Essay, Research Paper: The Sun Also Rises

"The Sun Also Rises," by Ernest Hemingway.

I don't know if they made a movie out of this book, but if they did, I haven't
seen it.
A man named Jake Barnes, the narrator of this novel, tells about the men
who fall in love with an Englishwoman named Lady Brett Ashley.
Jake fell in love with Brett several years ago and is still madly in love with
her. But it comes out early in the novel that Jake suffered a war injury (must be
World War I since this takes place in the 1920's) that has made him unable to have
sex any more.
He is still learning to adjust to his problem at the beginning of the novel. He
tries to have a relationship with Brett, but they know it can never go anywhere
because of his impotence.
Brett is a passionate woman who likes to have affairs with many different
men. This makes Jake feel even worse about his condition, knowing he can never
have Brett.
Jake is frustrated by Brett coming into his life again, especially because he
cannot please her and has to watch her have affairs with other men. He asks her to
move off into the country for awhile, but she turns him down.
Even though Brett loves Jake, she does not want to be stuck with a man
who can't satisfy her sexually.
Despite her love for Jake, Brett gets engaged to a man named Mike
Campbell. He knows about her affairs, but wants to marry her just because of her
beauty -- kind of like winning a trophy.
Mike is kind of a jerk in that he gets drunk and makes cruel statements
about others, including Brett.
Very early in the novel, Brett reveals to Jake that she had an affair with a
middle-aged Jewish writer named Robert Cohn. Like the other men, he falls madly
in love with Brett when he sees her.
After a short affair with Brett in San Sebastian, Cohn is rather nervous
when he is around Jake. He considers his affair with Brett as a conquest that makes
him a hero.
When Brett appears with her fiance, Mike, Cohn still thinks she is in love
with him even though she is cold towards him now. Brett just used Cohn for her
sexual cravings.
Cohn acts childish, refusing to believe that Brett no longer wants him. He
exaggerates his affair with Brett to everyone he talks to.
Next, Brett becomes involved with a handsome young bull-fighter named
Pedro Romero because he promises new excitement. He gets into a fist-fight with
Cohn .
Brett and Pedro run off together, but he is too demanding and asks him to
leave. Pedro really wanted to marry Brett so she wouldn't get away from him.
Pedro leaves willingly, still in love with Brett, but realizing that she cannot
meet his ideals. He goes without whining or sulking like Mike and Cohn.
Brett is a strong woman who can control most men. She is attracted to
different kinds of men for various reasons and then either gets tired of them or
finds out things about them that she doesn't like.
The question is: which of these men is the best? Who is the real hero?
Jake would seem to be the hero, but his impotence makes him worthless as a
lover.
Cohn has no dignity and forces himself on people and places where he is not
wanted. He complains and whines a lot and brags to everyone about his affair with
Brett.
Mike has no respect or true feelings for everyone and is just in love with
Brett's beauty. She is like a conquest for him.
That leaves Pedro, who shows fearlessness in the bull ring, confidence and
a strong will. But when Brett doesn't do exactly what he wants, he drops her.
Maybe none of these men is the hero because they all have flaws.
On a scale of 10, I would rate this book about a 2. Someone said
Hemingway was a good author, so I picked up "The Sun Also Rises." But I found
kind of a like a romance novel with all the affairs and men fighting over this one
woman. Maybe they could make a modern soap opera out of it for TV.
It was also very hard to follow. Which man was she with now? And
Hemingway jumped back and forth talking about the different affairs, so you
weren't always sure if you were reading about the present or something that
happened in the past.
This book also didn't have much action. It was mostly just talking.
Hemingway's books supposedly have deep, underlying meanings, but what it is in
this book is difficult to tell.
Some girls might like this book because of the control one woman has over
all these men. Otherwise, it is too boring to recommend to anyone.