's
with a literary crowd and
began to fund an art magazine, deluded by tradition and
and soon made himself its romantic ideals of love. Frances
SUMMARY AND ANAL
ANALYSIS
YSIS editor. Meanwhile, he was isn't—she's in it to get something
The color-coded and numbered boxes under each row of "taken in hand" by a woman for herself.
Summary and Analysis below make it easy to track the themes named Frances, whom he
thought he loved, but who 1 4
throughout the work. Each color and number corresponds to
one of the themes explained in the Themes section of this hoped to climb the social
LitChart. ladder as the magazine
became better known.
CHAPTER 1 When the magazine failed, Frances continues to use Cohn.
Frances decided to get what Europe was supposed to provide
The narrator, Jake Barnes, Jake introduces Cohn first and
she could from Cohn, and got an artistic escape, but none of
describes Robert Cohn, who puts himself in the background,
him to take her to Europe. the Americans actually seem to
was a middleweight boxing setting the pattern of Jake trying
They settled in Paris. Cohn like being there. Yet for some
champion in college at to avoid his own story. Note how
lives on an allowance from his reason they can't seem to return
Princeton University. Born Cohn responds to feelings of
mother and has two friends: to America either. They're lost,
into an old, rich Jewish family, insecurity by finding refuge in
Braddock, his literary friend, unable to escape and unable to
Cohn had an easy childhood. sports, but also how he is too
and Jake, with whom he plays find home. The male
But at Princeton he was made honorable to every actually use
tennis. Cohn is "fairly happy," relationships are defined by
to feel like an outsider because those skills outside the sporting
except that like many other activities with competition at
he was Jewish. He took up arena. Note also that Cohn's past
people in Europe he would their heart.
boxing in response to his does not include fighting in WWI.
rather be living in America. He
resulting feelings of inferiority. 1 2 3 4
1 2 3 writes a novel and fills his days
He liked knowing he could
reading, playing cards and
knock down anyone being
tennis, and boxing.
nasty to him, though he never
actually fought anyone outside
the gym.

At this same time, Frances Frances's desire for marriage is Cohn is at the same time The Lost Generation lives by
realizes that she's losing her purely practical and self-serving. having a lucky streak with playing games and gambling.
good looks and shifts from The men of the novel often seem bridge, and becomes vain Success and happiness is as
treating Cohn carelessly to to be at the mercy of the women, about this too, boasting that, if superficial and temporary as a
trying to get him to marry her. and the desire to take a trip into necessary, he could make a good or a bad game of bridge.
Jake notices this change in the countryside, into nature, is in living from playing cards. He Despite his success, Cohn
Frances when, one night, Jake, some ways a desire to escape also becomes obsessed by a continues to believe in romance,
Cohn, and Frances go out to from women (who in the novel book called The Purple Land, a chivalry, and adventure. Jake,
dinner together. Cohn tend to stay in the city). The romantic tale about an English having experienced the war,
suggests he and Jake take a desire for change purely for itself gentleman traveling abroad, views these as false and
trip to get out of Paris and do also characterizes the Lost which Jake says is a dangerous dangerous ideas.
some hiking. Jake says he Generation. text to take seriously too late
knows a girl in Strasbourg who in life. Cohn is doing exactly 1 2 3
can show them around, but 1 3 4 5 that. He seems to be taking it
gets a few kicks under the as a guidebook for life.
table from Cohn and an angry
Jake realizes how affected Cohn wants to life a full life. Jake
look from Frances before he
Cohn has been by the book thinks any such desire is
realizes his error.
when Cohn comes to Jake's ridiculous—that the only way to
Later, Cohn walks Jake out of Jake's relentless interest in Cohn office and asks him to go with live life to the fullest is to
the café and scolds Jake for shows us that Cohn is an him to South America. Jake constantly face death, as the
making Frances jealous. Any important mirror through which responds that everything he bullfighters do. This suggests that
mention of any girl will set off we come to know Jake. He is could want is already in Paris WWI affected its veterans not
Frances, Cohn says, to Jake's competitive and literary but also and that all countries look like just by stealing their belief in
disbelief. Cohn then worries very different because he was not they do in films, but Cohn nearly everything, but also by
that Jake is "sore" with him, in the war. persists. He keeps saying that being so intense that nothing else
but Jake assures him he isn't. he is wasting his life and that feels real.
They decide to go to Senlis 1 3 4 he needs to go to South
instead of Strasbourg. Despite America. Jake responds that 1 2 3 5
all the silly drama, Jake only bullfighters live their lives
comments that he likes Cohn. to the fullest.
Jake suggests they have a Though Jake advises Cohn not to
CHAPTER 2 drink, intending to then leave try to avoid himself as it doesn't
That winter, Robert Cohn As Cohn becomes successful, his Cohn in the bar and come back work, he continues to avoid hard
takes his novel to America and "love" for Frances evaporates. to the office. Cohn continues truths himself, as indicated by his
it is accepted by a publisher, Relationships are changeable, the same argument in the bar, anger when Cohn forces him to
and several women are nice to dependent on travel and activity saying that they will be dead in briefly confront the idea of death.
him while he's in New York. He and status, rather than love or thirty-five years, which angers Jake's comment that all cities
comes back changed, more sexual passion. The change of Jake. Jake tells Cohn, from look like they do in films is
aware of his attractiveness, Cohn from self-conscious to personal experience, that you profoundly skeptical, as he is
and less pleasant. His new arrogant transforms his role in can't escape yourself just by basically saying that nothing is
popularity and the praise he the group, making him a moving from place to place. real, or any more real than
gets for his novel have gone to masculine competitor. But Jake decides this fictional representations of it.
his head and his horizons have argument is useless because
1 3 4 these ideas are stuck in Cohn's 1 3
changed. After being focused
on Frances for four years, he head from, Jake assumes,
now sees beyond her. books like The Purple Land.

Jake excuses himself to return The masculine competition and As the cab moves through the The girl is a prostitute—she
to his office. Cohn asks to insecurity changes here as Cohn streets, the girl uses the makes an advance because she
come and sit with him. While appears like a child having a opportunity to make sexual wants to make money. The
Jake works, Cohn falls asleep. nightmare, and Jake, watching overtures to Jake, but he reader knows that Jake is not
Later, wanting to go home for over him, like a father. rejects them. She asks if he's sick, raising the question of why
the night, Jake touches Cohn's Traditionally, men were supposed sick. He says that he is, and the he rejects her advances. At the
shoulder to wake him and to "do" things. Cohn's being girl responds that everyone is same time, the sickness describes
hears Cohn sleep-talking, unable to "do it" is a nightmare of sick. She tells Jake that her everything, sadness, injury, and
saying things like 'I can't do it'. masculine insecurity. Now, name is Georgette. the whole uneasy world of post-
When he wakes up, Cohn instead of doing things, the men WWI society.
admits it was a bad dream and are always "talking," a
says that he didn't sleep the traditionally more feminine 1 3 4 5
night before because of activity. Jake, meanwhile, Georgette dislikes the Georgette is completely
"talking". Jake imagines this imagines the bedroom scenes of restaurant they arrive at and materialistic. At the same time,
talking must involve a his friends, but none of them Jake remembers how dull how different is she from
"bedroom scene" and says he actually discuss these issues. poules can be. Georgette Frances? They both want money,
has a bad habit of imagining They talk without any real cheers up when she sees the not love, out of relationships. Yet
these scenes of his friends. content, and further avoid any food and they start drinking, Jake, unlike Cohn, sees through
They go out again for a drink real issues by going out to drink clinking glasses like a real the façade. That Jake is so bored
and to watch the crowds. and people-watch. couple. Georgette cheers up he wouldn't mind talking about
about Jake too, saying it's a the war indicates how much he
1 3
shame he got hurt in the "dirty normally does mind talking
war." Jake says he is so bored about it. And, once again, the
CHAPTER 3 that he wouldn't even mind social scene manages to distract
After Cohn leaves, Jake goes Jake watches the scene and talking about the war, but is Jake from actually having to
by himself to a café and avoids his own thoughts. He interrupted by his friend think about the war.
watches the crowds. He is condescends to the girl but she's Braddocks calling out to him.
He sees a group of his friends, 1 4
interested by the poules, a the one at home in Paris,
French slang term for speaking the language. They including Frances and Robert
prostitutes, and watches one discuss the party not as Cohn sitting at another table.
after another walk by. One something that they might Jake's friends ask him to come The group obsessively seeks to
good-looking poule catches his actually enjoy, but rather as a dancing with them. Jake live a life of pure leisure. Jake
eye and sits down with him at something they have to attend. returns to Georgette and groups them into an identity of
his table and orders a Pernod, And in fact Jake does have to go, describes his friends to her as "writers and artists" but they
which Jake says is not good for because it's the only way he "writers and artists," then don't live up to those
"little girls." The poule asks for knows to escape and distract takes her into the room, identities—they never seem to
the drink herself in French. She himself from his own thoughts. introducing her to everybody create anything. In fact the only
asks Jake if he's going on to a as his fiancé, Georgette identity that seems stable is of
party, and he agrees as if it's 1 3 4
Leblanc, which is the name of a avoiding identity. The lack of
the only thing to be doing, but famous singer. Everyone is identity in the characters is
she is unsure. She says she confused. driven home by Jake's joke,
doesn't like Paris but that which makes Georgette into
there's nowhere else. someone recognizable.
The girl asks if Jake is going to This "date" is a sham—Jake is
1 3 4
buy her dinner. When she looking for amusement, the poule
smiles, Jake sees that she has for dinner and money. When she
bad teeth, which puts him off. smiles, shows actual emotion,
But they catch a horse-pulled she is no longer pretty.
cab and drive past the shops of
the Avenue de l'Opera. 1 4

