The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway

For this astounding work, I chose no less than nine quotes: three show Hemingway’s remarkable technique of narrative, three demonstrate a unique or plot driving use of narrative, and three are one-line-wonders.

Narrative Technique

In this first quote, one can tell not only that the American speaking French sounds slightly stilted, but that the native French speaker speaking French sounds a little bit off to the American translating in her mind. It’s really amazing how Hemingway shows how each person sounds to the other, all the while writing in English:

    “Are you related to Georgette Lebalnc, the singer? “ Mrs. Braddocks asked.
    “Conais pas,” Georgette answered.
    “But you have the same name,” Mrs. Braddocks insisted cordially.
    “No,” said Georgette. “Not at all. My name is Hobin.”
    “But Mr. Barnes introduced you as Mademoiselle Georgette Leblanc. Surely he did,” insisted Mrs. Braddocks, who in the excitement of talking French was liable to have no idea what she was saying.
    “He’s a fool,” Georgette said.
    “Oh, it was a joke, then,” Mrs. Braddocks said.
    “Yes,” said Georgette. “To laugh at.” [26]

Here, Hemingway makes the speakers sound like ‘Ugly Americans.’ Notice how the American asks, “aren’t you?” to reinforce the question and refers to “Mother and I.” An Amerocentric worldview is presented by the wife recounting, “See America first!” Notice how they’re “going down” to cities while in the rest of the book it’s just referred to as “going to” a city. And America’s religious fervor is contrasted with Europe’s way of religion when Americans take up seven cars on the train traveling back from a pilgrimage (and the stereotype of us being push, throwing our weight around, traveling large, etc.). Bill calls them “Goddam Puritans,” and the reader thinks, rightly so:

    “I suppose you’re Americans, aren’t you?” the man asked. “Having a good trip?”
    “Wonderful,” said Bill.
    “That’s what you want to do. Travel while you’re young. Mother and I always wanted to get over, but we had to wait a while.”
    “You could have come over ten ears ago, if you’d wanted to.” the wife said. “What you always said was: ‘See America first!’ I will say we’ve seen a good deal, take it one way or another.”
    “Say, there’s plenty of Americans on this train,” the husband said. “They’ve got seven cars of them from Dayton, Ohio. They’ve been on a pilgrimage to Rome, and now they’re going down to Biarritz and Lourdes.”
    “So that’s what they are. Pilgrims. Goddam Puritans,” Bill said. [91]

Here’s a great monologue. After shaving, Bill is recounting to Jake what a catch he would be for a woman. There is a lot of humor here, and a humorous reference to Horace Greeley’s “Go West, Young Man.” I selected this monologue because it is very light humor and seems harder to write, even, that some of the diatribes that occurred earlier:

“She should have. All women should see it. It’s a face that ought to be thrown on every screen in the country. Every woman ought to be given a copy of this face as she leaves the altar. Mothers should tell their daughters about this face. My son”—he pointed the razor at me—“go west with this face and grow up with the country.” [108]

Unique or Plot Based

What is Hemingway doing here? What’s with the “. . . . . .”? Is it too loud to hear the music? Would any lyrics just get in the way of Brett and Jake’s conversation? The lyrics start out “You can’t two time,” are Brett and Jake ignoring him because they’re guilty of two timing? A fascinating use of a unique narrative technique:

    The drummer shouted: “You can’t two time----“
    “It’s all gone.”
    "What’s the matter?”
    “I don’t know. I just feel terribly.”
    “. . . . . .” the drummer chanted. Then turned to his sticks.
    “Want to go?”
    [...]
    “. . . . . .” the drummer sang softly.
    “Let’s go,” said Brett. “You don’t mind.”
    “. . . . . .” the drummer shouted and grinned at Brett.”
    “All right,” I said.... [70-71]

Here Jake inadvertently describes himself. He is the “steer” that tries to keep the “bulls” (the other male characters) from goring each other. Throughout the novel Jake refers to his impotence since the war (whether it’s physical or psychological is never explained). This section of narrative stood out because Hemingway didn’t often mix dramatic irony and character development into the voices of the characters in such a manner as this:

    “Do they ever gore the steers?”
    “Sure. Sometimes they go right after them and kill them.”
    “Can’t the steers do anything?”
    “No. They’re trying to make friends.”
    “What do they have them in for?”
    “To quiet down the bulls and keep them from breaking their horns against the stone walls, or goring each other.”
    “Must be swell being a steer.” [138]

The quote here is an example of light humor in the novel. Jake seems almost tired of quoting the stilted conversations he has in languages that are not English and the conversation reads like something out of a textbook, with references to the weather and careful repetitions of each others questions and answers. It’s clear that the impatience jake feels is a result of having to wade through this conversation to get to Brett, who is more real to him than the hotel proprietor. This section of dialogue acts like a pause, almost, a suspension in his world, between the reality of him being alone and the reality of him hooking back up with Brett:

    “Muy buenos,” I said. “Is there an Englishwoman here? I would like to see this English lady.”
    “Muy buenos. Yes there is a female English. Certainly you can see her if she wishes to see you.”
    “She wishes to see me.”
    “The chica will ask her.”
    “It is very hot.”
    “It is very hot in the summer in Madrid.”
    “And how cold in winter.”
    “Yes, it is very cold in winter.”
    Did I want to stay myself in person in the Hotel Montana?
    Of that as yet I was undecided, but it would give me pleasure if my bags were brought up from the ground floor in order that they might not be stolen. Nothing was ever stolen in the Hotel Montana. In other fondas, yes. Not here. No. The personages of this establishment were ridigly selectioned. I was happy to hear it. Nevertheless I would welcome the unbringal of my bags.
    The maid came in and said that the female English wanted to see the male English now, at once.
    “Good,” I said. “You see. It is as I said.”
    “Clearly.” [244-245]

One-Line-Wonders

Hemingway could have written, “Well, are you going to buy me dinner?”, but that would have sounded different, maybe been more modern, certainly less bohemian than “a dinner.” It’s subtle; but there’s a difference. He also could have written, “Well, do you want to buy me dinner?”, but that wouldn’t be in keeping with Jake’s character. What he wrote was perfect:

“Well, are you going to buy me a dinner?” [23]

Bill says this next quote. He doesn’t say, “God I love to be back.” or “God it’s good to get back.” What he says is more masculine and raw, he’s “getting” something actively, not passive “being” and it gives Bill character:

“It’s pretty grand. God I love to get back.” [83]

I feel like a heel giving away the very last line of the book; but nothing should be off limits if one is truly reviewing a work. This is the last line; so it should be good. And it’s great. Jake has an exact grasp on Brett’s mind. She’s reckless and feckless and wanton and all about appearances. It’s not “good to think so” and it’s not pale hopefulness “Yes. Wouldn’t that be nice?” or some lousy passivity, “Yes. If only it were so.” No! It’s not Jake’s feeling he’s sharing, he’s opening a way into Brett’s mind and giving the reader her take on the situation. We never know for sure how Jake feels about it. She beguiles and rules their emotional world, because he still loves her. And in case the reader every doubted it, Hemingway writes it this way:

“Yes. Isn’t it pretty to think so?” [251]