Point of View

The Sun Also Rises is told from a first person point of view by narrator and protagonist Jake Barnes. This is particularly important because the book is based on real experiences and people, with Hemingway basing the character of Jake on himself.

Using a first person narrator has the advantage of allowing the reader to see everything and everyone through Jake's eyes, but we can only surmise what other characters are thinking and feeling based on what Jake tells us. The narration is reliable only when it comes to Jake, who might not be correct in assumptions he makes about the behavior and motivations of others.

Language and Meaning

The Sun Also Rises was written and set in the post-World War I era, and the language reflects that. It is slightly more stiff in some ways than current novels, and the characters use slang words...