They arrive too early at the The sight of the family that owns Brett walks over to Jake. As While the reader realizes how
dance hall, which is nearly the club is a reminder that the they greet each other, Jake much Brett's presence has
empty, with only the owner characters of the Lost notices Cohn looking at the affected Jake's mood, he deflects
and his family inside. The Generation don't really have "damned good-looking" Brett, his feelings for her onto the other
proprietor starts playing the families. They have only their as if towards the "promised male characters, reflecting more
accordion and the group starts friends, with whom they avoid land." Brett jokes with Jake on Cohn's crush than his own.
dancing. The club starts to fill discussing anything important. In about bringing the poule to the For her part, Brett plays along
up and soon becomes hot and the dance, the heat and rhythm club, while Jake comments on with the typical feminine rituals
sweaty. While Georgette is creates a kind of closeness the "fine crowd" that Brett has of accepting dances, but her
asked to dance, Jake stands at between people, but it's not brought with her. Brett banter with Jake is decisively
the club door, feeling the something that lasts beyond the responds that they are men masculine. It's worth noting how
breeze and watching a group night. It's a distraction. Brett's she can safely get drunk Cohn wanted to travel to a
of men arrive along with short hair hints at her around. Cohn then approaches foreign land, and how that
someone he knows: Lady Brett untraditional femininity—in and asks Brett to dance but language is now fulfilled in Brett
Ashley, a beautiful woman many ways she acts like a man. Brett says it's been promised as "the promised land," implying
with short hair. to Jake. As they dance, Jake Cohn now sees her as the way
1 3 4 scolds Brett for collecting toward a fully lived life.
The men in Brett's group have Though never stated explicitly, crushes, such as the one Cohn
now has on her. In the heat, 1 3 4
spotted Georgette and are the novel strongly implies that
talking about dancing with her the men with Brett are gay. That and amid the accordion music
as if for a dare. These men, the men annoy Jake so strongly of the bar, Jake admits feeling
who are "supposed to be indicates his own masculine happy.
amusing", annoy Jake. He insecurity. Meanwhile, the Brett suggests she and Jake go Brett is magnetic, and Jake
walks to the club next door to atmosphere is completely to a different club. Jake leaves follows after her. In contrast,
get a drink, but the drink tastes unromantic and transactional: fifty francs in an envelope at Jake pays for Georgette with a
sour and he comes back. Upon Georgette is treated like a poker the bar for Georgette. Jake sense of duty but no feeling of
his return, Georgette is chip. and Brett wait quietly at a affection attached. The Lost
surrounded by men on the nearby car until a taxi arrives. Generation seem only able to
dance floor and Jake knows 1 3 4
When a taxi does arrive, Brett open up when they're moving,
that they will all take their turn tells Jake to make the cab even if it's just in a cab. When
with her. "drive around." Jake instructs Brett does open up, it is revealed
Jake sits at a table with his Male writers in the novel are the driver to do so, and then that even she is deeply unhappy,
friends and meets a novelist repeatedly meeting other male follows Brett into the cab. despite the whole "show" at the
called Robert Prentiss. Jake writers and masculine Once the cab starts to move, club.
insists on getting Prentiss a competition is renewed, but Brett confesses that she has
been "so miserable." 1 3 4
drink and when asked about never resolved. Jake sees that the
Paris, Jake says that he likes it. social scene is empty – the others
He admits he is drunk and seem to believe in it, Jake sees CHAPTER 4
loses his temper with the through it. At the same time, Jake
Brett and Jake's cab winds In the presence of Brett, the city
question. Prentiss thinks this is has been totally unflappable
through the streets of Paris. As of Paris becomes beautiful to
charming. Jake gets up and until Brett arrived. Now he is
they pass the lights of bars and Jake. Her presence seems to give
goes to the dance floor. more mercurial. Clearly she
workmen fixing the car tracks, what he sees more meaning.
Frances follows Jake, thinking affects him.
Jake notices how Brett's face
he is angry, but Jake insists he 1 3 4
1 3 4 comes in and out of view.
is sick. Jake says that the
"whole show" makes him sick.

In the dark, they kiss, but Brett It's clear that there is real love In the club, a painter named For Jake, Brett's presence
pulls away, begging Jake to behind Jake and Brett's Zisi approaches Brett in order transforms the social scene into
understand. Jake asks if she relationship, but there's also to introduce her to a man one of constant competition that
loves him and she "turns all to something that's standing in the named Count Mippipopolous, because of his injury he can't win.
jelly." But as they discuss the way of them being together who has taken a liking to her. The very thing Jake has been
"hell" of what it was like the (though exactly what isn't totally Meanwhile, Jake talks with using to distract himself from the
last time they were together, evident yet). Even so, this love is Braddocks, but all Jake wants war and his injury now pushes it
Jake decides that they should not something Brett or Jake can to do is go home. When he says back into his face, so he leaves.
stay away from each other. give up. goodnight to Brett, she's
Brett disagrees, commenting drinking with the Count, and 1 2 3 4
that she's now paying for the 4 asks to see Jake again the
hell she puts other men following day. Jake agrees
through all the time. even though he thinks she
probably won't show up. He
They talk about how injuries Now the obstacle to their
then asks Brett whether she's
like Jake's are supposed to be relationship begins to make
sense—Jake received a war heard from Mike. When she
funny, but how "nobody knows
wound of some kind that, it is says she has, Jake leaves the
anything." Jake says he rarely
implied, makes him impotent. bar and walks along the
thinks about his injury, but
Brett and Jake's love is therefore boulevards, walking past
agrees that it is funny, and fun
separated from sex, and for Brett acquaintances but not
to be in love, but Brett persists
this stands in the way of their stopping because he wants to
that it's hell. She says that it's
being together. Note how Jake's get home.
not about wanting to see Jake
but about having to. As they comments about not thinking On the way, Jake passes a The soldier on horseback is of a
near the club where they are about his war wound ring false, statue of a soldier, Marshal general from Napoleonic times
going, Brett asks Jake to kiss and also how Brett hates having Ney, which he thinks looks and radiates the ideals of
her once more before they anything that forces her to do "very fine." When Jake arrives wartime glory and masculine
arrive. Brett is shaky as they anything, even love. She wants to at his building he picks up his courage and honor that WWI
leave the cab, but they gather be free above all else. And then mail from the concierge, forever destroyed. The wedding
themselves and go in to find they escape having to talk about including a wedding with a couple Jake doesn't know
the same crowd from the last any of these tough things by announcement for a couple shows both the emptiness of his
club. jumping back into the social he's never heard of before. His acquaintances and the foreign-
scene at a club, which is thoughts circle back to Brett, ness of marriage to the Lost
essentially the same as the last and he curses her for coming Generation. But the wedding also
club. up in his mind again. As Jake pushes Jake's thoughts back to
undresses for bed he looks at Brett, back to his injury, and back
1 3 4 himself naked in the mirror to his habitual avoidance of
and sees his wound, and claims those things.
to see the funny side as he is
supposed to. 1 3 4

Jake goes to bed and reads Jake uses sports to distract Jake agrees to go for the drive, The repetitive pattern between
through two bullfighting himself. And when he must finally but refuses to get dressed and Jake and Brett of touching and
newspapers. He then turns out sleep he tries to distance himself come down to the car to carry parting, touching and parting,
the lamp, but is unable to sleep from his sadness by seeing it as on the evening with the count defines both the nature of their
and he thinks about his injury. funny, but his insomnia and and Brett. Brett and Jake kiss love (which they wish could be
He remembers the Italian eventual tears shows that goodbye. As he watches Brett physical but can't be) but also
hospital where several men avoidance is only helpful for a leave from the window, he their inability to actually face
with the same injury thought while. You can't hide from pours himself another drink and accept those facts one way
about setting up a society. He yourself forever. Note that Jake's and goes to bed, knowing that or another. Jake responds to this
remembers the "first funny injury didn't cause him true he'll think about Brett again traumatic experience as he does
thing," when a colonel came to sadness until he fell in love with and feel like crying—it's easy to to nearly every other one—he
visit him and gave a serious Brett, until he truly wanted be "hard-boiled" in the looks for distraction in a drink.
speech about how Jake had something meaningful—this is daytime, he admits, but night is But as Jake's comment about the
given more than his life. Jake the danger of love—it makes you a different thing, he admits. night vs. the daytime indicates,
comments that he always just vulnerable to pain. at night there is no larger social
played along, but that it was world to provide additional
meeting Brett that caused him 1 2 3 4 distraction, Ultimately, you must
trouble, and, like all people, she sleep and in doing so face your
only wanted what she couldn't thoughts. Jake can only be "hard-
have. Jake starts to cry. After a boiled" when he has the normal
while, he falls asleep. daytime distractions to help him
avoid his own thoughts.
Loud noises outside his room Brett disregards social norms.
wake Jake in the middle of the She just does what she wants, 1 4
night. Downstairs, he finds the and doesn't care about what
concierge dealing with a society will think or traditional
drunken Brett. Jake brings ideas of proper feminine CHAPTER 5
Brett up to his apartment, behavior. The Counts offer of The next morning, Jake walks In the daytime, among the crowd
where Brett tells him that the money puts Brett in the role of a to work, watching the women and its distractions, being on the
count is waiting outside in his prostitute, but she doesn't seem selling flowers, students going move and a part of a larger group
car. She tells Jake about the to be bothered by that. Like to class, and the trams moving of people he doesn't know, Jake
count's many connections and Georgette, like Frances, she about. Jake finds it pleasant to can escape his sadness.
his chain of sweetshops in seems to accept that be going to work with
America, and how the count relationships and sex are just everyone else. 1
offered her ten thousand another transaction, except for
Jake works through the Work is easy and without
dollars to go to Biarritz, or her love with Jake, that is. The
morning at his office, then goes purpose. The lack of news
Cannes, or Monte Carlo with Count seems equally untroubled,
to a meeting with other describes the emptiness of life
him. But Brett refused because and is just as happy whisking
newsmen whom he describes after the intense business of the
she knew too many people in Brett off on a trip and going for a
as liking the sound of their own war. The men focus on leisure
all those places. And when she ride with Jake, her love.
voices. "There was no news", pursuits to avoid this empty
told the count she was in love
1 3 4 Jake reports. He then takes a purposelessness, but their desire
with Jake, the count has
cab back to the office with two for nature, to get back to the
invited them for a drive the
of his colleagues, who talk country, to something more real,
next day.
about bars and tennis. One of betrays their need for escape.
the men, Krumm, says he'll
soon quit working and be able 1 2 3 5
to get out to see the country.
They all agree that going out to
see the country is the best
thing to do.

In his office, Jake finds Cohn Cohn's comment that he doesn't Cohn accuses Jake of Jake's anger stems from being
waiting for him. Cohn asks think he had fun highlights the sounding bitter, and. Jake tells forced by Cohn to face up to how
Jake to lunch. At the fact that he's not sure. The Cohn to go to hell. Cohn his own love for Brett affects his
restaurant, Jake asks if Cohn character's social activities seem stands up from the table and behavior. Cohn's anger at being
had fun last night and Cohn fun if you don't look too close, demands that Jake take back told to go to hell hints at the
says he doesn't think so. He but are so constant and what he said about going to traditional values he still holds
says that his next book is going repetitive that they become hell. Jake calls this "prep onto—he still believes in hell. The
badly, and at the mention of empty. Robert would like to leave school stuff' but he tells Cohn other characters, who fought in
South America, he says that Frances, but just as with his first not to go to hell. Cohn sits the war, don't believe in hell,
Frances is keeping him from wife his sense of honor holds him back down again. Jake admits perhaps because the war itself
going, and that she wouldn't back. to having a "nasty tongue," and was their hell. Cohn also believes
like it there but he can't "tell tells Cohn not to believe the in friendship, though that doesn't
her to go to hell" because of 1 3 4 nasty things he says. Cohn feel like exactly the right term for
"certain obligations" to her. responds that Jake his best what he and Jake share.
friend. As they leave the
Cohn then asks Jake about Each competitor for Brett's 1 3 4
restaurant, Jake senses that
Lady Brett Ashley. Jake tells affection is insecure. There is a
Cohn wants to bring up Brett
him what he knows: that she's constant turnover of men,
again but he manages to avoid
getting a divorce and marrying making loss inevitable. Divorce
having that conversation and
a Scotsman named Mike follows marriage and marriage
the two part ways for the day.
Campbell. Cohn can't stop follows divorce. War is the place
talking about Brett's beauty of true love. Brett and Jake are
and says he thinks he might be both stuck in the past of the war CHAPTER 6
in love with her. Annoyed, Jake where their most meaningful That night, Jake goes to meet Brett never follows social
responds that she's a drunk relationships and losses occurred Brett at a hotel. She stands conventions, such as showing up
and is going to marry Mike, and everything was important. him up. After looking around for appointments. She does what
who's going to inherit a lot of for her a little bit, Jake decides she wants. Seeing the water
money. Cohn asks how long 1 3 4 brings pleasure to Jake. It's a
to go to a café, the Select. He
Jake has known her. Jake says gets into a cab and, on the way reminder of nature amid the city.
they met in the war, when she to the café, crosses the river
was a V.A.D (a kind of and watches the barges and 1 4 5
volunteer nurse). She met her notes that it's "pleasant
first husband in the war too, crossing bridges in Paris."
her "own true love" having died
of dysentery. The taxi comes to a certain The associations of ideas are
boulevard that Jake always dangerous for Jake. He is always
finds "dull riding." Jake thinks trying to avoid thinking or
that it must be some remembering, but one idea
"association of ideas" that leading to the next can bring him
makes parts of journeys dull, back without him realizing it to
and guesses that probably thinking about things he wants
something he read in a book is to avoid.
affecting him now.
1

