Bullfighting in the Sun Also Rises

Jonathan Rowe Essay 1 The Sun Also Rises English 42 sterilise Speirs 3/28/2010 No Bull in Bull difference of opinioning In The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Heming instruction writes nobody ever lives their life all the way up except fake-fighters (100). Spoken by Jake, this line exemplifies the importance that copperfighting plays in the novel. Its not only portrayed as a sport, precisely rather as a complex, mathematical art in the ca-ca of a dance between 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, alone of the relationship between Brett, her masculinity, and her effect on the separate male characters. It similarly provides penetrating insight to the role that Robert Cohn plays as a foil, and how he contrasts with the otherwise characters. The most prominent correlation that the bullfighti ng scene carries in damage of symbolism is a parallel to Bretts sexuality. On a shut upr 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 instance 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. scantily like Romero is luring and enticing the bull with his cape, Brett entices men with her charisma and charm, and refuses to bring either meaningful relationship to fruition. The diction of the scene involving Romero and the bull also carries roughly 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 toll 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 touch on 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 regard to Romero can be explained in terms of his masculinity. Romero is somewhat of a stark(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 presumption 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 close 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 prowess of Romero, Cohn is a foil to the other characters around him.While Romero would tease the audience with his comely style and fighting close to the bull, Belmonte, now resuming bullfighting out of retirement, just 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 take to the new decadent (215) bullfighting style. His fighting style represents Cohn in the virtuoso that they both had their shining momentCohns brief relatio nship with Brett, and Belmontes glory age of bullfighting which theyre still trying to win back.Belmonte stands apart from the other fighters because he adheres to an traditionalistic form of fighting. Similarly, Cohn is the only character with no involvement in the war, he preserves a sort of innocence and value establishment that disappeared with the lost generation. He tries to preserve the idea that sex equals intimacy and love, and throughout the novel his clumsy attempts to win back Brett are reflective of his refusal to reckon that his brief relationship with Brett was simply a series of sexual encounters, zero point more.In conclusion, part of what makes Hemingways style so unique is that he simply shows, without more than 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 penetrates 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.