France and French culture seem to be a big part of the novel so far. Hemingway tries to portray the type of environment that the characters are living in by focusing on their dialect, customs, etc. On page 29, Brett is described as wearing "a slipover jersey sweater and a tweed skirt, and her hair was brushed back like a boy's." Also, the characters, who speak mostly English, insert little bits of French. This can be seen on page 31 when a patronne says "C'est entendu, Monsieur." The description of the French-style clothes, as well as French phrases, that, though not in the readers' language, can be understood, remind the reader of the French environment of the novel and how that environment influences the actions that they make.
Another major example of local color is in the landscape. A natural landscape isn't focused on, but rather an urban landscape. The characters spend most of their time going from cafe to cafe drinking, eating, and dancing. This is a very common way to spend free time in Paris, and the extent to which the characters do this really emphasizes the importance of these activities in France. Due to Hemingway's use of local color, the reader really understands why the characters do what they do.
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