At the Select, he finds a friend Harvey is another of the "writers Frances arrives, and asks to To Frances, marriage means
of his, Harvey Stone, who says and artists" who neither writes speak privately with Jake. money and social capital. To
he's been looking for Jake. nor produces art. He's unstable, When they're alone, she tells Robert, it is literally a nightmare
Jake asks him about the States, unhealthy, doing nothing in Jake that Cohn has refused to (remember his nightmare of
but Harvey says he's heard Europe but completely marry her, saying that he just saying "I can't do it" back in
nothing and is "through with disconnected from the United can't do it. She worries that no Jake's office in Chapter 2)? Yet
them." He then confesses that States, his home. Both he and one will marry her now Frances's ideas of why Cohn
he hasn't eaten for five days, Jake treat relationships as a because she's too old, and adds won't marry her seem incorrect.
and is broke. Even though transaction, as a thing to get you that she won't even get He doesn't seem all that
Harvey beat Jake at poker what you want, whether it's alimony from her first husband interested in chasing women.
three days earlier and won two money or distraction. because she divorced him as He's still chasing love.
hundred francs, Jake offers quickly as possible in order to
him a hundred. Harvey 1 2 3 be with Robert. Jake offers 1 3 4
accepts, and they have a drink. cautious sympathy, and
Frances adds that the real
As the two of them talk and Harvey and Cohn's insecurities
reason Cohn won't marry her
drink, they spot Cohn, who is come up against each other.
is because he wants to enjoy all
waiting for Frances. Harvey Harvey mocks Cohn, but Cohn is
the "chickens" that will flock to
insults Cohn, calling him a the only one who is writing.
him when his book is a success.
moron, and then asks him Harvey further laughs at Cohn's
about what he would choose belief in football as something Back with Cohn, Frances, with Frances' rants illuminate the
to do if he could do anything. worth spending your life doing, obviously sarcastic extent of Cohn's at times
When Cohn tentatively but is Harvey's constant cheerfulness, tells Jake that childlike, at times businesslike
decides on football, Harvey drunkenness any more mature? Cohn has given her two approach to love. Not only does
takes back the "moron" Harvey's insistence that Cohn hundred francs and is sending Cohn want to travel to escape, he
comment and decides instead doesn't matter is undermined by her to England in order to get sends Frances away too, as if to
that Cohn is a case of his obvious preoccupation with rid of her in a clean, easy way. move solves everything. For
"arrested development." Cohn him. For his part, Cohn says that Originally, she adds, Cohn was Frances, everything always
warns that someone will hit someone should punch Harvey, going to give her one hundred comes down to money.
him in the face one day. Harvey but he holds on to his sense of francs, but she made him give
says it doesn't matter, that honor and doesn't do it himself. more. Frances continues to 1 3 4
Cohn means nothing to him. rant, and Jake eventually
Jake tries to offer him another 1 2 3 excuses himself, saying he has
drink but Harvey leaves. to go meet Harvey.
Cohn says his writing isn't Insecurity and judgment fill the
going very well, that it's harder air around the male characters. CHAPTER 7
than the first time. Jake, as Jake, like all of the other male When Jake gets back to his The count immediately stands
narrator, comments that until war veterans, see Cohn's lack of flat, he learns from the out because, with him, Brett
Cohn fell in love with Brett, he skepticism as juvenile and concierge that Brett and the takes on the classic feminine role
was good at sports and had a immature. Jake then connects count had stopped by, and will of finding a vase to hold flower
boyish, cheerful Cohn's loss of cheerfulness and return in an hour. They do, brought by a man. The count,
"undergraduate quality." He optimism as connected to a loss with the count bringing roses therefore, seems like a traditional
had been trained by both of athletic success, and implies and Brett finding a jug to put man.
Princeton and the two women that all of these losses occur them in.
in his life, but this cheerfulness because he falls in love with 3 4
had not been trained out of Brett, making everything else
him. He loved to win tennis seem less meaningful.
games, for example, but
stopped winning when he met 1 2 3 4
Brett.

Jake asks Brett about standing Characters constantly use Brett suggests a toast, but the While Jake tries to be stoic,
him up. She claims she didn't alcohol as an excuse, as a way to count dislikes mixing up meaning he endures what is
remember because she was either forget through emotion with good wine, as it difficult, the count is more of an
drunk, which Jake doesn't drunkenness or as a plausible affects the taste. Their epicurean, who seeks to enjoy
believe. Jake makes Brett pour alibi when they are not drunk but conversation leads to the life. The other characters all
her own drink while he goes to still trying to avoid life. Note how, count telling a bit about his life: drink to drown their sadness.
dress. When Brett follows Jake unlike the count, Jake does not he's experienced seven wars They drink in order to mix
into his room, he tells her he take the traditional male role: he and four revolutions, been alcohol and emotion. The count
loves her. Brett asks if she makes Brett make her own drink. shot by arrows on a business drinks because he enjoys it. The
should send the count away. Also note how, while every trip in Abyssinia. Living such a count is also a veteran of WWI,
Jake says no, but she does character drinks, the count full life, he says, makes him but for him it wasn't a singular,
send the count out to get some actually likes alcohol. He drinks able to enjoy everything, and formative experienced. It was
champagne, which is one of his champagne not to try to forget gives him a knowledge of just another war. Brett sees love
passions. anything, but because he enjoys values. Brett questions what as something that compels you
it. He is different from the Lost happens to his values when to act in ways you otherwise
Generation. he's in love, which the count wouldn't, as something that
says is all the time. She says destroys your values. But the
1 3 4 5 that he hasn't got values. The count doesn't see love as
Alone now, Jake asks if they There's a sense that the war has count genially disagrees. something controls you. He sees
can't just live together, or go to made men desire a quiet life. it as a pleasure, and therefore not
the country. Brett responds Brett instead shows the typical as something that destroys
that she can't live quietly in the youthful male desires of noise values.
country and doesn't and drinks. Every solution to
1 3 4
understand why men like to their problems involves escaping
live quietly. She adds that she to somewhere else. They enjoy a good meal, during Though Jake and Brett are good
would just make Jake which the count tells Jake and humored about the count telling
miserable, and says she's going 1 3 4 Brett that they should get them to marry, they still change
away to San Sebastian because married. The two of them the subject. The count doesn't
it will be better for them both. respond with quick, evasive just drink—he drinks only the
She says she's leaving answers. When Brett wants best.
tomorrow. another drink, the count insists
on buying the most antique 1 3 4
The count returns with The count and Brett belong to a
brandy.
champagne, commenting that class of people with titles, but the
no one in the U.S. knows good count recognizes that Brett's The three of them continue Brett's encouragement of Mike
wine anymore, but he has a "class" truly comes from some the night at a dancing club. The and Jake's rivalry and Jake's
friend in the business, a baron. intangible charisma and beauty. count tells Brett and Jake how adoption of a fatherly, money-
This leads to a discussion The count's comment about nice they look dancing, saying giving role are all tricks of denial
about the usefulness having a joking seems genuine. He is being he doesn't dance himself but of the real situation of loss, which
title, and then to the count honest. The sadness of Jake enjoys watching them. While eventually overwhelms them.
asserting that even if Brett being the only one Brett is honest they dance, they discuss
didn't have a title, she'd still with but also the one she can't be Brett's coming marriage to 1 2 3 4
have more class than anyone. with is powerful. Brett once again Mike, which Brett says will
He is not joking, he says. turns to drinking as an escape, a happen as soon as her divorce
Joking leads to enemies. Brett fact that the count points out. comes through. Jake offers her
responds that the only person money for the wedding but she
she never jokes with is Jake. 1 3 4 responds that Michael's
Then she turns to drinking people have money. Soon,
again. The count wishes he Brett announces that she is
could hear her talk instead miserable and wants to leave.
drink.

Jake takes Brett home, while Once again, the count stays at As they walk around Paris Bill Gorton uses jokes to cover
the count prefers to stay a the club because he actually looking for a restaurant, Bill horror and fear and insecurity.
little longer at the club. When enjoys going out. He's not doing it tells Jake about a man he was He teaches Jake his brand of
they reach Brett's place, she to hide from anything. Jake and drinking with earlier in the day avoidance. They compare each
stops Jake from coming up. Brett part in their same old whose secret is never being other on a scale of dauntedness.
They kiss a number of times, fashion, kissing, then pushing "daunted." Jake says Harvey They cling to a masculine ideal of
but then she pushes him away. away. It's a rut they can't seem to Stone was daunted, and now fearlessness, but are insecure
Jake takes the taxi home and escape, because if only Jake doesn't sleep and goes off like about it.
goes to bed. weren't injured they have the a cat all the time. They agree
sense that everything would be not to get daunted. 1 3 5
so good…
Suddenly they see Brett in a Jake can't be happy that Brett
1 3 4 passing taxi. She stops the cab has returned with Mike, but he
and gets out, reporting that suppresses those feelings in
she's just back from San inviting them to dinner. Brett,
CHAPTER 8 Sebastian and that Mike is meanwhile, sees her entire trip as
Jake doesn't see Brett or Bill, who returned to the United following later in the day. Jake silly and meaningless, which of
Cohn for a good long while. He States after the war rather than insists they all meet that night. course it was. Bill jokes about not
receives one brief, staying in Europe, is more Brett says she was an ass to meeting women, but really does
appropriately warm postcard cheerful than the expatriate leave and that she didn't do seem to regret being alone.
from Brett in San Sebastian, veterans. But Bill's cheeriness anything in San Sebastian.
and a note from Cohn, who evaporates as he stays in After Brett leaves, Jake 1 3 4
says he's left Paris for the Europe—the separation from comments that she is soon
countryside. Meanwhile, Jake's home and the memories that going to marry Mike and Bill
friend and fellow veteran Bill Europe brings affect all the jokes that he always meets
Gorton arrives from the U.S. veterans of WW1. girls in that stage of life.
with plans to visit Budapest
1 2 Bill and Jake eat dinner at a Jake doesn't like to see
and Vienna and then to go to
restaurant that's full of Americans, perhaps because so
Spain with Jake to go fishing
Americans, mainly because it many of them did not share his
and to the Pamplona fiesta. Bill
has a review calling it experience of the war that he
is full of good spirits in his
"untouched by Americans." Bill does not know how to interact
descriptions of the U.S., but
had eaten there in 1918 just with them. Jake also doesn't like
when returns from Vienna
after the war ended and the to remember the war.
three weeks later he is less
owner fusses over him. She
cheerful. 1
also asks Jake why he never
Bill reports that he got so Bill, like the other veterans, turns comes to eat there. He replies
drunk in Vienna that he can't to drinking. The one thing he that there are too many of his
remember any of the four days does remember from his drunken compatriots.
he spent there. Then he does state is a boxing fight.
Before going to meet Brett Previous distaste for the city is
remember one thing: a boxing Hemingway's men are drawn to
and Mike, Jake and Bill go for a forgotten when the men are
match, in which a "wonderful younger, stronger versions of
walk. They cross the Seine and walking and encounter the
nigger" knocked out a local themselves and are fascinated by
see Notre Dame cathedral majesty of the cathedral and the
boy, and its aftermath. staged violence.
from the river. Bill says that he river. This is one of the only times
1 2 3 loves to get back to Paris. They in the novel that they don't feel
pass a bar, but Bill says he like drinking.
doesn't need a drink so they
just keep on walking. 1 3 5

