It's finally over!

Dear Mr. Hemingway,

I am rather speechless right now. The end of your book left me feeling like I did when I finished the last page of Grapes of Wrath. As I sit here writing his post, I am not quite sure what to think of the last chapter, let alone this book as a whole. One thing I can say is my opinion of Brett never changed throughout the entire book. At the beginning I thought she was rather trampy, and on the last page of the book, my assumption was confirmed. I do have to say you did a phenomenal job of setting up the characters the way you wanted them; however, I feel they were very flat through the entirety of the plot, for every single person stayed the same. I do have one question for you though. Were you under the influence of any substances while composing this novel? All in all, it wasn't too bad, I commend you for your efforts, and I am hoping the next book I read by you isn't nearly this dry!

Best Wishes,

Alix Richardson

Vantage Point

I do not have a specific quote to illustrate this idea I am about to discuss, for almost every line in the book would be an example. This book is written in first person point of view, and I find it rather interesting. Even though this novel is written in first person and conveyed through the eyes of Jake Barnes, I feel like the audience gets a good taste of what is going through the entire cast of character's heads as well. Most first person novels are often biased toward characters or ideas because of the singular viewpoint. Even though we do get biased remarks, especially regarding Robert, I feel the audience is also able to formulate their viewpoint on certain characters as they wish. By portraying this story using this vantage point, Hemingway was very effective in conveying his sole message to the audience.

EPIPHANYYY!!

"Walking across the square to the hotel everything looked new and changed. I had never seen the trees before. I had never seen the flagpoles before, or the front of the theatre. It was all different. I felt as I felt once coming home from an out-of-town football game."

Even though I am sure it hurt, I am very glad Jake got hit by Robert. Yes, I know violence is not the answer, but after he was in the fight, he spoke the words above. To me, it is almost like Jake got some sense knocked into him. The first think I thought of when I read this paragraph was that the lightbulb finally went off inside Jake's head. After this happened he went back to Montoya's hotel to sleep for the evening while the rest of the "gang" stayed out and partied for the evening. Maybe, just maybe this is the beginning of the new Jake. Perhaps he will realize all the foolish choices he has been making and then evaluate his relationships with everyone accompanying him on the journey. Hopefully this incident will force Jake to transform into the person we, the audience, are all hoping he will become.

Robert Cohn

"For God's sake, go off somewhere. Can't you see Jake and I want to talk?"

"I didn't," Cohn said. "I thought I'd dit here because I felt a little tight."

"What a hell of a reason for sitting with any one. If you're tight, go to bed. Go on to bed."

While reading this chapter, I couldn't help but think about the role Robert Cohn plays in this novel. My impression of him is that he is this very intelligent and semi-wealthy man who simply has no social skills. This makes me sad for him, because I feel like everyone else has had their fling with Brett and not made a big deal of it, but when it comes to him, they are brutal toward him. I also think that Mike is very jealous toward this man, and therefore the only way he feels he can express his feelings about him is by belittling him to the point of harassment. Mike is almost like the big bully on the playground that has the pretty girlfriend right now, but they will break up and he will never amount to anything. After all this man is bankrupt! As for Robert, he is the little scrawny kid that does not have many friends when he is little but is very intelligent and will amount to something one day and the future. I can't help but think about him as the little brother or sister whom everyone just picks on, and he just stands there and takes it.

An all-around theme

"Everything became quite unreal finally and it seemed as though nothing could have any consequences. It seemed out of place to think of consequences during the fiesta."

If I had to pinpoint a theme in this book, I would say it has to do with this quote above. Throughout the entire novel, I have gotten the impression that these men are going through something similar to a mid-life crisis. With that being said, I do feel like I need to give them the benefit of the doubt by saying the time period of the novel is right after WWI, and these men rather have the right to be going through this mental state due to what they encountered during the war. Even if they did not directly fight in the armed forces, everyone was impacted by the war in some way or another. However, at this point in the novel I am hoping that this mentality comes to an end and the men realize that there are consequences to their actions and it is time to stop living life like it is one big party!

How I feel.. in a nutshell!

"Probably read the same two pages over several times."

"To hell with you, Brett Ashley."

These two phrases above pretty much sum up how I feel toward this novel at this point in time. I am getting to the point where I am positive that I am not reading the same line over and over but it feels like I am. Is it me, or does it seem like the only thing they do in this book is drink and party? When I started the book, I felt that there would be some exciting action to take place, but thus far the only think that has sparked my attention would be the bull fight. As for the second quote above, this is my attitude toward Brett at this time in the novel. I feel like all this drama is going on between the group regarding their relationship with Brett. And, we saw earlier that Mike got mad at Cohn for the way he acted toward he and always followed her around. However, I have always been a fan of "it takes two to tango", and in this situation I know Brett should be the one to blame, yet the men don't recognize it.

Like a bull in a china shop

"That's too complicated, "Bill said. "Don't you ever detach me from the heard, Mike."

"I'm not drunk. I'm quite serious. Is Robert Cohn going to follow Brett around like a steer all the time?"

