Fiesta

Fiesta: The sun also rises

Right off the bat we're introduced to Robert Cohn. Who the narrator describes as a deeply self-conscious and insecure jew who studied at princeton. Robert compensated for his insecurity in different ways such as learning to box, but he left school feeling rather useless. Fast forward and Robert is now a parisian, living in the french capital with his second wife, working as a writer. Slowly, the perspective is panning over to one of his few friends, Jacob Barnes (Jake), who appears to be the narrator.

A few chapters into the book I'm having a difficult time figuring out the theme of the book. What its going to be about.
In the first few chapters some of the other characters are introduced, Frances who is Roberts wife, mr and mrs Braddock who are friends of Jake, and lastly Brett Ashley.
Robert, the insecure jew, seems to be having success as a writer, and is finding confidence for once in his life. Frances says he is leaving her and Robert is begging Jake to accompany him on a trip to South America, which Jake declines. Arguably because he's more interested in Brett than traveling with Robert. We learn that Brett is an older british woman, who married into nobility and met Jake during the first world war. Jake was a soldier, and was wounded, and Brett was a V.A.D (?). There is an obvious, over-hanging sexual/romantic tension in every scene they're in. Jake is in love with Brett who i thought loved him back, but then i found out she's engaged to a rich british man.

I got the feeling the characters led rather shallow lives, partying and drinking were their favourite past-times. "Ex-pats living off of their parents money" was the description on the back of the book, and it seemed spot-on accurate to me. Apart from drinking, dancing, writing, playing tennis and bridge,
and fine-dining these fine gentlemen also enjoy prostitutes (poules)! Jake, Robert and the others live rather meaningless lives, which i feel Jake knows and is hinting on. They are in their 30's, but definitely don't act like it. The Jake-Brett drama seems particularly childish to me.

In the last few pages Brett says she's leaving paris for spain, which i suppose will become the new stage given the name of the book "Fiesta".

Jake Barnes is the main character of the book, and the narrator. Everything is told from his perspective. Jake is most likely in his 30's as his friends, and is a writer. Whether or not he's successful hasn't been revealed yet. Jake fought in WWI and was wounded badly, i would guess he got shot in the genitalia or something because of a scene with the prostitute. During this time he first met Brett. It's unknown what he did directly after the war but he's now living in Paris, and he likes the city. He has quite a few friends and seemingly lots of money too.

"Robert Cohn was once middleweight boxing champion of Princeton. Do not think that I am very much impressed by that as a boxing title, but it meant a lot to Cohn. He cared nothing for boxing, in fact he disliked it, but he learned it painfully and thoroughly to counteract the feeling of inferiority and shyness he felt on being treated as a Jew at Princeton."
I feel like the first three lines are deceiving. It makes you think the book is going to be about Robert. Why Hemingway chose to dedicate the first chapter to this i can't tell, as i progress into the book the focus is more on the Jake/Brett-relationship rather than Robert, In fact his only scenes are when he interacts with Jake, the main character. It's near impossible to determine what the novel is going to be about after only reading three lines, and these particular three lines make it even harder. If i would have to guess i suppose I'd say it's going to be about compensating for something, like Robert compensates for his inferiority Jake might compensate for living a purposeless life. Robert learned boxing, Jake might fill the void with money/success or maybe he sees Brett as a "goal" to strive towards.

"fiesta" the sun also rises. Fiesta indicates that it's going to take place in spain, with lots of partying and other fun. The sun also rises probably means that life goes on, and in a sense nothing really matters that much. Maybe hemingway chose this because its a good title for the book. It's very much related to the story given how it IS going to take place in Spain and how most of their time is spent partying. And because they don't have a clear goal in life, something to strive towards, they feel that the sun rising again means another day. Another day to drink or play tennis. And their boring lives go on.