When Jake and Bill get to the But these blissful feelings always Once they're alone, Brett asks Once again, Jake's stoic façade
bar, Brett introduces Mike as a disappear once Brett arrives. The Jake if Cohn is coming on the crumbles in the face of Brett's
drunkard. Mike is, in fact, men's attention focuses solely on trip. When she learns that he amorous adventures. Brett's
drunk, and he keeps her and their competition for her. is, she worries that it might be motives in connecting with Cohn
commenting about how Here the men deflect their too "rough" on him. Jake is are unclear. She has an idea of
beautiful and wonderful Brett competitive spirit into the acts of confused, until Brett reveals morality, but seems ultimately to
is. Conversation turns to a drinking and talking about that she was with Cohn in San care most about doing what she
boxing match going on that boxing. Jake is jealous of the way Sebastian. She says she did it wants as opposed to helping
night, but Mike says he'd Brett looks at Mike, recognizing it because she thought it might anyone else, despite what she
prefer not to go, as he "has a from his own experience with her. be good for Cohn. Annoyed, says. Cohn's dishonestly about
date." Jake and Bill head off to Jake sarcastically suggests she his time away is also revealed
the fight, and as they leave 1 2 3 4 take up social service. Brett here. Just as falling in love with
Jake notices Brett looking promises to write to Cohn to Brett robbed Cohn of his
happy as she scolds Mike and give him a chance to decide not cheerfulness, it also seems to
takes him home. to come. have robbed him of his honesty.
1 3 4
CHAPTER 9
Four days later, Brett tells Cohn is willing to subject himself
The next morning, Jake gets a The characters always desire
Jake that she's heard back to all sorts of uncomfortable
telegraph from Cohn, who says somewhere and something new
from Cohn, who wants to situations in the name of love.
he's in the country having a and use each other for those
come even though he knows Jake seems to find this shocking,
quiet time, playing golf and ends. It's worth pointing out that
that Brett and Mike will be but he does the same thing—he
bridge, but is looking forward it will be revealed that Cohn isn't
there too. Jake sets up the just doesn't seem able to
to the fishing trip to Spain. being altogether truthful here,
plan: Jake and Bill will take the recognize it. The act of planning a
Jake writes back that he and which is very un-Cohn.
train to Bayonne, where they trip seems to cheer everybody, as
Bill will leave in five days and
1 2 5 will meet with Cohn and then if they've already started to
meet Cohn in Bayonne.
head to Pamplona where they escape once more.
That night, Jake runs into Mike's invasion of both Jake's will then meet with Brett and
Brett and Mike at a bar. Mike relationship to Brett and Jake's Mike. 1 3 5
apologizes for his drunkenness planned fishing trip could push
Jake and Bill board the train to The train, though moving them
the evening before, and asks if Jake over the edge, but he
doesn't show any upset. Jake, Bayonne the next morning. toward a new location, is also full
he and Brett might come on
The train is very crowded, and of the things the men have been
the Spain trip. Jake politely always the stoic, makes sure that
when they try to eat lunch avoiding, like the faith and
says that they should come, good sportsmanship wins out.
there are no spots because the security of organized religion and
even as Mike checks multiple But masculine tensions bubble
dining car is full of Catholics on the idea of the typical family. All
times that he really doesn't under the surface.
a pilgrimage. Bill jokes that the of this makes the men insecure.
mind. Mike then heads off to
1 2 3 4 scene is "enough to make a Bill responds to his own unease
get a haircut, but not before
man join the Klan." They also with typical humor, while Jake
commenting that he thinks his
meet an American family on retreats into his stoic quietness.
hotel might be a brothel and
the train. The wife and
implying that he has a lot of 1 2 3 4 5
husband bicker pleasantly
knowledge of the subject.
back and forth, as couples do,
Brett gently scolds him, and
and the husband tells Jake and
Mike departs.
Bill that the fishing in Montana
is even better than it is in
Spain. The family then goes to
try to get some lunch.

As the train moves, Bill and Jake is a Catholic, but he is not Cohn joins them and the cab The country is natural and calm
Jake "watch the country" like the community of Catholics and driver arrives. Soon they in dramatic contrast to the towns
through the window. The fields on the train, and so once again are out in the country, with that have consumed Jake and
are ripening and green. After a he is alone. He seems unable to rolling hills, behind which is the the group so far. The soldiers
while the family returns, and believe as they do—at least he's sea. As they cross the Spanish guarding the border make clear
the husband says that it's pity never before revealed any border their driver has to fill that the after-effects and
that Jake and Bill aren't religious thoughts at all. Bill out some papers for the car, so nationalism of the war still do
Catholics, since they'd be able responds to his own discomfort the men go to a stream nearby exist—and their lack of desire to
to get a meal then. Jake with typical biting humor, which to check for trout while they fish marks their separation from
responds that he actually is masks his insecurity. wait. Jake asks a soldier the joys of nature—but the
Catholic, while Bill snaps at manning the crossing if he ever soldiers also only guard the road,
one of priests returning from 1 2 3 fishes, but he says he doesn't. that symbol of civilization.
his meal, asking when Then, an old man comes to the Nature, in the form of the stream,
Protestants get a chance to border and is waved away by provides an openness that the
eat. the carabineer and turns back soldiers don't police.
on the road to Spain. The
They meet Cohn at the station A new dynamic is created with 1 5
carabineer says he'll wade
in Bayonne. He is shy around the three men. Masculine
across the stream.
Bill, because he's read Bill's competition looms with literary
books. The three of them take insecurity at stake. The chauffeur returns and Jake's comment suggests that
a taxi to the Hotel Montoya they drive on, through the the countryside is more honest,
where they will be staying. 1 2 3 5 country that Jake describes as more "real" than the city. Jake
"really Spain," with forests, said in Chapter 2 that all cities
CHAPTER 10 plains and clear streams. Jake look like they do in the movies,
spots an old castle in the but it seems unlikely that he
It's a bright morning and the The change of scene and the distance and points it out to would say that about the
men have breakfast. They walk proximity of the sea briefly bring Bill. Then, a big river comes countryside. Because of Jake's
over the bridge of the big river the group into a state of into view and next, the skyline close relationship with Montoya,
and go to a tackle store to buy harmony. Competition is at bay. of Pamplona, its old city walls they are welcomed as if they are
supplies and then walked to a They have a kind of ideal image and cathedral. They come into locals, and Jake especially seems
cathedral. It is "nice and dim." of the town that for the moment the town and pass the bullring, to fit in and feel at home with his
They hire a cab for the coming cannot be marred by invaders which is imposing in the bright special knowledge of the local
drive to Pamplona, then go to a like the cockroach. Yet the peace sun. They arrive at the Hotel customs.
café for a beer. As the sit is fleeting—Jake doesn't want to Montoya. The owner,
outside, there is a pleasant leave, but times passes and he Montoya, welcomes Jake like 1 3 5
breeze from the sea. Jake has plans to fulfill, so he does. an old friend and gives them
doesn't feel like leaving, but good rooms. They eat in the
they sort out the money for 1 5
cooler of two dining rooms.
the rooms. While they wait for Jake says that the first Spanish
Cohn to finish up in his room, meal is always a shock, with its
Jake sees a cockroach and they many little courses, demanding
say it must have come from a lot of wine.
outdoors, because the hotel
was so clean.

Cohn tries to cancel one of the Cohn, in contrast, doesn't fit in at At dinner, Cohn arrives As Brett approaches on her train,
meat courses. He seems all. He tries to make the meal shaved, shampooed, and masculine tensions heighten.
nervous, and doesn't know conform to what he wants, nervous. Brett and Mike are Cohn, in love, goes tries to look
that Jake knows about his trip rather than experiencing it as it due on the train, and Cohn his best, even though he expects
with Brett. Cohn says, with a is, and he compensates for his wants to go to the station to Brett to disappoint him. He can't
superior tone, that he doesn't nervousness by action superior. see them in. Jake goes with help himself. Jake's amusement
think Brett and Mike will The mere mention of Brett brings him. He enjoys Cohn's mood, at Cohn's behavior is little more
actually come to Pamplona. Bill back the competition between even though he knows it's than a way for Jake to make
and Jake respond by making a the men in the form of the bet. lousy of him to do so. He says himself feel better. He feels much
bet. Bill bets they'll arrive that Cohn brings out a lousy side of the same way Cohn does he just
evening. Cohn goes to get a 1 2 3 him. When the train comes, doesn't show it.
shave and Jake admits that he Brett and Mike are not in the
thinks Bill has a rotten chance crowd. Cohn says he knew 1 2 3
at winning the bet. they wouldn't be.
After the meal, Jake visits the Jake is impressed by the man's When they return to the hotel, Cohn, in the end, doesn't want to
old man who always gets expertise about cars, which is Bill asks if he can pay off the bet on something that's truly
bullfight tickets for him and is often prized by men as an aspect bet later. Cohn tells him to meaningful to him, like love. Jake,
pleased to learn that his tickets of ideal masculinity. Yet the only forget the bet. He'd rather bet meanwhile, feels the same way
are ready for him. The man can way Jake knows how to respond on something else, like the about bullfights! He sees them as
tell that Jake has been in a is to pay the man, to turn it into a bullfights. But Jake says to bet living on the edge of death,
motor car by the dust on his transaction. He doesn't know on bullfights would be like containing a passion and
clothes. Jake is impressed, and how to actually have a betting on the war. Economic intensity that make them beyond
gives the man some extra relationship. gain means nothing in a money (unlike most other things
coins. bullfight. in his life).
1 3
1 2 4
Jake goes walking and comes That Jake used to find the
across a cathedral. Though he cathedral ugly but now does not That night they get a card from Jake was amused at Cohn's
found it ugly the first time he suggests that he is changing Brett, saying they've stopped nervousness, but when Brett
saw it, now he likes it. It is dim somehow, coming to appreciate in San Sebastian. Jake, jealous doesn't show his own jealousy
inside, people are praying and something about religion that he and angry, spitefully tells Cohn comes out and he lashes out at
Jake decides to pray too. He had lost during the war. That he that they send their regards. Cohn to make himself feel better.
prays for everyone he knows, tries to pray and regrets The men decide to get the As their Brett-induced jealousy
and for the bullfighters. He becoming a bad catholic suggest earliest bus the next morning intensifies, so does their need to
prays for himself, that it will be the same. His prayers, however, so that they can to the fishing. escape into nature.
a good fiesta, that he will have seem somewhat shallow.
money. When he thinks about 2 3 4 5
money, his thoughts begin to 1 3
Later, Cohn announces that he Cohn's insecurity about Brett
wander and he regrets being a has decided he won't leave leads him to tell himself a story
bad Catholic. with them. In a confidential that he is actually the reason she
tone, he tells Jake that he is stayed in San Sebastian. Jake,
afraid that he gave Brett the meanwhile, thinks that Cohn is
impression that he would meet enjoying trying to torture him.
them at San Sebastian. Jake The Brett-driven competition is
thinks that Cohn is finding intensifying.
pleasure in sharing the
knowledge that something 2 3 4
happened between him and
Brett.

