Bullfighting in the Sun Also Rises

Jonathan Rowe Essay 1 The Sun Also Rises English 42 Doctor Speirs 3/28/2010 No Bull in Bullfighting In The Sun Also Rises, Ernest Hemingway writes nobody ever lives their life wholly the way up except son of a bitch-fighters (100). Spoken by Jake, this line exemplifies the enormousness that tauromachy plays in the novel. Its not simply portrayed as a sport, but rather as a complex, mathematical art in the frame 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 choreography between Romero and the bull is wistful not only of the characterization of Brett and Jake, but of the relationship between Brett, her masculinity, and her effect on the other male characters. It also provides penetrating cortical potential to the role that Robert Cohn plays as a foil, and how he contrasts with the other characters. The most prominent correlation that the bullfighting scene carries in terms of sym bolism is a parallel of latitude to Bretts versedity. On a closer 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 dear can bring, for example the relationship between Brett and Jake. Its interesting to note that early in the novel, Brett responds to Jakes inquiry of living together by saying that shed just tromper him (55), a French word meaning to abuse and cheat. The diction almost resembles an animalistic quality, as well as the word trample, foreshado growg the symbolism behind the bullfighting scene.Just like Romero is luring and enticing the bull with his cape, Brett lures men with her charisma and charm, and refuses to bring any meaningful relationship to fruition. The diction of the scene involving Romero and the bull also carries some sexual o vertones. 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 terms 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 case is the same however, with the bull and the men shes involved 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 attraction to Romero can be explained in terms of his masculinity. Romero is somewhat of a perfect 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 given a unnisex name, has short hair, and even refers to everyone as chap s. She seems to mingle only with other men, possibly because shes shunned by other females for her promiscuity. While Romero and the bull most closely 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 valor of Romero, Cohn is a foil to the other characters around him.While Romero would tease the audience with his graceful style and fighting close to the bull, Belmonte, now resuming bullfighting out of retirement, simply gave the sensation of access tragedy and only gave the illusion of being close to the bull. He was once a great fighter, but now refuses to subscribe to the new decadent (215) bullfighting style. His fighting style represents Cohn in the sense that they both had their shining momentCohns brief relationship with Brett, and Belmontes glory days of bul lfighting which theyre still trying to win back.Belmonte stands apart from the other fighters because he adheres to an traditional form of fighting. Similarly, Cohn is the only character with no involvement in the war, he preserves a sort of honour and value system 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 understand that his brief relationship with Brett was simply a series of sexual encounters, nothing more.In conclusion, part of what makes Hemingways style so unique is that he simply shows, without more 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 brand accentuates the inherent masculinity that Brett displaysa sort o f role reversal. Chapter 18 also highlights the character of Cohn, and his role as a foil and its parallels to Belmontes traditional fighting style.