Bulls and steers are a major theme in The Sun Also Rises. Not only does each bullfight parallel the events among the group Jake belongs to, but through the description of the bullfights and the way it is written, the relationships between bull, steer, and bullfighter symbolize those of Jake, Brett, Mike, Bill and Cohn.
"The bull, striking into the wood from side to side with his horns, made a great noice. Then I saw a dark muzzle and the shadow of horns, and then, with a clattering on the wood in the hollow box, the bull charged and came out into the corral, [...] his head up, the great hump of muscle on his neck swollen tight, his body quivering as he looked up at the crowd on the stone walls. The two steers backed away against the wall, their heads sunken, their eyes watching the bull" (Hemingway, 143)
This is the first scene describing the bulls and steers. The steers are separate from the bulls, but wish to join them, although they fear the bulls as well. The bulls, on the other hand, are raging creatures who at first attack the steers. In a short paragraph at this website, the connection between sexuality and bull-fighting is made. The bulls represent masculinity, and are described in a sexual manner. So who is a bull? At first, I thought Cohn might be the bull, when Jake describes one as having "a left and a right just like a boxer" (144). However, when a bull pierces one of the steers, and in the end, when "the steer who had been gored had gotten to his feet [...] none of the bulls came near him, and he did not attempt to join the herd" (145). So in this case, Cohn is the steer who failed in his job. I think that it is important that the relationship between a boxer and a bull is made, because it characterizes Cohn. Although Cohn has the physicality of a bull, mentally he does not fit in and this is what creates his situation. He is ostracized and hated by pretty much everyone due to his beliefs. Cohn's resemblance of a steer is clarified when Mike calls him one. Cohn tries too hard to join the herd, to belong; and when he goes too far, he is left out of the group entirely.
The other steer during the running of the bulls would be Jake, I think. For he doesn't belong with the masculinity and sexuality of the bulls, and his body is weak, but he knows how to join the herd. He hangs around people who are more sexually capable than himself, and he replicates a bit of masculinity- enough to join the herd. Actually, this can be compared to Cohn's un-masculinity, how he doesn't fit in with the mindset of it- he never drinks. In the first scene, the steer who would represent Jake is described: "When the next bull came out, all three, the two bull and the steer, stood together, their heads side by side, their horns against the newcomer. In a few minutes the steer picked the new bull up, quieted him down, and made him one of the herd" (145). Not only does Jake join the herd, but he helps steer the bulls- he quiets them, he helps them join together too. This parallels how Jake brought all of them together, and that he is the only one who knew all of the characters before the trip. Also, when Mike starts blabbing towards Cohn about how annoying he is, Jake is the one who will talk to Cohn later. By this the bulls are Mike and Bill, who are strong physically and a part of the group.
So then, who is Brett? In the one scene where Romero kills a bull, not only the bulls are characterized but the bull-fighter: "Romero spoke to the bull and tapped one of his feet. The bull charged and Romero waited for the charge, the muleta held low, sighting along the blade, his feet firm. Then without taking a step forward, he became one with the bull, the sword was in high between the shoulders, the bull had followed the low-swung flannel, that disappeared as Romero lurched clear to the left, and it was over" (224). Brett is much like Romero. She manipulates the bulls, makes them run after her, displaying her flannel (which I think is her beauty) but eventually she ends her sexuality and "kills" those who love her. By this I mean that Brett continually moves from one person to the next, always killing her relationships. She is in control of her life, and she manipulates others. She displays her sexuality for the whole world to see, as Romero does with his bull-fighting. All the men run after her, and in the end, it is their own momentum they create in running after her that kills them. Brett holds the sword, but it is the men that put themselves on it, as the bulls do as they run at the sword.
The only thing I'm not sure about is that Bill does not run after Brett. He does like women, but he doesn't make a fool of himself as everyone else does. Bill helps people get along, sort of like Jake, and so at first I thought he was a steer. But he is a part of the group. But does that make him the blind bull that Romero had trouble with? It sort of makes sense, as during this bull fight Romero is shown in a bad light. Those who do not understand find it distasteful, and all of his pain from the fight with Cohn shown through. Bill, in a way, sees through Brett's sexuality due to witnessing Jake's pain, and perhaps shows her in a bad light. However, Brett doesn't actually "kill" Bill as she does others...