Back at the hotel, Bill says that The men are insecure about As the bus drives through the The bus journey is full of activity
Cohn told him all about the everything—Jake about Brett, Bill beautiful country of fields, and new sights. Nature
date with Brett, which makes about his own looks. Yet Bill has farms, and "sudden green surrounds them and forces Jake's
Jake angry. Bill comments that a penetrating insight about valleys," the Basques teach eye away from his own thoughts
the funny thing about Cohn is Cohn. Cohn is nice! His Jake and Bill the right way to out into the real world. Further,
that he may be awful but he's awfulness is not about him being drink from a wineskin. The bus Jake and Bill's instincts to turn
also very nice. They laugh a bad person, it has more to do stops in a town and at an Inn relationships into
about it. Jake says Brett went with how his insecurities are so Jake and Bill buy a drink and transactions—as through the
with him because she can't be obvious that it makes the other try to leave a tip, but the tip—aren't even understood.
alone. Bill marvels at the things men have to face their own gesture isn't understood. Jake Good service is a relationship to
people do. He wonders why hidden insecurities. And that and Bill drink with a group of those people, not something you
women don't choose him makes the other men dislike him. Basques, each man buying in do for money.
because he has such an honest Going into nature stands as a turn. Then everyone boards
face. Then he looks into the refuge for Bill and Jake from all the bus again. 1 3 5
mirror and changes his mind. this social mayhem and sadness.
Some distance into the journey As the Basque man talks of
Finally, Jake and Bill decide to America, reminding Jake and Bill
1 2 3 4 5 a Basque who speaks English
unite in their current dislike of of the home they are
strikes up a conversation with
Cohn, and reconfirm their disconnected from, Jake starts to
them, telling them of the
plans to go fishing and have a see the landscape as a bit
fifteen years he spent in
good time. ominous rather than beautiful.
America, before sitting back,
tired from talking "American."
CHAPTER 11 The bus climbs and climbs into 1 3 5
The next morning, Jake and The need for belonging and the hills. Jake describes the
Bill leave Cohn behind and understanding of the new culture landscape here as looking
board a bus to go to a small makes vulnerable travelers of Bill strange.
rural town of Burguete. The and Jake. There are rules and In Burguete, they're shocked They are shocked at the high
bus is crowded with locals, customs for every aspect of the when the price of their room is prices and feel cheated, only to
known as Basques. One of the trip that they are unaware of. But as much as it would be in discover that the high prices
Basques offers Bill and Jake a the sight and promise of the Pamplona. The proprietress of aren't so high after all. They are
leather wineskin but when country repeatedly restores the inn explains that the cost is so focused on money as the basis
Jake goes to drink, he makes them. The alarm claxon is a so high because it's the "big of relationships they can't at first
an accurate claxon noise and sound of war—that it startles season," yet they soon discover comprehend that it might not be.
Jake spills the wine. Everyone Jake every time shows just how that they're the only people at
laughs. He plays the trick again deeply and permanently the war the Inn. But they feel better 1
and again, fooling Jake each has affected him. when they learn that wine is
time. Bill doesn't understand included in the price.
what any of the other 1 3 5
passengers are saying to him in They decide to order a rum Having wanted a change of
Spanish, but offers his own punch and tell the serving girl scene, Bill and Jake now try to
wine, which is eventually how to make it, though Jake introduce their own familiar
accepted. has to add more rum when it elements, like a rum punch, into
arrives with not enough. They it in order to feel like they belong.
have hot soup and wine for Jake usually has trouble sleeping,
dinner, then go to bed. Jake but somehow being in nature,
thinks how nice it is to be in a hearing the wind, eases his mind
warm bed with the wind and makes sleep something to
blowing outside. look forward to.
1 3 5

CHAPTER 12 Bill announces that he is more Bill's joke about homosexuality
fond of Jake than he is of reveals insecurities of his own,
The next morning, Jake wakes In the city, Jake and his friends
anyone else in the world. This and of the other men. During the
before Bill and goes outside, are writers and artists who don't
is the kind of thing, Bill adds, intensity of the war, men took
into the fresh early morning, write or make art. But in the
that he can't say in New York care of each other, and came to
finds a shed and a kind of country, Jake actually does
because people would think he care about each other, in such
spade and goes digging around things, which brings a peace and
was a "faggot." Bill then naturally intense ways that they
the stream for worms. He fills pleasure.
explains how the Civil War was felt insecure about those feelings
two cans, watched by goats.
1 5 actually all a result of once the war was over. Bill's
homosexuality, finishing with comments also echo the ideas of
Back in the room, Bill says he Jake's desire that Bill will the comment, "Sex explains it the psychoanalyst Sigmund
saw Jake from the window and continue to tease him about all." Freud, who was famously
asks if he was burying his everything, including his injury, focused on how sex explained so
money. Bill then launches into and his fear that Bill will stop and much. But in the men's
an extended riff about "irony in doing so not treat him like a relationship to Brett that doesn't
and pity," which he says is a fad man, finally gives the reader really seem to be the case—they
in New York City. He tells Jake insight into how Jake views his all seem to love her. The
to ask the waitress for jam in own injury. He fears that it has character for whom sex is most
an ironical way but is jokingly made him something less than a meaningful is Brett, not any of
dissatisfied with how Jake man. But Bill doesn't stop, he the men.
does it, explaining that Jake doesn't see anything as different
can't understand irony or pity, about Jake other than the fact 1 3 5
and will therefore never write that he is injured, and this allows
Soon they pack a lunch and Bill's simple comment, "This is
anything worth much, because, Jake to think about his injury in a
begin the long hike to their country," captures the power of
as an expatriate, he's lost touch different way, to accept the fact
fishing spot. The fields are lush nature. Unlike everything in the
with the soil, is obsessed with of it, and to speak about it
and green. They cross wilder city, it isn't something to
sex, and wastes his time in matter-of-factly, without having
and wilder streams and walk interpret or figure out. It just is.
cafés. He adds that some to also accept the idea that he
through a forest of beech And that frees the men to just
people think Jake is supported has lost his manhood. Bill's
trees. Bill exclaims, "This is exist themselves within it.
by women, while others think joking diagnosis of expatriates,
country."
Jake is impotent. Jake meanwhile, seems fairly 1 3 5
responds that he isn't accurate.
impotent, he just had an When they reach their Physical excursion and success at
accident. Jake is afraid that Bill 1 3 destination they build a hunting bring back essential
will stop making fun for fear of makeshift cooler in a spring of masculine pursuits to the men.
hurting his feelings. He wants water for their wine bottles. They find satisfaction in the work
him to go on. Bill does, and Then they split up and begin to and ingenuity of fishing and
they joke about a man in a fish. Jake fishes with worms. cleaning, and in the beauty of the
story who suffered a similar He is mesmerized by the fish. There is still competition,
accident while riding a horse, number of leaping trout he but it is a simple competition
though Bill says that in the sees. He catches six fish, and that doesn't seem to make
American version of the story cleans and guts them right anyone feel small or insecure.
it's a bicycle. there. He finds them beautiful.
Jake reads until Bill returns. 1 2 3 5
He was fly-fishing and caught
fish even bigger than Jake's

They have a picnic, enjoying In the absence of word from the Before departing, Jake and Bill There is true friendship between
the chilled wine, and others—namely Brett—and in the go to a pub with Harris. They Jake, Bill, and Harris. They like
remembering and joking about natural world where they feel invite him to come to the same things, which seems
their friends in the army competent and at ease, they find Pamplona with them, but he simple, but it's not something
during the war. Finally, they that they can face the things decides he would rather stay you can say about Jake's
agree that they are drunk and they have been avoiding for so and fish. Nevertheless, he says "friends" in Paris. Yet Bill
decide to nap. As they wind long—the war, their friends, both that he's had such a good time continues to see relationships as
down, Bill asks Jake if he was those who lived and who died. with them, and that he's not being transactional—you bought
ever in love with Brett. Jake They can even speak honestly had much fun since the war. a drink for me, I'll even things up
admits that he was, and Bill about Brett, and Bill can offer Bill insists paying for the last buy buying one for you. Harris, in
offers his sympathy. When sincere and non-complicated drink, since Harris has paid for contrast, gives them a gift. All he
they wake, it's late afternoon support to Jake. The activities everything so far. As they say wants are the good memories.
and they had back to the inn. that in the city serve as goodbye, Harris gives them
They meet an Englishman desperate distractions, in the gifts of flies for fishing, and 1 2 3
named Harris who they like a country become a means of hopes when they use the flies
great deal, and have five more building relationships, of making to fish they will remember
days of good fishing, and play friends. what a good time they all had.
bridge at night. There's no
1 2 3 4 5 They arrive in Pamplona as the Montoya is dedicated to
word from the others.
central square is being bullfighting—to its passion,
prepared for the fiesta. The artistry, and singleness of
CHAPTER 13 others have already arrived at purpose. He can see that Jake's
One morning at breakfast, Both Jake's jealous belief that Montoya's hotel. It's clear that friends have none of those things,
Jake gets a letter from Mike Mike and Brett had stopped in Montoya does not think much and in fact have become
saying that Brett fainted on San Sebastian for a bit of of them. Jake and Montoya corrupters of those things. But he
the train, they spent three days romance, and Cohn's belief that begin to talk about the bulls. is willing to overlook it for Jake's
in San Sebastian for her to Brett had stopped there to see Montoya calls Jake an aficion, benefit. Jake's knowledge and
rest, and will arrive in him, prove to be wrong. Brett just which is someone with genuine passion about bullfighting gives
Pamplona on Wednesday. got sick. passion for the bulls. It's him membership to a special
generally agreed that an club.
3 4 American can't have real
passion for the bulls, but Jake 1 2 3
Jake realizes he doesn't know In the bliss of the fishing trip, free
is the exception, and when
what day it is. Harris tells him of worries, time has flown by.
Montoya introduces him to his
it's Wednesday. Later that Jake has even lost track of the
friends, they realize this and
same day they receive a basic trappings of civilization, like
put their hands on his
telegram from Cohn, which days of the week. But in the
shoulder, as if touching him
says that he will arrive in instant he hears from Brett, he
formally acknowledges their
Burgueta on Thursday. They decides to leave the bliss behind
shared gift.
respond that instead they are and return to see her. Cohn,
returning to Pamplona that meanwhile, is once again going
night. the wrong way at the wrong time.
1 2 3 4 5

