Reader discussion: The Sun Also Rises

Public reader discussion about The Sun Also Rises in the WeRead Catalog by Ernest Hemingway.

The Sun Also Rises (Ernest Hemingway, 1926).

By sunQuill

Got this book as a Christmas present and I only just finished it a few days ago. I really liked how everything moves along, and how the characters keep getting drawn together and then falling apart again across the chapters. Also, I like the writing style, it feels very much like Hemingway. It all comes across so real—pretty rough and kind of unpleasant in places—that you start to forget it’s “just” a story about four guys (Jake Barnes, Robert Cohn, Mike and Bill) and a girl (Ashley Brett), mostly partying, drinking, bullfighting in Pamplona, drinking some more, eating, and arguing. I’m not totally sure why it works so well, but it does. And I think it’s pretty good at showing the whole Lost Generation thing that came out after World War I, with Americans living abroad (especially in France) like Gertrude Stein, Ezra Pound, Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and others.

Just finished "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway

By fableswift45

In high school I basically never touched Ernest Hemingway. I did read *The Great Gatsby*, and it’s still my all-time favorite. So with this book I tried to go into it without any Gatsby baggage, like I’d actually find something that grabs me the same way. For the first like 100 pages I wasn’t feeling it at all, mostly because I couldn’t quite tell what was going on. But around page 130 up through the end (251) it finally clicked and I got pulled in. Once it hit, I couldn’t stop thinking about Jake and Lady Ashley. I kinda wanted some miracle moment where Jake gets his “ability” back at the last second, like luck would fix it. But honestly I think I ended up liking how it ended more than that fantasy. I finished it about 7 hours ago and I still have a ton of questions. Is Jake’s impotent thing tied to him feeling like life is pointless after the war? Does Brett actually love Jake, or is she just using him to get out of other messy love stuff? Jake keeps doubting his masculinity the whole time, but none of his friends seem to care—what’s up with that? Also, why do I have Robert in my head and feel bad for him at the same time? I guess because he didn’t fight in the war, and because he’s Jewish it seems like the other characters don’t really respect him. And I can’t figure out what Ashley’s real reason was for not wanting to be with Romero. Sorry, I know that’s a lot. This is my first Hemingway, so if anyone who “gets” the iceberg thing can give me some hints, I’d really appreciate it—I can’t stop thinking about it.

The Great Courses - for anyone that read The Sun Also Rises.

By little_wonder2

Just wanted to flag a lecture series from The Great Courses that I’ve been getting into. It’s called *Classics of American Literature* and it’s taught by Arnold Weinstein (from Brown University). I’m listening through Audible, but I’m pretty sure you can find it other places too. There are a few lectures on *The Sun Also Rises* and then a couple more that cover *The Garden of Eden*. The *Sun Also Rises* stuff is honestly really good—he sort of breaks the book down in a way that actually makes it click, and it explains why it’s got the reputation it has. The other lectures are great too, though I haven’t listened to every single thing he covers, so I’m mostly picking and choosing. The *Moby-Dick* lecture was a highlight for me, and he lays out a pretty convincing case for why it should be seen as *The Great American Novel*—even if that isn’t exactly what he’s aiming for. Either way, I found it super enlightening. Thought I’d share for anyone who’s been part of the last book read. https://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/classics-of-american-literature

Just finished The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

By prose-pages

I really liked this book—just not sure it’s quite as good as The Old Man and the Sea, which I read right before The Sun Also Rises. Still, it was a fantastic read and I’d definitely recommend it if you’re into Hemingway. And yeah, probably especially to anyone who’s into bullfighting too.

What makes The Sun Also Rises a good book TODAY? why did you like it?

