Examples Of Heroism In The Sun Also Rises By Ernest Hemingway

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The concept of a hero in Ernest Hemingway’s novels is an ideal character accepted by reader as an alpha man. In The Sun Also Rises there are four different male characters which are compared through the reading by the encounters they have with Lady Brett Ashley. This Englishwoman indulges herself with men to obtain control and sexual relations. Brett, a vibrant and self-controlled woman and her four love relationships help demonstrate Hemingway’s definition of masculinity. Through the relationships, each man can be classified as a man of action, of self-discipline, and of strength and courage to confront all fears, weaknesses and failures. With the first person narration of Jake Barnes, narrates how he meets Brett to later realize he has fallen in love. Unfortunately, Jake has been emasculated due to an accident during the war. Unable to have a stable relationship due to his impotence, …show more content…

Brett was enchanted by this good-looking bullfighter since the corrida. This character is a fearless figure in the novel who frequently confronts death for living and controls the beasts like a master. Pedro is the second man Brett losses control of herself after Jake, “I can’t help it. I’m a goner now, anyway. Don’t you see the difference? I’ve got to do something. I’ve got to do something I really want to. I’ve lost my self-respect” (187). Because of Brett’s uncontrolled feelings, Cohn fights Pedro, “The bull-fighter fellow was rather good. He didn’t say much, but he kept getting up and getting knocked down again. Cohn couldn’t knock him out” (204). In this scene, Pedro demonstrates his confidence and strong will at his young age. His controlled and dignified conduct in a situation contrast abruptly with Cohn’s fear and weakness. Unfortunately, Pedro couldn’t change Brett to his expectations and when he discovered that his ideals were impossible foe Brett to accept, he leaves

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