Fiesta: The Sun Also Rises

¶ … Fiesta: The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

The novel "Fiesta: The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway was first published in 1926. The plot focuses on a group of American expatriates living in post-World War I Europe. The events in the book are based on the personal experience of the writer who had spent several years in Paris where he met and befriended several artists and writers belonging to the prominent expatriate group living in postwar Paris. The initial title of the novel was "Fiesta," but at the suggestion of his American publisher, Hemingway added the phrase "The Sun Also Rises," which is a direct reference to the Old Testament book, Ecclesiastes 1:5: "the sun also ariseth." The new title symbolizes renewal, as well as a cyclical motif. This paper strives to analyze the title from the perspective of both historical context, and structure of the characters.

The plot takes place in Paris, France after the end of World War I which was referred to as "the Great War." The amplitude of the war, and the destruction that followed left Europe in ruins. However, apart from the political and economic perspective, there was also the moral dimension of the war. World War I shattered people's beliefs in values such as love, faith, and even human nature. These were replaced with notions such as aimlessness, insecurity, and loneliness. In fact, these are three of the most important themes which also act as catalysts throughout the novel. The characters represent members of the so-called Lost Generation ie. those whose early adulthood was marked by WWI. Once the war was over, these men and women were left trying to derive meaning from the world around them.

The characters in the novel "Fiesta: The Sun Also Rises" rarely mention the war directly, but its shadows haunt every aspect of their lives. In fact, one of Hemingway's most important contributions to the development of both American and European novel was the fact that although "Fiesta: The Sun Also Rises" can be read with ease, its apparent simplicity is deceiving. In fact, the characters in Hemingway's novel tackle complex themes with very subtle irony offering deep insights. Jake Barnes is the narrator and protagonist; he is a World War I veteran working as a journalist in postwar Paris. The role of narrator is tackled from the position of the observer which allows him to analyze those around him. Although he does not talk about himself in a direct manner, in describing others, Jake reveals much about his own feelings and thoughts while struggling with his love for Lady Brett Ashley, impotence and the moral aftermath of the war. Bill Gorton is an American war veteran and close friend of Jake. They share a strong bond although they have different ways of coping with the cruelties of war which Bill deals with using humor. Jake's love interest, Lady Brett Ashley is a beautiful British socialite who takes refuge in alcohol. Despite being in love with Jake, she does not want to embark on a committed relationship with him. In fact, she does not commit to any of the men she becomes involved with although her independence does not bring her happiness either. In many ways her life, similarly to those of many other members of the Lost Generation, lacks personal fulfillment and a clear purpose.

Robert Cohn is a wealthy Jewish-American writer, a nonveteran who manages to keep his ideals of love and fairness intact even after the war; in fact, it is his idealism that establishes him as the opposite of Jake and his friends. Pedro Romero also represents Jake's opposite. He is a young, charming and talented bullfighter who exudes dignity and self-confidence. In addition, Pedro's life has meaning and aim thanks to his passion for bullfighting; in this sense, in a world dominated by aimlessness and bitterness in which masculinity has been redefined Pedro manages to remain a figure of strength and integrity. This contrast also helps readers get a more profound understanding of the Lost Generation with its loneliness, failure to communicate, and emptiness.