By glade-comfort

This one honestly wasn’t my thing, but I still try to figure out what people see in it. For me it dragged—there doesn’t seem to be much of an actual plot, and the conversation felt pretty dull. I’m sure I didn’t fully get into it, and maybe a lot of the meaning went right over my head. I get that Hemingway was really capturing that “lost generation” mood after the war, and I can see why it landed hard back then. But I don’t really feel the same impact now. It read like this boring travel vlog vibe—no real obstacles, no tension, nothing funny or memorable really happens. Just folks going somewhere and doing stuff that doesn’t end up feeling that interesting. I also don’t understand what the book is trying to offer today. Like, what’s the point besides showing how empty and bleak life can feel when you’re just filling time with entertainment? And if there’s no conflict, no challenges, no real community, and no growth or accomplishment… it doesn’t feel like anything new. Maybe it’s deeper than that, but it doesn’t really lay it out or even contrast it with anything better—so it just kind of sits there. Anyway, that’s basically how I felt while reading it. I’m really open to talking about it more, because it wasn’t for me, but I can respect that other people might genuinely love it. I’d just like to hear what made it enjoyable or insightful or moving to you. (Also, side note: I really liked *The Old Man and the Sea*.)

Can we talk Hemingway? Specifically, 'The Sun Also Rises'.

By SageMarble2004

I just finished this one—my first Hemingway—and I’m honestly not getting why it’s held up as such a big deal. I feel like I’m probably just from the wrong generation, but it kind of reads like there’s nothing really happening. Maybe that matches the whole bored, stuck feeling of the characters after WWI, but I still don’t know. So I’m wondering—what am I supposed to be seeing here? And if I wasn’t that into it, is it still worth trying more Hemingway? If yes, which ones should I pick up next, and what makes them worth it?

Hemingway and Homoeroticism

By DanaLovesBooks

Had a bit of a back-and-forth today with a professor who reads this stuff through a psychoanalytic lens. We were talking about the bit from *The Sun Also Rises* where Cohn’s basically described as “good and in shape” and all that. My issue is that I’m not sure I’m seeing Cohn clearly enough through what he’s saying. Up until he falls for Brett, he just doesn’t really feel set apart from other people—like he’s nice to watch, good on the tennis court, good at bridge, has that kind of boy-ish energy, but nothing really “stands out” in a crowd. Even his clothing and everything feels like it’s more about how he was formed than anything intentional. And then once he’s in love with Brett, his tennis game completely falls apart, and people start beating him who never should’ve had a chance. He takes it pretty well, too, which is part of why I don’t get what the professor is pulling from it. I also said I think you can recognize the beauty of a body in art without it automatically meaning sex, and that this passage isn’t trying to make it erotic—it’s more like it’s showing he’s talented and that loving Brett wrecks him. Like, how can Hemingway describe nature as beautiful but when the body is mentioned it somehow has to be sexual? He basically brushed me off and said I was just being defensive, and we’ll talk Monday. He told me to look up homoeroticism (which I did) and idealization (which he thinks is what I’m doing). I’m just stuck, though—because “good and in shape” doesn’t even have to be an aesthetic thing. It could just be about ability/capacity. So… what do people think?

Did anyone else like Robert Cohn in Hemingway's 'The Sun Also Rises'?

By AutumnJuniper

I just finished the book and I really loved it, but I also saw that people accuse it of racism because of how Robert Cohn is portrayed. I can see why someone would think that—he comes off pretty naive and overly emotional sometimes—but I don’t feel like the book is painting him as this genuinely awful person. To me, it feels more like Hemingway meant Cohn as a sensitive contrast to the other guys, so their own insecurities show up more clearly, not as some total pathetic punchline. Cohn’s flawed, sure, but honestly so are a bunch of the characters, including Barnes. And yeah, there are some anti-Semitic descriptions floating around in there, but I think you have to separate what the character thinks/acts like from what the author believes. Hemingway might or might not have had those views, but the way I read Cohn is just a passionate, sensitive guy who’s naive but still stands up for himself. So I don’t really buy the idea that he’s basically just a negative Jewish stereotype, at least not in the way some people claim.

Signed copy of "The Sun Also Rises"

By Beaver_Epilogue

Hi! I work at a used bookstore and this showed up in our stock a little while back. I was wondering if it’s actually worth anything—like is there any value or demand for it? If anyone knows anything about it, I’d really appreciate the info. Thanks!