"The bull, striking into the wood from side to side with his horns, made a great noice. Then I saw a dark muzzle and the shadow of horns, and then, with a clattering on the wood in the hollow box, the bull charged and came out into the corral, [...] his head up, the great hump of muscle on his neck swollen tight, his body quivering as he looked up at the crowd on the stone walls. The two steers backed away against the wall, their heads sunken, their eyes watching the bull" (Hemingway, 143)
This is the first scene describing the bulls and steers. The steers are separate from the bulls, but wish to join them, although they fear the bulls as well. The bulls, on the other hand, are raging creatures who at first attack the steers. In a short paragraph at this website, the connection between sexuality and bull-fighting is made. The bulls represent masculinity, and are described in a sexual manner. So who is a bull? At first, I thought Cohn might be the bull, when Jake describes one as having "a left and a right just like a boxer" (144). However, when a bull pierces one of the steers, and in the end, when "the steer who had been gored had gotten to his feet [...] none of the bulls came near him, and he did not attempt to join the herd" (145). So in this case, Cohn is the steer who failed in his job. I think that it is important that the relationship between a boxer and a bull is made, because it characterizes Cohn. Although Cohn has the physicality of a bull, mentally he does not fit in and this is what creates his situation. He is ostracized and hated by pretty much everyone due to his beliefs. Cohn's resemblance of a steer is clarified when Mike calls him one. Cohn tries too hard to join the herd, to belong; and when he goes too far, he is left out of the group entirely.
The other steer during the running of the bulls would be Jake, I think. For he doesn't belong with the masculinity and sexuality of the bulls, and his body is weak, but he knows how to join the herd. He hangs around people who are more sexually capable than himself, and he replicates a bit of masculinity- enough to join the herd. Actually, this can be compared to Cohn's un-masculinity, how he doesn't fit in with the mindset of it- he never drinks. In the first scene, the steer who would represent Jake is described: "When the next bull came out, all three, the two bull and the steer, stood together, their heads side by side, their horns against the newcomer. In a few minutes the steer picked the new bull up, quieted him down, and made him one of the herd" (145). Not only does Jake join the herd, but he helps steer the bulls- he quiets them, he helps them join together too. This parallels how Jake brought all of them together, and that he is the only one who knew all of the characters before the trip. Also, when Mike starts blabbing towards Cohn about how annoying he is, Jake is the one who will talk to Cohn later. By this the bulls are Mike and Bill, who are strong physically and a part of the group.
So then, who is Brett? In the one scene where Romero kills a bull, not only the bulls are characterized but the bull-fighter: "Romero spoke to the bull and tapped one of his feet. The bull charged and Romero waited for the charge, the muleta held low, sighting along the blade, his feet firm. Then without taking a step forward, he became one with the bull, the sword was in high between the shoulders, the bull had followed the low-swung flannel, that disappeared as Romero lurched clear to the left, and it was over" (224). Brett is much like Romero. She manipulates the bulls, makes them run after her, displaying her flannel (which I think is her beauty) but eventually she ends her sexuality and "kills" those who love her. By this I mean that Brett continually moves from one person to the next, always killing her relationships. She is in control of her life, and she manipulates others. She displays her sexuality for the whole world to see, as Romero does with his bull-fighting. All the men run after her, and in the end, it is their own momentum they create in running after her that kills them. Brett holds the sword, but it is the men that put themselves on it, as the bulls do as they run at the sword.
The only thing I'm not sure about is that Bill does not run after Brett. He does like women, but he doesn't make a fool of himself as everyone else does. Bill helps people get along, sort of like Jake, and so at first I thought he was a steer. But he is a part of the group. But does that make him the blind bull that Romero had trouble with? It sort of makes sense, as during this bull fight Romero is shown in a bad light. Those who do not understand find it distasteful, and all of his pain from the fight with Cohn shown through. Bill, in a way, sees through Brett's sexuality due to witnessing Jake's pain, and perhaps shows her in a bad light. However, Brett doesn't actually "kill" Bill as she does others...
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