The Sun Also Rises · Chapter
Arrival in Pamplona explained
Jake, Bill, and Robert Cohn arrive in Pamplona and check into the Hotel Montoya.
What happens
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.
Themes in this chapter
Expatriation and Alienation
The group's travel from France to Spain and their interactions with locals underscore their status as expatriates seeking escape and meaning abroad.
Masculinity and Identity
Bill's aggressive betting and mockery of Cohn's Jewishness and relationship with Brett reflect anxieties about masculinity and social standing.
Nature and Escape
The planned fishing trip to the Irati River represents a desire to escape social tensions and find solace in the natural landscape.
Characters to notice
- Jake Barnes
Arrives in Pamplona, secures bullfight tickets, and mediates tensions between Bill and Cohn.
- Bill Gorton
Angry with Cohn's superior attitude, makes a bet on Brett and Mike's arrival, and expresses frustration about Cohn's relationship with Brett.
- Robert Cohn
Nervous and awkward about his secret meeting with Brett in San Sebastian, stays behind in Pamplona while Jake and Bill go fishing.
- Montoya
Welcomes the group to his hotel and provides them with rooms overlooking the square.
Key passages
“The first meal in Spain was always a shock with the hors d’œuvres, an egg course, two meat courses, vegetables, salad, and dessert and fruit. You have to drink plenty of wine to get it all down.”
The elaborate Spanish lunch, with its many courses, required a lot of wine to manage.
Highlights the cultural difference and the hedonistic consumption of food and drink.
“He always bets when he is angered, and so he usually bets foolishly.”
Bill's habit of betting when angry leads to unwise wagers.
Reveals Bill's impulsive nature and the tension between him and Cohn.
“The lying bastard!”
Jake calls Cohn a liar upon learning of his secret meeting with Brett.
Shows Jake's anger and the betrayal he feels regarding Cohn's relationship with Brett.