The Sun also Rises: Robert Cohn

By Cloud-Prose45

I can’t really figure out what the point of this character is supposed to be. I honestly didn’t get why Jake, Ashley, and everyone else seemed to hate Robert so much. Part of me wanted to believe they were just jealous that he didn’t have that constant urge to drink and just wallow in the whole post-war gloom, but I’m not sure. What I did keep getting mad about was how they kept calling him a Jew and basically telling him to stop “acting” Jewish. I just don’t understand that at all. It feels like Jake liked hurting him, but also maybe respected him in some way. I’m really curious what other people think about Robert, too, because he seems like he’s got some big, important role in the whole story.

Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises” - what am I missing?

By DistantLamp96

I figured it’d be fun to pick up a few early 1900s classics, but I’m having a hard time getting into this one. The dialogue feels super scattered and kind of off, like it’s random or doesn’t go anywhere. Is it supposed to be satire? I did laugh a bit at how everyone keeps going to the same restaurant, then right away ends up at another. Also nobody really seems to pay attention—each character just kind of rambles on like they’re half-drunk. I’m guessing there’s some social or political context I’m not catching. I’m only about halfway through, though, so maybe it’ll click later.

Is "The Sun Also Rises" a good place to start with Hemingway?

By chapter_cricket

Honestly, I’m pretty much in the same boat as the title suggests. I’m in school to become a writer, but I’ve never actually read Hemingway, which feels kind of bad to admit. Is this a decent starting point for him? Edit: Thanks for all the replies, everyone!

Just finished Hemingway's To Have and Have Not, and it's a wild ride

By chaptericy

Just finished Hemingway’s *To Have and Have Not* (1937). I’d already read *In Our Time*, *The Torrents of Spring*, *The Sun Also Rises*, *A Farewell to Arms*, and *The Old Man and the Sea*, and I have to say this one had a really slow start for me. It also felt kind of normal/straightforward for Hemingway at first—some of the dialogue was a little awkward/obscure, and there’s a ton of fishing talk and scene-setting. But later on, I started liking it a lot more. He does some really odd (and kind of inconsistent) narrative stuff as it goes, and I was genuinely entertained by that. It also struck me as pretty different from the other Hemingway books I’ve read, mostly in a few ways: - Harry Morgan felt way more mixed-up and flawed than I usually get with his other main guys. Like, he’s decent sometimes, but then he kind of convinces himself into doing messed up things because of money/“necessity” (or at least that’s how it comes across). One chapter even has this perspective shift where a guy named Albert’s thoughts kind of drive the narration, and that really put his conflicted side in focus for me. - Setting it in depression-era Havana and Key West makes Hemingway go hard into poverty/social stuff, and it reminded me of *The Grapes of Wrath* and *The Pearl*. - There’s also this third-person omniscient section near the end where he basically drops little vignettes of different people who are staying on yachts at a dock in Key West. It felt pretty bold and experimental, like it would’ve been a harder sell back then, but maybe not so much now. It’s also pretty dark—similar vibe to *A Farewell to Arms*, but not the same. And suicide comes up a few times here, which I didn’t fully expect. I’m sure there are other differences too, and I’m curious to see how this compares to *For Whom the Bell Tolls*. What I don’t get, though, is why so many people seem to dislike *To Have and Have Not*. Did the switching narrative stuff feel messy? Were the vignettes/side characters just not landing for people? Also, where does everyone rank it among Hemingway’s stuff? My guess is I still like *The Sun Also Rises* the most, then *A Farewell to Arms* pretty close, then *To Have and Have Not*, and then *The Old Man and the Sea* last.

[Scheduled] The Sun Also Rises Chapters 8-10

By notebookPencil

We’re pretty much halfway now and we’re in Spain. Curious what everyone thinks—are you liking it? I’ll be honest, I’m not, which sucks a bit because I’ve liked Hemingway before. Some parts feel like a slog, and I’m really not into all the tiny details about the Paris streets (though I get into that more below). Also, does anyone else get thrown off by who’s actually talking? A few times it’ll be like a group of people says a bunch of stuff back-to-back and there’s nothing that clearly tells you who’s speaking. Am I missing something, or is that on purpose? And if it is, what’s the point? On the Paris street-name thing, I keep thinking it might be there just to make it seem like they’re always moving—Jake’s constantly going from one place to another, always hunting for something, and then they end up in Spain. Is that just the style (like a stream of consciousness vibe), or am I reading too much into it? And the whole Brett thing feels like there’s a lot of competition. She’s been with Cohn, which makes Jake jealous, and then Jake gets jealous again when he sees her with Mike. It kind of chills out once they travel, but then once Brett’s arrival comes up, the competition starts back up with that bet between Cohn and Bill. To me it all feels tied to trying to prove masculinity, and a ton of insecurity. So yeah—what did you think of this bit? Anything you liked in particular? Are you still finding it funny or clever?

