Show the differences between Jake Barnes and Pedro Romero.
The Sun Also Rises is a notable literary work by Ernest Hemingway. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, and various study materials of The Sun Also Rises.
Answer
Show the differences between Jake Barnes and Pedro Romero. [NU: 2018]
Ernest Hemingway’s (1899-1961) “The Sun Also Rises” (1926) is about love, pain, and the “lost generation.” Jake Barnes and Pedro Romero are two very different men. Jake lives in Paris, goes to cafés, and hides his wound. Romero is a young bullfighter in Pamplona. Their lives meet during the fiesta. Through them, we see two different worlds.
Jake Barnes and his wound: Jake is a war veteran. He was hurt in the war. He becomes impotent. He says,
“It’s a rotten way to be wounded.”
He cannot live a full love life with Brett Ashley. He drinks in Paris cafés like the Select. He feels empty and lost. Jake hides pain with humor. He tells Cohn,
“Nobody ever lives their life all the way up except bull-fighters.”
Jake is weak inside, but he accepts his fate.
Pedro Romero and his strength: Pedro Romero is very young. He is a real artist in the bullring of Pamplona. He fights with beauty and bravery. Jake sees him as pure and proud. Romero loves Brett, but he also has the courage to keep his honor. He shows strength in action, not in words. His life is simple. He has Spanish tradition and discipline.
The contrast between them: Jake is modern. He drinks, jokes, and suffers silently. Romero is traditional. He fights bulls and lives with pride. Jake loves Brett, but cannot have her. Romero loves Brett but demands respect. Jake is broken by war. Romero is untouched, young, and whole. Jake belongs to the “lost generation.” Romero belongs to Spain’s heroic culture.
Jake Barnes and Pedro Romero are like two opposite poles. One shows loss, one shows strength. Their meeting in Pamplona makes the difference clear.