The Sun Also Rises · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway.
Chapter 1
Dedication
The book is dedicated to Hadley and John Hadley Nicanor.
Chapter 2
Epigraph
The epigraph presents two contrasting perspectives: Gertrude Stein's declaration that the post-war generation is 'lost,' and a passage from Ecclesiastes emphasizing the eternal, cyclical nature of the earth and its elements, suggesting a timeless continuity beyond human turmoil.
Chapter 3
The Sun Also Rises
The novel opens with an introduction to Robert Cohn, a wealthy Jewish man from New York who attended Princeton and became a mediocre boxer. After a failed marriage and a stint in California, he returns to Paris where he is involved with Frances Clyne and becomes part of the expatriate community. The narrator, Jake Barnes, describes Cohn's background and his restlessness, setting the stage for the group's eventual journey to Pamplona.
Chapter 4
Book I
The narrator, Jake Barnes, introduces his friend Robert Cohn, a wealthy Jewish man who was a boxing champion at Princeton and later becomes a writer. Cohn's life is marked by insecurity and a desire for validation, which leads him to travel to America and return with a changed perspective. The chapter explores Cohn's background, his failed marriage, and his affair with Frances Clyne, as well as his interactions with Jake and other expatriates in Paris. Themes of disillusionment, aimlessness, and the search for identity are established.
Chapter 5
I
The chapter introduces Robert Cohn's background, his time at Princeton where he became middleweight boxing champion to combat anti-Semitic treatment, his failed marriage, his venture into publishing a literary review, and his current relationship with Frances Clyne in Paris. It also establishes the narrator Jake Barnes's friendship with Cohn and Frances's possessive control over him.
Chapter 6
II
Jake describes Robert Cohn's trip to America, where his novel was accepted, and how the experience changed him. Cohn becomes more vain, enthusiastic about America, and influenced by reading W.H. Hudson's 'The Purple Land,' which inspires a desire to go to South America. He tries to persuade Jake to join him, but Jake dismisses the idea, arguing that changing locations won't solve one's problems. The chapter ends with Cohn falling asleep in Jake's office and later having a drink together.
Chapter 7
III
Jake and Georgette dine at a restaurant, then join Braddocks and his party at a bal musette. Brett arrives with a group of gay young men, and Jake's irritation grows. Brett and Jake leave together, and in the taxi Brett confesses her misery.
Chapter 8
Chapter IV
Jake and Brett share a taxi ride, then join friends at a bar where Brett meets Count Mippipopolous. Jake leaves, goes home, and later Brett visits him late at night, drunk, after the count brought her. They talk briefly, she leaves, and Jake lies awake brooding over his war wound and his feelings for Brett.
Chapter 9
Chapter V
Jake and Robert Cohn have lunch, where Cohn reveals his infatuation with Lady Brett Ashley, leading to a tense argument. Later, Jake enjoys a peaceful morning working in Paris, then meets Cohn again for another lunch, where Cohn continues to express his frustrations.
Chapter 10
VI
Jake waits for Brett at the Crillon, then meets Harvey Stone at the Select, who is broke and hungry. Frances Clyne confronts Robert Cohn about his decision to leave her, publicly humiliating him and revealing their broken engagement.
Chapter 11
VII
Jake, Brett, and the Count Mippipopolous dine and drink champagne, then go to Zelli's in Montmartre where Brett and Jake dance. Brett reveals she plans to marry Mike Campbell. Later, Brett visits Jake's apartment, confesses her misery, and they discuss their impossible relationship. The Count returns with more champagne, and they plan to go to the Bois for dinner.
Chapter 12
Book II
The narrative shifts to the vibrant and often chaotic atmosphere of Paris, where Jake Barnes navigates his social circle, including the return of Bill Gorton and the ongoing tensions with Robert Cohn. The group's dynamics are strained by Brett Ashley's presence and her relationships, leading to plans for the fiesta in Pamplona. The chapter explores themes of disillusionment, hedonism, and the search for meaning among the expatriate community.
Chapter 13
Chapter VIII
Jake enjoys a quiet period in Paris after Brett and Cohn leave. Bill Gorton returns from a trip to Vienna and Budapest, recounting a chaotic prizefight in Vienna. Jake and Bill dine at Madame Lecomte's and walk along the Seine, discussing Brett and her fiancé Mike.
Chapter 14
IX
Jake and Bill prepare for their trip to Spain, coordinating with Robert Cohn, Mike Campbell, and Brett Ashley. They travel by train, encountering American pilgrims, and eventually meet Cohn in Bayonne before heading to Pamplona.
