But why was the sun also rising?

I am quite puzzled by the title of this book, The Sun Also Rises. The sun plays absolutely no part in the novel. No one really shines or rises or anything like that. I can't think of a metaphor involving the sun, so I am lost. Considering my confusion, I did a bit of research to try to find out the meaning behind the novel's title. I did find out that the original title of the novel was Fiesta. This is actually the title used in the edition in several foreign countries. That title makes sense. They went to a fiesta in Spain for the climax of the novel. So why would Hemingway change the title?
I also found out that the title is a quote from the Bible. The passage talks about generations coming and going and the sun rising and falling and rising again in the same place. I think that Hemingway chooses this passage to show how no matter what happens to a person, they will end up right back where they started. This happens to Jake and Brett in the novel and it happens to every person in their life. Hemingway's novel is about character development, and he shows this through the title.
As the count said on page 67, "that is the secret, you must get to know the values." Hemingway tells us what a good and decent person looks like, but we must figure out how to make that a part of our lives.

Looking back...

This book has been a very interesting one. It started off talking about Cohn, and it seemed that he would be the main character. That quickly turned and the novel went from there. The main point of the novel seems to be that of character developments. There wasn't really a main character, but rather a group of main characters. My personal favorite character was Bill. He didn't really fit in, but he didn't try to. He just sat back and watched all of the other characters make a fool out of themselves. He didn't rock the boat, and he knew his place and stayed there. I respect that kind of person. He was who he was and didn't try to change that to feel more comfortable.
My least favorite character was Mike. He had no self-respect whatsoever. He saw that Brett was cheating on him, but instead of saying something to her, he just put down the people that she was with. Instead of facing his problem, he took his anger out on others. I don't respect people like that. I think that my reactions are what Hemingway intended from the novel. He wanted the reader to get angry with the type of person that Hemingway didn't like. He also wanted the reader to like the type of person that Hemingway does. Hemingway successfully shows the reader what type of person he wants them to be and hopes that they will try to change to that type of person.

Some call it characterization.

There are two ways that Hemingway develops characters in the novel: direct characterization and indirect characterization. Most direct characterization is done with Cohn. Hemingway needs to make sure that the reader understands Cohn and his character traits, so he tells the reader things like "He was a nice boy, a friendly boy, and very shy, and it made him bitter," (page 12). This type of characterization gives the reader very clear descriptions of the character that show their development and personalities in a very easy to understand way. The reader now understands why Cohn does what he does, because they are told that he is bitter and what made him that way.
The other type of characterization is one that must be understood by the reader. It can be seen in the ways that the characters interact. Mike makes fun of Cohn and insults him for hanging around Brett. This tells the reader that Mike is very insecure. Also, Brett chooses Jake to talk to with her problems, showing the reader that Jake is a good listener and kind. Hemingway is able to show the reader what the character is like instead of just telling them.
The effects of these to types are that simple, strong character traits can be established through the direct method. This ensures that the larger, more important traits are understood by the reader. The more complex character traits and character developments can be shown to the reader through interactions with others, creating a better picture than the first method. Both are used by Hemingway, but their intentions and results are slightly different.

Disappointed.

The back of this novel told me that one of the aspects of the novel was about "the brutal bullfighting rings of Spain." Reading that, I expected some betting, or some intense rivalry, or at least some controversy, but, as usual with this book, I was disappointed. I really thought that the main climax was going to involve some street fight between Cohn, Jake, and their clan and some Spanish loan sharks. That didn't happen. Why this novel is so popular and so highly rated I have no idea. For me to enjoy a book, it must have action and it must have a fast-moving plot that keeps me interested; this novel has neither. I'm starting to understand the significance of the character developments and all of that. That is nice and all, but come on Mr. Hemingway. We all aren't psychologists and most readers need some sort of plot to keep them interested. I appreciate what you were trying to do, but I would also appreciate a bit of action somewhere in the novel. On page 185, Brett says "Darling, don't let's talk a lot of rot." I think that Hemingway was trying to talk to the reader there. He wants us to do what Brett is saying to do and not focus on the bad, but on the good of the novel. I'm trying my best to do so, but I'm failing at this point.

First Person Point of View, quizas?

Well, in this post, I'm going to discuss why I think Hemingway chose to have the story told from the point of view of Jake, one of the main characters. The main point of the novel thus far seems to be the development of the characters and their relationships with each other. I've always heard that the best way to understand someone's character is through other people's reactions to them. Hemingway is able to use Jake and his reactions to other characters to give the reader the opinions that Hemingway wants them to have.
The way that Hemingway does this can only be explained by showing what he could have said if the novel was written in third person. When explaining Cohn's history and how that history made people perceive him, he could have said "people were not impressed by Cohn's boxing title." But since he wrote in first person, he was able to say, on page 11, a phrase that is much more impactful- "do not think that I am very impressed by that as a boxing title, but it meant a lot to Cohn." Phrases such as this show a sense of looking down upon Cohn by other characters, causing the reader to do the same. It also enlightens the reader as to Jake's compassion and kindness because he reveals that he will allow Cohn to be happy with his unimpressive title. It is situations like these that show why Hemingway chose to write his novel about character development from the first person point of view.