Jake and Bill find the others at The need for belonging follows Afterwards, they go to a café Mike's jealousy finally erupts in
a bar across the square. Mike the group into Spain. They all and discuss the unloading. his attach on Cohn, but aren't all
and Brett are wearing relish any opportunity to try on a Cohn jokes that he wouldn't the men like steers compared to
traditional local hats. Bill asks different culture and get further want to be a steer, at which Brett, following her around. Jake,
Mike if he knew Harris in the away from their own insecure Mike erupts in fury, saying that like the steers, is literally
war, to which Brett responds identities. Mike's war story paints Cohn is exactly like a steer impotent. And that, of course,
by saying what a distinguished him as a true hero—a man who with Brett, always following inverts the normal gender order,
soldier Mike was. She asks him won medals for bravery, but her around. Bill takes the making Brett the bull. But Jake
to tell them stories from the cared so little for the medals he upset Cohn for a walk to calm and his friends don't use this
war. He refuses at first, then didn't even keep them. him down. Mike, meanwhile, conflict to change anything. They
finally tells how he once had a says that Brett is very open just avoid it. They blame it on
dinner wit the Prince of Wales 1 2 3 4 about her affairs with men, but alcohol just as they blame
to which he had to wear his that none of them were Jews everything else. They continue in
war medals, but because he no who hung around like Cohn. As their rut.
longer had them and couldn't things settle down, they all
even remember what medals decide not to let it spoil the 1 2 3 4 5
he had won, he bought some fiesta and to act as though
medals from another man. nothing has happened, to
blame it on being drunk.
Talk then turns to Mike's Yet it is a long way from war to
recent bankruptcy, which Mike peace, and Mike's former glory Back at the hotel, Montoya The unexplained 'bad feeling'
says was the result of having means little in this time, when and Jake agree that the bulls about the bulls is ominous. In the
both false friends and money is what matters and he looked all right but that they war, the men had to ignore the
creditors. Everyone starts to has lost his. When the men get have a bad feeling about them. tension of the likelihood of death
feel a bit gloomy given the depressed, they again turn to That night, despite everything, coming at any moment because
unpleasant subject, and they sports as a stand-in for the war. the group has a nice meal. that was the only way to
head down to watch the arrival Brett looks stunning in a black continue functioning. And that
of the bulls along with 1 2 3 dress, and Cohn watches her tactic of ignoring tension works
everyone else in town. relentlessly. Jake likens it to sometimes in normal life, too, as
dinners during the war, when this pleasant meal shows. But in
The bulls are in cages, dragged Jake's expertise is on display
everyone ignored the tension life, ignoring things never can last
into place by men and mules, here. Note how the political
and there was a feeling of for long..
and then the gates of the cages dynamics of the bulls mimic the
competition between the men in inevitability. His night ends
are lifted. When released, the 1 3
the group—the strong animals with him feeling happy and
bulls charge out of their cages,
group together, leaving the weak fond of everybody.
furious and muscles quivering.
Steers (castrated males) mill one alone. Jake and his friends
around to help calms the bulls. do the same, often singling out
As Jake explains to Brett how Cohn as a group.
the bull uses his horns like a
boxer, another bull is released 1 2 3 5
and gores one of the steers. By
the end of the unloading, the
injured steer is alone and the
other steers have formed a
herd.

CHAPTER 14 The next two days in Pamplona As if before a storm or a battle,
are quiet but full of suspense the suspense in the town is
Jake is very drunk when he Once more faced with the lack of
as final preparations are made palpable. The sense that they are
gets back to his room. As he distractions in the moments
for the fiesta. The group sits in going towards something
tries and fails to fall asleep, he before sleep, Jake must wrestle
the café and watches peasants important seems to sustain the
thinks again about how with his thoughts and the
arrive on the buses. In the characters. When Jake tells Brett
different things are in the confusions of love and how to
evening they watch a she wouldn't understand his
nighttime than during the day. think about the world. He comes
promenade through the town. confession he is saying in part
He curses women, and Brett in down on a strictly transactional
In the mornings of those quiet that she wouldn't understand the
particular. He thinks that in philosophy—you have to pay for
two days, they all keep their Spanish he would say it in. But,
order to have a woman as a everything you get, and should
own time, Cohn getting on a deeper level, he is saying
friend, you have to be in love always try to enjoy what you pay
shaves, Jake taking walks, all that she wouldn't understand
with her, but that in the end, as for. But in the end, this
meeting up for drinks. On the confession because she doesn't
in everything, you always have philosophy too seems to provide
day before the fiesta, Jake seem to understand regret or
to pay for it—the bill always him with nothing to hold onto.
goes to church and Brett even paying attention to
comes. He then thinks that the
1 2 3 4 wants to come along, wanting anything you've done in the past.
key to enjoying life is to make
to see him at confession but he
sure you get your money's 1 2
tells her she wouldn't
worth. But then he decides
understand it, and so she goes
that this philosophy is just as
to get her fortune read by a
absurd and unhelpful as every
gypsy instead.
other philosophy he's ever
come up with.
CHAPTER 15
Jake then starts thinking about In the war, morality is clear: you
morality and about Mike's fight to survive, to protect your The next day the fiesta The celebration of foreigners is
insults of Cohn. He feels bad friends, to defeat the enemy. In explodes. Jake explains that meant to make the different
for Cohn and wishes that Mike the post-war world, jealousy and there's no other word for it. people who come to the fiesta
hadn't done that, but admits to love make it more complicated. The prices of everything go up, feel at home, but it also
himself that he enjoyed crowds line the wine shops and highlights that they are
watching Mike do it, even 1 3 4 the churches. A banner foreigners. And Bill points out
though later he is disgusted proclaims "Hurray for that he and the others in the lost
that he enjoyed it. Foreigners!" Bill comments to generations are always
Jake that they are the foreigners, because they have no
foreigners. real home.
1 2
A rocket, which Jake compares The s hrapnel-like rocket
to a burst of shrapnel, is set off connects the fiesta to the
to mark the off the official war—both are so intense, filled
beginning of the fiesta. Then with passionate feeling, that they
for seven days constant music feel unreal and make even money
and dancing fill the town. Over seem insignificant. Both are
those seven days everything things you can get lost in. The
comes to seem unreal, to seem simultaneous religious festival
without consequences, and by furthers this sense of fervent
the end of the fiesta even community and loss of self. Yet
money comes to seem Brett's beauty continues to make
unimportant. As a religious her stand out.
procession passes outside, a
crowd of dancers in a wine 1 2 4
shop dance around Brett, as if
she's an idol.

Jake goes to find leather Jake, with his knowledge of local Montoya introduces them to a Romero is a model of youth and
wineskins, and the shop owner culture, seems like something nineteen-year-old phenom of a vigor, everything Jake and the
sells them to him for cheap other than a foreigner, accepted bullfighter named Pedro others used to be back during the
when he learns that Jake plans by the locals. The other friends Romero. Jake thinks that war. These qualities, and his
to drink directly from them also seem to fall happily into the Romero is the best looking boy passion for bullfighting, make
once they're filled. When he fiesta, Even Cohn is dressed like a he's ever seen. During his him something more "real" than
returns he finds the others local, though he can't seem to bullfight, Romero is fantastic, other men.
singing and dancing, while handle the intensity of the party. impressively killing the bull.
Mike eating with some locals. Jake and Montoya agree that 1 2 3
Cohn, they tell him, has passed 1 3 he is a "real one."
out. Bill says lightly that he
After the fight, everyone who The fiesta is a collective
thinks Cohn is dead. Jake finds
watched it experience the experience. Jake and his friends
Cohn in a back room, asleep,
same emotional feeling, and have been looking for this—the
dressed with garlic like a local.
the dancers' bodies seem to belonging and grandeur they've
After his nap Cohn reappears, Food, sleep and the sharing of move and undulate as a been missing.
and the group walks to the each other's space characterize a collective group.
hotel and have a big meal. The new closeness for the group. The 1 2 3 4
restaurant is all changed for shared quarters and all-night, When Brett mentions Brett experienced the war just as
the fiesta, with new prices and vigil-like observance of the Romero, Mike says she the other veterans did, and was
menus. Jake has vowed to stay fireworks is reminiscent of trench couldn't keep her eyes off him. liberated by it. The gore of the
up all night to see the bulls go life during the war, watching for Mike then adds that Cohn, in bullfight didn't bother her. Cohn
through the streets but he falling mortars. The excitement contrast, was made sick by the never fought in the war, and can't
turns in early to Cohn's room and energy of the coming gore. Brett says she wants to handle the gore. Brett,
because he cannot find his key. bullfight ease their competition sit below next time to see meanwhile, has become
He wakes at 6am the next and Jake's insomnia. everything, including Romero enamored of the pure Romero,
morning to the sound of the up close. She marvels that he is who is now what all the men who
fireworks that announces the 1 2 3
only nineteen. follow her around once were.
running of the bulls. From
Cohn's balcony he watches the 1 2 3 4
crowds run through the
During Romero's next The language used to describe
streets followed by the bulls,
bullfight, Brett sits next to the bull is almost sexualized,
and then a roar from the
Jake, who explains Romero's describing a kind of seduction,
bullring. After it has passed, he
skill to her move by move. He connecting the danger of the
goes to sleep.
shows her how Romero turns bullfight to the dangers of love
The bullfights begin that The bullfight promises intensity the bull with his cape, how his and sex. Physical skill and
afternoon. Jake and Bill sit similar to the war, putting Jake movements are pure and physical success attract Brett.
close to the action, while Brett, and the other men briefly back in smooth, and how he doesn't Jake has all the knowledge and
Mike and Cohn sit further up the role of trying to protect the use the trickery that other experience but cannot win out
in the stands. Jake warns Brett women (i.e. Brett). Cohn, fighters use to falsely create against health, youth, and a
not to look when the horses meanwhile, who didn't fight in the emotion of near misses. willingness to stare death in the
get gored for fear that it will the war overcompensates with Mike jokes that Brett is falling face without blinking or trickery.
upset her. Mike promises to his comments, revealing his in love with Romero and tells Neither can Mike, whose jokes
look after her. Cohn, deeper insecurity. Jake to say something about Brett falling for Romero
meanwhile, says he's worried disparaging about bullfighters, masks a real, and legitimate,
he'll be bored. Annoyed by 1 2 3 4 such as that they beat their insecurity.
Cohn's comment, Bill mothers. When Brett comes
complains about Cohn's out of the bullring, she is "limp" 1 2 3 4
"Jewish superiority." from all the excitement. The
next day, Romero doesn't fight
and the next there are no
fights scheduled, but the fiesta
rages on regardless.

