Bullfighting in the Sun Also Rises

Jonathan Rowe Essay 1 The Sun Also Rises English 42 bear on Speirs 3/28/2010 No Bull in Bull tuging In The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Heming vogue writes nobody ever lives their life all the way up except darn-fighters (100). Spoken by Jake, this line exemplifies the importance that papal bullfighting plays in the novel. Its not only portrayed as a sport, yet rather as a complex, mathematical art in the diversity of a dance surrounded by the bull and fighter. The matador scene in chapter 18 is perhaps one of the richest in the novel due to its use of symbols.The stage dancing between Romero and the bull is reflective not only of the characterization of Brett and Jake, nevertheless of the relationship between Brett, her masculinity, and her effect on the new(prenominal) male characters. It excessively provides penetrating insight to the role that Robert Cohn plays as a foil, and how he contrasts with the new(prenominal) characters. The most prominent correlation that the bullf ighting scene carries in name of symbolic representation is a parallel to Bretts sexuality. On a loadedr inspection, the fight also resembles an improvised dance between two partners.Each dancer has a designated terrain, and as long as a bullfighter stays in his own terrain he is comparatively safe (213). And a dance between two partners can be compared to the tumultuous events that love can bring, for physical exertion the relationship between Brett and Jake. Its interesting to note that early in the novel, Brett responds to Jakes doubtfulness of living together by saying that shed just tromper him (55), a cut word meaning to abuse and cheat. The diction almost resembles an animalistic quality, as well as the word trample, foreshadowing the symbolism behind the bullfighting scene. adept like Romero is luring and enticing the bull with his cape, Brett charms men with her charisma and charm, and refuses to bring all meaningful relationship to fruition. The diction of the scen e involving Romero and the bull also carries any(prenominal) sexual overtones. Romero had to make the bull consent with his body, (217) creating an image where the man and the bull were all one sharply etched mass (217). In term of symbolism, Romero is reflective of Brett, and the bull represents the men that Brett seduces. His method is to be all so slow and so controlled (217) at first, to lure the bull into proximity.Similarly, Brett lures men in with her brazen sexuality. The end result is the same however, with the bull and the men shes snarly with. Romero will fight and kill the bull, just like Brett will lure men and eventually leave them. Its all for sport, all for pleasure (208). Bretts tenderness to Romero can be explained in terms of his masculinity. Romero is somewhat of a arrant(a) male, hes an aficionado, brave, beautiful, and held in very high esteem by everyone he encounters as well as being the favorite fighter of the crowd. He resembles Bretts masculinity.Shes habituated a unnisex name, has short hair, and even refers to everyone as chaps. She seems to mingle only with other men, possibly because shes shunned by other females for her promiscuity. While Romero and the bull most well-nigh represent Brett and Jake, upon closer inspection another similarity can be drawn between Belmonte and Robert Cohn. Belmonte is a symbol for Cohn and his relationship with the other characters. Just like how Belmonte serves as a foil to the decadent style of Mercial and valiancy of Romero, Cohn is a foil to the other characters around him.While Romero would tease the audience with his beautiful style and fighting close to the bull, Belmonte, now resuming bullfighting out of retirement, only gave the sensation of coming tragedy and only gave the illusion of being close to the bull. He was once a great fighter, but now refuses to tolerate to the new decadent (215) bullfighting style. His fighting style represents Cohn in the sentience that they both had their shining momentCohns brief relationship with Brett, and Belmontes glory eld of bullfighting which theyre still trying to win back.Belmonte stands apart from the other fighters because he adheres to an tralatitious form of fighting. Similarly, Cohn is the only character with no involvement in the war, he preserves a sort of innocence and value dodge that disappeared with the lost generation. He tries to preserve the idea that sex equals intimacy and love, and passim the novel his clumsy attempts to win back Brett are reflective of his refusal to go through that his brief relationship with Brett was simply a series of sexual encounters, zilch more.In conclusion, part of what makes Hemingways style so unique is that he simply shows, without overmuch telling. The matador scene in chapter 18 is rich because it provides penetrating insight with its symbolism Lady Brett with her elusive nature with men is captured through Romeros matador technique. The fact that Romero pen etrates the bull with his sword accentuates the inherent masculinity that Brett displaysa sort of role reversal. Chapter 18 also highlights the character of Cohn, and his role as a foil and its parallels to Belmontes traditional fighting style.