When I first started reading this chapter, I knew Hemingway wouldn't have included it into the novel just for the purpose of entertainment, for there had to be an alternative reason as well. After reading a couple of the lines over again to try to understand and take a grasp of the whole thing, I think I may have come up with the metaphorical language of the chapter. Here is my proposition as to what each character represents in this conceit Brett is the steer at the end of the arena that simply teases all the steers when the exit their cages. Like Brett, the steer has no physical power, but has the mental power to minipulate the bulls and force them to charge him by simply standing and looking "pretty". The first time a bull enters the arena and is by himself, he is all wigged out and does not know what to do since he is separated from the rest of his herd. Like each of the men- Robert, Jake, Mike, and Bill, they are very volatile and aggressive (not physically abusive) toward Brett in order to gain her love. Because of this, the steer receives all the attention, but end the end dies because he just can not measure up. However, once the whole heard is together in the arena at the same time, they are harmless toward the steer and are more complacent because they are back in their comfort zone. Like the crew of men in the novel, no one is trying to make a move on Brett while everyone is together, for that would be socially unacceptable!

A far-fetched farce

"I couldn't tell you that in New York. It'd mean I was a faggot. That was what the Civil War was all about. Abraham Lincoln was a faggot. He was in love with General Grant. So was Jefferson Davis. Lincoln just freed the slaves on a bet. The Dred Scott case was framed by the Anti-Saloon League. Sex explains it all. The colonel's Lady and Judy O'Grady are Lesbians under their skin."

Wow. After reading this paragraph I was speechless. I was not sure off the top of my head which literary term this would fit under, but I knew it fell under something. After some careful investigation (looking at my sheet), I came to the conclusion that this was kind of a "mini farce". It meets all the qualifications to a T. I find it interesting how in today's world everyone thinks Lincoln was a hero for what he did (the general public any way), and here Hemingway is saying he was a faggot and really did not have the integrity of the Union at heart. I do want to know why Jefferson Davis was in love with General Grant. I have to say that one puzzled me just a little bit. But other than that, I do have to commend you, Mr. Hemingway, for, I would have never thought of such a thing!

Tone and mood

While reading chapter eleven, I felt a certain connection to my trip to Europe I took last summer. My family along with another family embarked on a fourteen day journey across England, Paris, and Italy. During our journey we met many people like the men in this chapter did on the bus. We also did our fair share of bargaining with taxi drivers and owners of stores. After all, we were traveling with a party of twelve, and any penny saved was well worth the fight. However, unlike these men we did have a bit of a culture shock as well. While at the pool in the village we were staying in Tuscany, our party was taken aback by the fact that the Australian women were bathing topless. Being with young children, eyes were glued to their chest, and had to be peeled off. Needless to say it was quite the experience.

"That doesn't have to do with the story"

I am a little weary as to what Hemingway was thinking while writing this book. On the back cover it mentions how he was injured in Italy during WWI and then moved to Paris. It fails to mention if he was injured in the head, but I am going to venture off and say he was. Either that or he was completely shmamered while he wrote the text for the novel. Not only does he include words irrelevant to the book, but also comes out and tells his audience that. I am crunched for time people and I do not have time to read things that are not pertinent to the book as a whole. Oh yes, and mustn't I forget the paragraph-long sentence on page 103. Yes, I am all about sentence variation and using structures that best suit the point being made; however, this was a little over the top. Come on Hemingway, I do not need to know every detail that runs through Jake's head (although I could probably guess because most involve Bret). Okay, I am off my soapbox now!

HELP! I am a little confused!

"We have the loveliest hotel," Mike said. "I think it's a brothel." When I came across this little excerpt I stopped when I read the word "brothel". I gave Hemingway the benefit of the doubt thinking that maybe the word has a duplicitous meaning. However, after looking it up on dictionary.com I came to realize that the only definition for the word was indeed what I thought it was. So, by using explication, I read the context around the mentioning of such a place and came up with nothing. The only think I have to offer is that maybe Mike is drunk and is just being sarcastic when he is comparing his hotel to a brothel? Bret did seem rather offended when he said this and simply dismissed his comment and told him to get his hair cut. So, with that being said, if anyone has any advice to offer, I would love it=].

Oh how times have changed

Okay I am in awe after reading this chapter. First off, if one did not know the time period in which this novel took place, the frequent, nonchalant use of the word "nigger" drops a huge hint. Hemingway did a grand job of soaking up of the language of his time. The diction he uses was vernacular during the time period. Using the word "nigger" is a prime example. On top of that, Mike says, "I had a date with this thing here," referring to Bret. How offensive in today's world! I am here to tell you if a man regarded me as a "thing" at all, let alone in public, I guarantee that would be the end of him in my eyes. Throughout the chapter, Hemingway reveals customs and traditions of the time by slipping in discreet details periodically. For example, he says "She [Bret] had no stockings on." In this sentence, the audience further becomes aware of the kind of Bret's character. Not only do we now know it was somewhat "trampy" to not wear stockings, but by connecting this phrase to Bret, the connotation can be connected with her.

It's all about me! Me, me, me, me, me

"Oh darling," Bret Said, "I'm so miserable."