CHAPTER 16 Mike now once again starts to Mike transfers his insecurity
insult Cohn, shouting at him to driven anger towards Cohn, the
The next day is rainy, foggy, The need to preserve Romero as
go away, begging him to see usual scapegoat. Mike feels weak,
and dull. Jake is in his room the symbol of pure masculinity is
when he isn't wanted, and so he attacks someone seemingly
when Montoya enters and important to both Montoya and
asking Jake to back him up in weaker.
asks for some advice – Jake. As such, they feel they have
his assessment of Cohn. Mike
Romero has been asked to to protect him from the world, 3 4
and Cohn are on the brink of
have dinner with the American from money, from women, so
fighting, until Jake finally drags
ambassador. Jake understands that Romero can focus on
Mike out.
immediately that Montoya bullfighting.
believes that Romero will be As the last day of the fiesta Bill and Mike pick on the English
ruined by getting involved with 1 2 3 4 approaches, English and as foreigners, but they
America. He advises Montoya American tourists pour into themselves are foreigners. The
not to give Romero the the town. Bill runs into a friend group wants to belong to the
message, and they agree that of his named Edna, and he and bullfight society but their
such a boy shouldn't "mix with Mike decide to go off and identities are all mixed up. Cohn,
that stuff." make fun of the English meanwhile, continues to try to be
tourists. Brett decides to stay with Brett, not really
Jake finds his friends eating The bullfight connects men of
behind. Cohn tries to stay with understanding that it isn't
dinner. They are too drunk different occupations and
her, but she snaps at him to get returned.
now for him to catch up, and so languages just like the war did.
going because she wants to
he goes over instead to Jake is drawn to it, and at the 1 2 3 4
talk alone with Jake.
Romero, who's eating with a same time repelled by the old
bullfighting critic. They all empty pursuits of his friends. When they're alone, Brett Brett sees any neediness or
speak a little bit of different Romero is a true complains to Jake about Mike insecurity as gross. Even though
languages and translate back man—passionate, skillful, and and Cohn's behaviors, both of he feels such things, Jake never
and forth. Romero tells his life knowledgeable, confident but which she finds disgusting. displays them before Brett. But
story, how he learned humble. Jake defends Mike, saying how note how Brett refuses to face it
bullfighting in Malaga. Romero hard it's been on Mike to have when Jake vaguely places some
is anxious not to seem 1 2 3 Cohn around, but she begs him of the blame on her for Mike's
arrogant, but is also passionate not to "be difficult." behavior, since is the reason
and proud: he says he will Cohn is there at all.
show them both how good he
is during his fight tomorrow. 1 3 4
Brett and Mike shout to Jake Mike, in contrast to Jake, feels Brett and Jake take a walk to Brett treats Jake's love of her like
from across the room. Mike only threatened by Romero and the old fortifications around something that allows her to get
wants him to tell Romero that therefore tries to take him down the town. Brett asks Jake if he him to do what she wants. And it
"bulls have no balls," while a few notches with his bluster. still loves her. When he says he does! Further, notice that Brett
Brett asks to be introduced. But bluster won't affect someone does, she then tells him that hasn't lost her self-respect
Jake apologizes for his friends' like Romero (just as it probably she is "mad about the Romero because of how she's acted. She's
drunkenness, but does wouldn't have affected a young boy." She apologizes for being a lost her self-respect because she
introduce them, explaining Mike). At this point, Romero "bitch," but says "I've got to do hasn't yet acted on her feelings
that two of them are writers literally does not understand something I really want to do. about Romero. Though she
while Mike is waiting to marry Brett's crush on him—he is still I've lost my self-respect." knows it means that she will act
Brett. Mike, meanwhile, tells pure. like a "bitch," she can only respect
Romero in English, which herself when she is doing what
Romero doesn't understand, 1 2 3 4 she wants.
about Brett's crush. The
3 4
others quiet him. They all toast
to Pedro Romero, then Pedro
moves on and Brett exclaims
again how lovely he looks.

Jake agrees to help, and they Jake once more, because of his They go to another café, where Cohn continues to act like a
go to a café where Romero is love for Brett, sacrifices himself. Cohn finds them. He demands noble lover out of old stories,
sitting with other bullfighters Now, for Brett, he betrays that to know where Brett is. Jake defending his own and Brett's
and critics. Jake predicts that stance, betrays the purity of the claims not to know, but Cohn honor. Jake, in contrast, sacrifices
Romero will come over to see bullfighting for which he is so doesn't believe him. Mike says his own love for Brett and lies to
them, and sure enough he passionate, because of his love that Brett has gone off with protect her. But Cohn's silly
does. He accepts Jake's for Brett. Romero's comments the bullfighter. Cohn, now nobility makes Jake
invitation to sit. The attraction about friends put starkly what really angry, asks Jake for the uncomfortable and he lashes out.
between Romero and Brett is the novel has been showing all truth but Jake says only that Cohn, meanwhile, who has
immediately obvious: Brett around: friends are also rivals. Cohn should go to hell. Cohn always refused to take boxing out
playfully holds his hand and calls Jake a pimp, and Jake of the ring now breaks this moral
reads his fortune. Jake then 1 2 3 4 responds by taking a swing at rule and, pushed by the passion
translates as they talk about him. A brawl erupts in which of love, punches the man he
bullfighting. Romero says the Cohn knocks down Mike and considers to be his best friend.
bulls are his best friends. knocks Jake out cold.
When Brett asks if he kills his 1 2 3 4
friends, he says he does, so When Jake comes to, he is After the fight, the world looks
they don't kill him. surrounded by people tugging different because Jake senses
Jake leaves Brett and Romero Jake does more than sacrifice his at him, like a boxer on the that something has changed.
at the table, and as he does so own love for Brett. Earlier he ropes. He listens as Mike and And he is thrown back in his
he notices that bullfighters and agreed with Montoya that Edna talk, then decides to memories to his youth, back to
critics with whom Romero was Romero must be protected in return to the hotel. As he when football mattered to him
speaking earlier look at him order to preserve his innocence, walks across the square, (just as it still matters to Cohn),
disapprovingly. When Jake and passion for bullfighting. Now, everything seems to look back before the war.
returns a little later, Romero in the disapproving stares of the different somehow. It all
bullfighters, it becomes clear that reminds him of a time when he 1 2 3
and Brett are gone.
Jake has willingly sacrificed the was a boy and he came home
purity and passion of bullfighting from a football game.
to please Brett. When Jake gets in to the hotel, Cohn is crushed—he has broken
Bill tells him that Cohn wants the moral rules he lived by, he
2 4
to see him. Jake doesn't want has betrayed himself, he has
to, but finally gives in when Bill attacked Jake, for love, and he
CHAPTER 17 insists. He finds Cohn lying can't stand it. Rather than stand
Jake finds Bill, Mike and Bill's As in the war, people form face down in his bed, in the it, Cohn decides to leave. Jake,
friend Edna hanging around alliances on nationalist grounds dark, crying. Cohn apologizes meanwhile, is resistant to
outside a bar that they were in order to feel powerful. and begs to be forgiven. He accepting Cohn's apology, but
thrown out of because they says he can't stand being like ultimately does give in, as he
nearly started a brawl among 1 3 this about Brett. Jake is almost always does. And Jake
the English and American resistant, but after Cohn says does nothing so dramatic as
tourists. that Jake is the only friend he break the repetitive cycle of his
has, Jake does forgive him and life, such as Cohn does in leaving.
shakes his hand. He says he'll
see Cohn in the morning but 1 3 4 5
Cohn tells him he's leaving.
Jake goes to bed.

The next morning, Jake learns Jake idealizes the bullfights Later that day, Mike berates Brett's determination to be free,
from a waiter at a café that because it is like war with rules. It Brett for having affairs with to do as she wants, now has its
Mike and Bill have already has all the intensity with none of "Jews and bullfighters." She source: her terrified existence
gone to the stadium to await the messiness. But just as responds that the British under the thumb of her former
the bullfighting. Soon the bulls violence has exploded among his aristocracy is no better. Her husband whom, it seems clear,
are released to run through friends to "gore" Cohn, now the ex-husband, Lord Ashley, used was badly psychologically
the streets to the stadium, the violence of the bullfight escapes to regularly threaten to kill her damaged by the war.
crowd running in front of the arena and kills a man. And as and slept with a loaded gun
them. The bulls gore one man, the shopkeeper notes, compared that she would secretly unload 1 3 4
who dies. The crowd just runs to a man's life, sport is every night. Mike says it's a
around the body on their way meaningless. shame that she's had an
to the stadium. Jake returns to unhappy life because she
the café and discusses what 1 2 3 4 "enjoys things so."
just happened with the upset
Mike heads off to bed, and Bill That Jake is still focused on the
waiter, who says that
soon follows. As Bill is leaving, dead man suggests that
bullfighting is senseless and
Jake asks if Bill has heard something has changed for him,
that a man just died, "All for
about the man who was gored that the remembrance of the
sport. All for pleasure."
outside the bullring He hasn't. man may be more important to
Back in the hotel, as Jake tries The men of the Lost Generation him than the ideal of bullfighting.
and fails to sleep, he curses all follow the same pattern of But that Bill hadn't heard about
Cohn for believing in true love. unending conflict and avoiding the man's death suggests that
Then Mike and Bill knock on that conflict through drink or the world will continue to prize
the door. They tell him about distraction, without any the ideal and mythic power of
what happened with Cohn resolution. The pattern is only sport over the life of a man.
after Jake left the night before. broken by the following of
Cohn found Romero and Brett morning after night, not by a 1 2
together. He professed his love winner or loser. But Cohn and
once more to Brett, and hit Romero distinguish themselves CHAPTER 18
Romero over and over, but as different from the Lost
By the next morning, Cohn has The fiesta has changed the whole
Romero would not back down Generation: Romero by
left Pamplona. Brett, looking status of the group. Brett has
and wanted to keep on honorable standing up for
beautiful but with shaking transferred her attention to
fighting. Finally, he refused to himself, by refusing to give in to
hands, meets Jake, Bill, and Romero, and everyone is both
hit Romero any more, at which anything, even Cohn's superior
Mike at a café. She reports physically and emotionally
Romero hit Cohn with all his strength, and Cohn by believing
that Romero was badly hurt by injured. Brett outwardly appears
strength before himself in true love as something worth
Cohn last night, but still wants to be unscathed, but the shaking
collapsing to the floor. Brett fighting for and then by leaving
to perform in his scheduled of her hands suggests otherwise.
then lit into Cohn, who, when he realizes what he has
bullfight. Mike angrily Mike's insecurity seems to have
weeping, tried to shake turned himself into.
comments "Brett's got a made him almost crazy.
Romero's hand. Romero just
1 2 3 4 bullfighter. She had a Jew
punched him again. The 1 3 4
named Cohn, but he turned
pattern continued, Cohn
out badly." Brett asks Jake to
crying, Brett scolding, Romero
go for a walk with her. As they
trying to fight. Now, in the
depart, Mike tips over the café
morning, Brett is still caring for
table with all the food and beer
Romero. Mike says that he
on it.
would like to just stay drunk,
and admits that the whole
thing is not very pleasant for
him.