Chapter 15
Arrival in Pamplona
Jake, Bill, and Robert Cohn arrive in Pamplona and check into the Hotel Montoya. Tensions arise over Cohn's secret meeting with Brett in San Sebastian, leading to a bet between Bill and Cohn about whether Brett and Mike will arrive that night. The group explores the town, and Jake secures his bullfight tickets. Bill expresses his frustration with Cohn's behavior and his relationship with Brett. They prepare for a fishing trip to the Irati River, crossing into Spain and observing the landscape and border formalities.
Chapter 16
XI
Jake and Bill travel by bus from Pamplona to Burguete for a fishing trip, sharing the journey with friendly Basque peasants and enjoying the changing landscape from hot, barren hills to cool, green mountains. They stop at a posada for drinks, interact with a Basque who had lived in America, and eventually arrive in Burguete, where they check into an inn and prepare for their fishing excursion.
Chapter 17
Chapter XII
Jake and Bill Gorton spend a day fishing in the Irati River near Burguete, engaging in humorous and ironic banter about expatriation, writing, and masculinity. They enjoy the natural setting, drink wine, and discuss Jake's past with Brett. The chapter ends with a peaceful return to Burguete after five days of good fishing, with no word from Cohn or Brett.
Chapter 18
XIII
Jake and Bill return to Pamplona from Burguete, where tensions rise as Mike Campbell publicly humiliates Robert Cohn for his affair with Brett. The group prepares for the San Fermín fiesta, and Jake reflects on the concept of afición and his bond with Montoya.
Chapter 19
XIV
Jake reflects on his drunken night, reading Turgenev, and contemplates his philosophy of paying for everything in life. The days before the fiesta in Pamplona are quiet and preparatory, with the town setting up for the bull-running. Jake, Bill, Robert Cohn, Brett, and Mike settle into a routine. Jake and Brett visit church, meet Cohn, and walk to a gypsy camp where Brett's fortune is told. Jake's internal monologue grapples with his feelings for Brett, his disdain for Cohn, and his moral code.
Chapter 20
XV
The San Fermín fiesta explodes on Sunday, July 6th, transforming the quiet town into a chaotic, week-long celebration of dancing, drinking, and religious procession. The group watches bullfights, with Brett showing fascination for the bullfighter Pedro Romero. The narrative captures the unreal, consequence-free atmosphere of the fiesta, as the characters are swept into the crowd's revelry.
Chapter 21
Chapter XVI
During the rainy San Fermín fiesta, Jake introduces Brett to Pedro Romero, which sparks an immediate attraction. Mike's drunken behavior and anti-Semitic insults toward Cohn escalate tensions. Later, Brett confesses to Jake that she is in love with Romero, and they go to find him. Montoya confides in Jake about protecting Romero from corrupting foreign influences.
Chapter 22
XVII
The aftermath of the fiesta's violence unfolds as Jake, Bill, and Mike discuss Cohn's beating by Pedro Romero and Brett's departure with the bullfighter. Mike reveals Brett's troubled past with her husband. The chapter also details the death of a villager, Vicente Girones, during the bull run, and the subsequent funeral. Later, a confrontation at a bar leads to a fight where Cohn assaults Jake and Mike.
Chapter 23
XVIII
On the final day of the San Fermín fiesta, the town is crowded with tourists and locals. Brett, now openly with Pedro Romero, is radiant and happy, while Mike, drunk and bitter, taunts her about her bullfighter. Jake and Brett visit the chapel briefly, but Brett finds no comfort in prayer. Mike is found passed out in his room. The bullfight features Belmonte, Marcial, and Romero; Romero performs brilliantly, winning the crowd's adoration, while Belmonte struggles with pain and diminished greatness.
Chapter 24
Book III
After the fiesta, Jake returns to San Sebastián to recover alone, but receives a telegram from Brett asking him to come to Madrid. He travels to Madrid, finds Brett alone in a hotel without money, and learns that she has left Pedro Romero. They have a final conversation about what might have been, ending with Brett's famous line, 'Isn't it pretty to think so?'
Chapter 25
XIX
The fiesta is over. Jake wakes to an empty Pamplona, has coffee with Bill, and they arrange a car to Bayonne with Mike. After dropping Bill at the station, they go to Biarritz for drinks, where Mike reveals he is broke. Jake then travels alone to San Sebastian, where he enjoys a quiet routine of swimming, reading, and observing a bicycle race. He reflects on the simplicity of life in France compared to Spain.
