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Overview

Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises, published in 1926, is a seminal work of modernist literature that explores the disillusionment and aimlessness of the “Lost Generation” following World War I. Set primarily in Paris and Spain, the novel follows the lives of expatriates as they navigate the aftermath of war, grappling with the physical and emotional scars it left behind. The protagonist, Jake Barnes, and his group of friends engage in a search for meaning and purpose against the backdrop of the hedonistic lifestyle of the 1920s.

The setting of The Sun Also Rises is crucial to understanding the novel’s themes. Hemingway captures the atmosphere of post-war Europe, portraying a world marked by moral and cultural upheaval. The novel reflects the author’s own experiences as a member of the expatriate community in Paris during the 1920s, providing a snapshot of the era’s social and political dynamics. The characters, many of whom are veterans dealing with physical and psychological wounds, symbolize the broader disillusionment of a generation that faced the horrors of war. Hemingway’s minimalist prose style, characteristic of his modernist approach, reflects the starkness and complexity of the characters’ experiences.

Explore the full plot summary, an in-depth analysis of Jake Barnes, and explanations of important quotes from The Sun Also Rises.

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