Brett and Jake take a walk. Jake now identifies himself as Romero is up next. Romero Jake values a man who combines
Soon, they see a chapel and having a religion, as being a part has greatness, Jake says. His passion with self-control, who is
Brett wants to go in and pray, of something. Brett does not, and passion for the bulls was like self-sufficient. Jake tries to look
but then changes her mind, can't imagine that Jake might be his passion for Brett, strong, like such a man, but his love of
saying she and religion do not being honest. because he didn't show it. He Brett, a love he can't
go well together. Jake protests didn't look up to the stands, or consummate, makes that
that religion works for him, but 1 3 4 5 show off, but instead kept it all impossible.
Brett doesn't believe him. inside.
1 2 3 4
When they reach the hotel, Montoya no longer feels
Montoya bows to them but positively toward Jake, who he In his bullfight, Romero is It seems at first that Romero has
doesn't look happy to see believes has betrayed the purity tentative at first with a been affected by Brett and the
them. Brett goes to Romero's of Romero. Mike, as is typical, particular bull that is beating he received from Cohn
while Jake checks in on Mike. hides from his sadness behind troublesome because it (it's possible to see the bull as
Mike's room is a mess, and he drink. It is noteworthy that Jake doesn't see well, but Romero symbolizing Cohn, who was
drunkenly slurs that he is does not. never gives in, getting closer often accused by others of not
trying to get some sleep and and closer, with smooth, subtle seeing when he wasn't wanted).
repeats "Brett's got a 1 2 3 4 movements and an intimate But Romero never gives in.
bullfighter." Jake leaves him, awareness of the animals. Bullfighting is both beauty and
and goes to have lunch with Eventually Romero strikes the destruction. Man and nature
Bill before the last round of bull in such a way that he collide and there is a sense of
bullfights. seems for a moment to be at unity and harmony at the
one with it. moment of death.
The bullfights begin with a Brett has taken on Jake's aficion
procession and pageantry. feelings about bullfighting. She 1 2 3 5
Brett is mesmerized at the loves this combination of artistry
and controlled violence, grace After that first kill, Romero Romero overcomes his masculine
matadors' bloodstained capes,
and death. Romero, looking gets braver and braver. He insecurity, and puts Brett in a
and marvels at how unphased
injured, is no longer as pure as he displays beautiful bullfighting, traditional female role as
they all are by blood. They see
was. giving the audience a heart- recipient of the trophy h wins.
the three matadors who will
dropping emotional The exchange of passions
perform that day, Romero in
1 2 3 experience. He faces and kills between the bull and the fighter
the middle. His face is
the bull that had earlier gored create a kind of drama for the
obscured but he looks beaten
the man outside the stadium, audience.
up. Romero removes his cape
and gives the bull's ear to Brett
and hands it up to Brett to hold 1 2 3 4
as a trophy. The crowd lifts its
in the stands.
hero, who is uncomfortable
The first bullfighter to perform Belmonte serves as a kind of with this adulation, and carry
is named Belmonte. Belmonte symbol of the Lost Generation, him off.
has come out of retirement for who can no longer live up to their
After the bullfights, Jake and There is something about the
the fight, and in his retirement former glory and legend, and who
Bill have lunch at the hotel. fiesta that is indescribable. It is a
has become legendary for how use tricks and bluster to try to
Jake is feeling sad, and gives in strange meeting of horror and
close he would stand to the fake it, fooling no one including
to Bill's urging that he drink joy, and in its passing they feel
bulls when he used to fight. themselves.
three absinthes in a row, which low and once again turn to
But Belmonte proves unable to
1 2 3 makes him feel slightly better. drinking as a way to try to both
live up to what the crowd
Bill says he is sorry for Cohn, artificially recapture that
expects from him, even though
and Jake speculates that he'll intensity of feeling and to
he fights bulls he himself has
go back to Frances. Despite distract themselves from their
selected because they are less
everything they agree that the old sadness.
difficult, and the crowd turns
against him, jeering and fiesta was good, a "wonderful
nightmare." Jake once again 1 3 4
insulting him.
feels sad. He follows Bill's
advice and keeps drinking, but
it doesn't help.

Later on, a very drunk Jake With Brett—the person for whom In Bayonne, they drop Mike at Mike warns them of the dangers
goes to Brett's room. There he he sacrificed everything, his own his hotel, where he tells them of thinking of the world in terms
finds Mike, who tells him that love, his love of bullfighting— not to worry about money, and of money. Jake takes this heart as
Brett has left Pamplona with gone, Jake's world contains a Bill catches his train. Jake he does not haggle with the
Romero by train. Jake makes void his friends can't fill. Usually watches the train leave, then driver. He returns to the same
his way to his own room and Jake fills that void with company goes back to the car. The room, but it feels different,
tries to sleep. The room spins. and tries to avoid sleep, but now driver tries to over-charge him, indicating that he has changed.
Later, Bill and Mike come to he even avoids company and but Jake doesn't haggle and
see him but he pretends to be pretends to sleep, he is so sure returns to the same hotel and 1 3
asleep. When the world stops that nothing can help him. room that he, Bill and Cohn
spinning, Jake goes downstairs had before. He notices that it
and is greeted warmly by Mike 1 3 feels both "strange" and "safe"
and Bill, but as they sit and eat, to be back in France.
their company seems empty to
Alone in Bayonne, Jake eats Jake is not drinking or eating
him.
alone, enjoying choosing wine here merely for distraction. He is
and drinking slowly. He actually enjoying it for its own
CHAPTER 19 worries, however, that he has sake. But he hasn't changed
In the quiet of the sudden end With the fiesta over, it is clear offended the waiter so he over completely: he still tries to
of the fiesta, Mike, Bill, and that they do not belong in the tips. It seems to him that smooth over relationships with
Jake decide to share a cab to town anymore, as the locals get people have an easier time money, and he still feels the
leave Pamplona. Montoya does back to their ordinary lives. They being happy in France than in almost compulsive need to keep
not say goodbye. Soon they were tourists like the rest. Jake Spain, and decides that he moving and travel to new places.
have driven out of Spain and has destroyed his relationship hates leaving France.
Nonetheless, in the morning 1
are back in France. with Montoya, and by extension
with bullfighting. he catches the train to the
Spanish seaside town of San
1 2 3 5 Sebastian rather than return
to Paris.
In Biarritz, they stop at a bar to Without the fiesta's distractions,
drink, and gamble to pay the the men get back to their old In San Sebastian, Jake rests, Sleep and water and solitude
bill. They gamble until Mike is pursuits to keep the spirit of goes swimming, sits in the sun, restore Jake. He goes back to
out of money. He has twenty competition alive. Money once and walks around the harbor. nature in order to start afresh.
francs left in the world. He more becomes a defining He has dinner in the hotel Competition, sport and
adds that Brett also has no characteristic of their alongside a company of French masculine insecurity is ongoing.
money, since she gave it to relationships. and Belgian cyclists. Jake Jake recognizes it in the group of
Montoya to cover Mike's discusses how sporty France cyclists.
debts. Jake is concerned when 1 2 3 has become with one of the
he hears about Brett. Bill says cyclists, but mostly the man 1 2 3 5
they might as well have more talks and drinks and Jake does
drinks. not make much reply.
The next day Jake gets a The cycle of Brett's love story is
telegram from Brett, saying never ending, as is Jake's sense of
she is in trouble, followed duty toward Brett. In the face of
quickly by another, asking him Brett's troubles, Jake doesn't
to come to Madrid. Jake takes care about the landscape.
an overnight train, but does
not sleep. Instead, he watches 1 4 5
the country pass by out of the
window, but does not "give a
damn about it."

When he arrives at Brett's Brett always turns to Jake, the Jake suggests they go for a As usual, it is motion and the
hotel, she kisses him. She one whose love is always true ride and they get a taxi and sit promise of a journey that inspire
explains that she sent Romero because it can never be close together as it drives. The them to be affectionate while
away, but wrote to Jake consummated, when she's in day is hot and bright. As they they can. The policeman's raised
because she wasn't sure if she trouble. Romero, unlike the other pass a policeman directing baton is a symbol of Jake's
could actually get him to leave men in Brett's life, never gives up traffic and raising a red baton, impotence. In her last line, Brett
and had no money to leave his traditional masculine role and Brett laments that if only reiterates the idea that if only
herself. She then explains that tries to force Brett into a things were different "we Jake weren't injured that she and
Romero wanted her to grow traditional feminine role. Brett could have had such a damned Jake would have been happy
out her hair and look like a real seems to both admire that in him good time together." Jake together. This is a sentiment that
woman, and wanted to marry and does not want to ruin it, but replies, "Isn't it pretty to think Jake too has felt and believed in
her so she could never leave also refuses to give up her so?" the past. But Jake's response
him. But Brett refused, both freedom. She seems to see her indicates that he has changed,
because she doesn't want to insistence on maintaining her and is able to face some harsher
ruin him and because she freedom as both a victory and a truths. He realizes that the only
doesn't want to ruin children. loss, as something necessary to reason that their love seems like
She says she wants to go back her but also something she it might work is that it can't
to Mike, and seems wouldn't want to pass on to actually work. He sees that if he
determined, but starts crying children. And she slips right back were another ordinary man that
and demands they don't talk into her old patterns, in the form Brett would tire of him just as she
about it anymore. of relying on Jake and going back would tire of others. Yet he
to Mike. describes this false belief in a
perfect love that is so close and
1 3 4 yet unattainable as pretty. In
Jake and Brett go to lunch. As usual, after expressing other words, he expresses regret
Brett has a drink, which themselves, the Lost Generation and pleasure at once, which
steadies her. She says she's goes back to avoidance—they defines the impossible nature of
decided not to be a bitch. Since drink. Brett replaces religion with his era and experience.
she never got on well with a personal directive containing
1 4
religion, she says, this language that most people at the
resolution is what she has time would consider filthy.
instead of God. During lunch,
Brett asks Jake not to get 1 3 4 HOW T
TO
O CITE
drunk, but he continues to It's easy to cite LitCharts for use in academic papers and reports.
drink anyway.
MLA CIT
CITA
ATION
Parfitt, Georgina. "The Sun Also Rises." LitCharts. LitCharts LLC, 22
Jul 2013. Web. 26 Oct 2016.
CHICA
CHICAGO
GO MANU
MANUAL
AL CIT
CITA
ATION
Parfitt, Georgina. "The Sun Also Rises." LitCharts LLC, July 22,
2013. Retrieved October 26, 2016. http://www.litcharts.com/lit/
the-sun-also-rises.

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LitCharts The best way to study, teach, and learn about books.

The Sun Also Rises

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CHAPTER 3 QUOTES CHAPTER 7 QUOTES

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