Okay, so I am really starting to not like Bret! It seems to me that the only thing she does is tramp around and mooch off all these men. The quote above really spoke to me because it really dawned on me that the mood of the novel revolves around Bret's mood at that given point in time. For example, just a few chapters back, she invited herself over to Jake's apartment and practically threw herself on top of him. Now, at the end of this chapter she demanded Jake not to kiss her or anything. Now, I am no expert in love but if I were Jake, I would run. However, it seems to me Jake is blind to the whole situation (oh what can you say, he's a man:). I have a feeling in the pit of my stomach that the situation is not going to change and that this is just a cycle that will reoccur many times throughout the novel (kind of like a motif).

Just a little Anecdote

On page 60 of chapter 7, the audience is offered a little insight as to why the concierge acts the way she does. Previous to the background on the woman, she is seen telling Jake how she feels about Lady Ashley. Hemingway could have very easily left the dialogue between the two and then moved on with the plot line; however, he chooses to add a little extra something. By following the conversation with an anecdotal background of the woman herself, the audience is able to believe the alternate impression the lady has toward Bret. In doing the extra passage, Hemingway offers a background of the woman and why the audience should trust her opinion of the woman. If this would have been left out, her remarks toward Jake's friends would not have as much credibility.

Number 74 Oxymoron

"She turned to me with that terribly bright smile. It was very satisfactory to her to have an audience for this."

In this sentence, the use of an oxymoron on the part of Hemingway proves to be very effective for the readers. By saying, "Terribly bright", the author is conveys that the character's expression too bright to be good. He could have just as well said a "mischievous smile"; however, the oxymoron is indeed stronger language and draws the readers attention to those two words in the sentence. Using two words that contrast each other force the reader to read the context around the phrase in order to dig deeper and find the author's true intent in using such diction. In this particular case, using two opposite words shows how duplicitous Frances is in her ways. She knows she has an audience and is going to take full advantage of the opportunity to rat on Robert.

A beautifully painted picture

I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank Ms. Joseph, along with my parents. Thanks to them, I have a clue as to the numerous allusions in this chapter (ch. 5) are referencing. When Hemingway refers to the Sorbonne, he is talking about the big university in Paris. The "Quarter" is actually the Latin Quarter and is where most students hang out and enjoy cheaper foods and drinks. Throughout this chapter, Jake and his coworkers are seen galavanting throughout the streets of Paris. Hemingway did a phenomenal job of painting a picture in the reader's mind through his elicit details. Even though I have had the privilege of traveling to Paris, I believe I would still have a decently vivid picture as to the experiences the characters are encountering. One thing I do have to ask is what is a chap? I am going to look it up real quick but I figured I would pose the question on here so anyone could input.

It's the Epigraph!

"I don't know," she said. "I don't want to go through that hell again."

"We'd better keep away from each other."

"But, darling, I have to see you. It isn't all that you know."

Okay, so if I had to guess, I would say this novel is going to be about Brett and Jake and they journey to "find themselves" and "unveil their pasts." In my mind, the three lines at the top of this post say it all. Even though they do not go into detail about what "hell" they went through, due to their dialogue, the audience is now clued on in the fact that the two of them had a past with each other. Then, in the next two lines, we are shown that the two characters still have feelings for each other, despite the difficulties they endured in the past. Because of these lines of dialogue, the audience now has somewhat of a clue as to what this novel is going to be about. I am going to be honest that up until this point, I had no idea as to what was going to happen throughout the next 130 pages. But, thanks to Mr. Hemmingway, I now have a clue!

Epanalepsis

"Really? I find it so extraordinarily clean. One of the cleanest cities in all of Europe."

"I find it dirty."

First off, I have to say this dialogue on page 26 is the epitome of what I think of when an American and Parisian would debate given the circumstance. Americans have the opinion that Paris is dirty and the natives are unwelcoming. However, on the other hand Parisians are proud of their city and take offense to anyone who thinks otherwise. This Epanalepsis found in the quote above serves to show the audience that she takes offense to the words spoken to her about how dirty France is. By ending one sentence and starting another with the word "clean", the audience is able to more fully understand the stance being taken regarding a certain issue. Another observation I have to the dialogue on this page and the following one is the one who stated an observation does not justify her stance in rebuttal to the critique given. I find this often happens in real life as well. The person who disagrees with a statement always justifies himself/herself in their critique, whereas the other person who spoke the statement in the first place just sticks to their opinion and doesn't waiver.

Don't judge a book by its cover

I am not going to lie, I am rather apprehensive about this book. However, I do not have much time to spare, for I only have three days to read and complete all my blogs. I blame my mother for ruining the book for me because she read it before I did. She had absolutely no good things to say about the book. In fact, she said I could even skip over some chapters because they have no relevance to the book as a whole. Thanks mom! Even with her saying that though, I will be reading all 251 pages. Uh oh, I have a feeling I am in for a real treat! As I watched T.V. this morning and every commercial had something to do with "back to school", I couldn't help but cringe at the thought I would be back in the "hallowed steps of 002" on Monday. (No, I am not cringing at the idea of AP Lit, just the fact we will be back in school, where did summer go?) Alrighty, well enough procrastinating on my part, I am off to tackle this sucker!