Sun Also Rises Symbolism

I am writing you regarding one of your most famous novels; The Sun Also Rises. This book was very interesting, yet at some parts, quite confusing to me. The characters you have created in this coming-of-age novel have quite a few struggles they face between others, society, and themselves. I’d like to know how you came up with these personalities. Are they symbols for something deeper, or simply people you would like readers to use as an example? I would also like to know if there is one thing you would like readers to take away from this book. In addition, l would also like to know your favorite or, in your opinion, the most important symbolism.
First, the characters in your book have very sad, empty lives. They are constantly trying to

find ways to avoid their pain through excessive drinking, partying, and never talking about how the war left them with a strong feeling of aimlessness. One of my favorite lines from your novel is when Jake alludes to his true sadness by saying: “You can’t get away from yourself by moving from one place to another. There’s nothing to that.” (Hemingway, 11) The main characters, (Jake, Lady Brett, Cohn, Mike, and Jake’s other friends), have all been affected by World War I and, in consequence, they all submit to similar meaningless activities. They all want to live life to the fullest but after the war, they cannot break the barrier of the haunting wall separating their pre and post war selves. ☺ They are in constant discomfort with themselves and their world as they try to get away from that feeling in anyway possible. For what reason did you make these people so sad and lost? Is it your own way of saying that war is bad or are you simply trying to portray the affect of the war on young people?
Next, your book is filled with sad themes and conflicts to go along with the sad characters, and their mental and physical directionless wandering.

As this encounter between Cohn and Jake not only gives your readers insight on their worries and opinions, but also their desolate souls: “[Cohn:] ‘I can’t stand to think my life is going so fast and I’m not really living it.’ [Jake:] ‘Nobody ever lives their life all the way up except bullfighters.’”(Hemingway 10) This clearly shows they are lost and feel they can never truly live their lives; so in result, Jake has no idea how to find purpose or drive so, he makes up an excuse saying that no one lives a full live, except for the extraordinary such as bullfighters. As I read this book I noted that Jake brought up bullfighters multiple times, even before they traveled to Spain and watched the fights. What is the significance of the bulls and bullfighters? Are they symbols for the characters in this story? Violent, trapped, and scared, the bulls live their lives in confided spaces without anything to do except pointlessly fight. In a way, they remind me of the characters, so much so that when two of the bulls fight, later in the book, Jake and Cohn also fight. But why bulls? Did you come up with their sojourn to Spain before or after you came up with the symbol of the

bulls?
Lastly, I would just like to ask a simple question. Do you relate to your book? As I can tell thus far, writers write about what they know. Events they’ve experienced, feelings they’ve felt, loss, love, the greatest and worst moments of life. Have you gone though such tragedies as these characters? Did you write this book to tell of your emotions and to have others learn from your struggles? Or, perhaps, did you simply decide it was a clever novel that others would relate to and learn from?
In conclusion, I’d like to thank you for your time as well as your insightful novel. Reading it was quite interesting and thought provoking, a story I will never forget. You are truly one of the greatest authors of time; I can discern that now after extensively reviewing and enjoying The Sun Also Rises