Books like The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

By LibraryStrange

Hey everyone! I just finished The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway and I really liked it. I loved how chill and scenic the writing felt, and I also enjoyed the European history part. I’m trying to find other books with a similar vibe—something relaxing, with lots of scenery, and set in Europe. If you have any suggestions, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks!

What's the deal with the covers of A Farewell to Arms and The Sun Also Rises?

By driftsBeacon8

I’m mostly thinking about the first edition covers. They look great, but I can’t quite put my finger on what it is. Like, there’s something about them that feels a bit like that “Dying Gaul” vibe.

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway

By bookworm_hare1989

I’m only about halfway through and it just feels like Jake keeps running into Brett or some other side character at a club. So far I’m not seeing any real plot movement or a clear goal for him. He comes off pretty apathetic, like he doesn’t really want anything or push toward anything. I expected it to grab me more by now since I’m only around 250 pages in, but nothing big has happened yet. Does it pick up later? Please no spoilers.

The Sun Also Rises Book 2 Chapter 14 Discussion

By Superuser

1. That “just because it’s dark, you shouldn’t see things differently” line—what’s your take on that? Jake saying it feels a little obvious, but also kind of true. 2. The whole “in five years it’ll probably feel dumb like my other big philosophies” thought made me wonder—do you ever look back on stuff you believed and want to cringe a bit? 3. Jake seems like he wants Mike to hurt Robert, but then he gets all grossed out after. What do you think that shows about him? 4. Robert hanging around after Brett and Jake on the way to church—does it seem like he might be using Jake to get closer to Brett? 5. Anything else you’d want to talk about?

Just finished The Sun Also Rises (Ernest Hemingway) and would love to hear from someone who liked it.

By Island_Rapid

I picked this up because I recently read and really liked Old Man and the Sea. I came away impressed—somehow Hemingway can spin a pretty simple setup and still keep me hooked, even though I’m not into fishing, I don’t really care about old men, and my interest in the sea is basically just whatever. I finished it in one go. But The Sun Also Rises felt weirdly boring almost right away. I don’t think I would’ve made it through if I hadn’t already been willing to trust Hemingway. I kept waiting for it to click or get better, and then the last sentence landed and it honestly felt like getting punched. Really? That’s the end? Also, I don’t even get the title. If I was naming it, I probably would’ve gone with something like “Drunks Repeating Themselves.”

Just read A Farewell to Arms and The Sun Also Rises

By shelfSanger

I’m 16, so I know I probably don’t have the experience to fully get something like this. That said, I’m pretty well read for my age and I like to think I’m mature about it. With *Farewell to Arms*, I feel like I read it a little too fast and just latched onto the plot. When I read *The Sun Also Rises*, I slowed down and actually paid attention to the stuff under the dialogue—like what people meant instead of just what they said. There’s a lot you can pull from it: the whole kind of pointless feeling of life, and the search for happiness. I also really liked the Count. But honestly the biggest thing for me was Brett. Since she’s been married before, it seems like she’s got this need to be in control. Helping Jake after his war injury gave her a way to control things, and also to feel a little above him. I think that’s what kept their relationship strong emotionally. And it also felt like she basically messed up most of the important guy relationships in her life through sex—so when she gets stuck thinking about what “could have been,” she sort of puts that ideal version of things onto Jake. So… does anyone have thoughts or ideas about all that? Also, should I re-read *Farewell to Arms* right away now that I kind of have a better feel for how to read Hemingway? If I do, what should I watch for so it hits as rich as *TSAR* did?