by Veronica Shine

Created on: July 09, 2008   Last Updated: June 07, 2010

Most devotees of Ernest Hemingway are aware that he had a love of all things in Spain, including its bullfighting, fiestas, and wine. The images of his travels during peace and war time in Spain are highlighted and depicted in "The Sun Also Rises" and "For Whom the Bell Tolls." Hemingway believed that the sport of bullfighting characterizes life and man´s psyche.  His analogy is emphasized in the novel, in "The Sun Also Rises."

The synopsis of the story begins as the main characters plan a visit to Pamplona for the Festival of San Fermin. This particular festival is famous for its "running of the bulls." The bull lives ambiguously as strength and weakness to the Spanish people. Throughout Spain, Sunday is the day for the family to head to the bullring to watch the ballet of strength. The matador represents the brave and strong one who eventually will lead the bull to his demise. Even if the matador is gored, he will fight the bull to the end and is non-stoppable with the cheers of "Ole" are shouted from the stands. The cape (which to the Spanish people is the blood of Christ) to the bull only represents the "passion" that is used to entice him.

During the running of the bulls, the steers should be considered as an appropriate resemblance to the other characters in the novel. Steers are emasculated and also victimized by sporadic attacks by the bull as they run through the narrow streets of Pamplona. They lead the bull directly to the bullring for the slaughter.

The novel becomes an arousing roller coaster ride between "the bull," "the steer," "the matador" and "the cape." The emotionally unstable characters within the story can easily be identified within the novel when analyzing each character.  As with bullfighting, everything has a beginning and the ultimate end. In the novel, the end is the destruction of the character's relationship with one another.
The protagonist of the story is the narrator, Jake Barnes, an expatriate journalist living in Paris. He was injured in the WWI and unable to consummate the passion of the flesh. He is portrayed to the others in the group as a man´s man with macho interests such as fishing, bullfighting, drinking and women (?). 

Jake is an observer. At times he will react; sometimes giving out advice, often intervening into their personal problems. In some respects, he can be identified as the "matador" because of his seemingly strong control. However, Jake, in reality, mostly functions as the "steer”

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