Entry #14

Implied Metaphor- "'They lead such a quiet life. They never say anything and they're always hanging about so'" (page146).

Although Mike never comes out and says that Cohn is like a steer, he makes it very clear that he believes this. He says that he hangs around Brett and follows her, never really saying anything. During this scene, I thought Mike was being extremely mean. Although it seems like Cohn is that guy who is always annoying everyone, he still doesn't deserved to be treated like an animal.

"'Mark you. Brett's had affairs with men before. She tells me all about everything. She gave me this chap Cohn's letters to read. I wouldn't read them'" (page 147).

Okay so this is just getting ridiculous! During Mike's rant about Cohn, he mentions that he knows about Brett's affairs!!!! How can this guy know that she "gets around" for lack of a better term and just put up with it like that. I would think that if they truly loved each other they could avoid sleeping with other people. Maybe I'm crazy but that's how i always thought a relationship was supposed to work.

Entry #13

"When they saw that I had aficion, and there was no password, no set questions that could bring it out, rather it was a sort of oral spiritual examination with the questions always a little on the defensive and never apparent, there was this same embarrassed putting the hand on the shoulder, or a 'Buen hombre.' But nearly always there was he actual touching. It seemed as though they wanted to touch you to make it certain" (page 137).

This is a great example of how closed off American culture is. People are surprised to see that the Americans, meaning Jake, could have "aficion" or passion about something so un-American, bull-fighting. Sometimes I see this as well. People are so passionate about football because it is the "All American Sport," but recently the World Cup occurred in South Africa and although people knew about it, they were not passionate about it. If you ask me, I think the World Cup is so much more interesting than the Super Bowl because it is so much bigger! It is bringing together many countries and giving us a common bond, even though when the game is going on, we are enemies.

I also like how Jake describes passion. I never thought of it this way before, but many people who claim to have passion for something are really just faking everyone, sometimes including themselves. I think that passion is something to be seen, not heard. If someone is all talk about their passion or "aficion," then I don't believe they truly have passion. It should be seen in a person's movements, actions, and personality.

Entry #12

Allusion-

"'You ought to dream,' Bill said. 'All our biggest business men have been dreamers. Look at Ford. Look at President Coolidge. Look at Rockefeller. Look at Jo Davidson'" (page 129).

Here, Bill incorporates many men from culture, including politics and history. I think this is an excellent allusion because all of these men had dreams and tried to fulfill these dreams. He is giving Jake advice on how to succeed and become well-known.

I think that when Bill is saying this he means two different things. He is telling Jake that he should dream as in when he is sleeping, but also that he should have dreams as in aspirations and goals in life. I think that so far it has not seemed like Jake has had many aspirations. He seems to live a lazy life that is headed nowhere. I think he needs to listen to Bill more often and try to live by what Bill tells him.

Entry #11

1st Person point of view-

"'Were you ever in love with her?'

'Sure.'

'For how long?'

'Off and on for hell of a long time.'

'Oh hell!' Bill said. 'I'm sorry, fella.'

'It's all right,' I said. 'I don't give a damn any more' (page 128).

Okay so this has been evident from the beginning but just in case anyone missed it this book is written in a first person point of view from Jake's view point. Okay now that we have that settled lets move on. I think that this passage shows how genuine the relationship between Jake and Bill is. Unlike his relationship with Cohn whom he often speaks badly of, Bill and Jake can have a serious conversation about their personal lives. So far, I have not picked up on Jake bed mouthing Bill or vice versa. Jake can share his true feelings about Brett with Bill, even though I believe that he might be telling a little white lie. I believe that he is still very much in love with Brett, but he is denying it even to himself. This relationship between Bill and Jake seems realistic to how a friendship would be in real life.

Entry #10

"He shook hands and turned around to the back seat again. The other Basques had been impressed. He sat back comfortably and smiled at me when I turned around to look at the country. But the effort of talking American seemed to have tired him, He did not say anything after that" (page 113).

I found it interesting that although Jake and Bill could not communicate with the Basques, they still enjoyed a great trip together. They drank with the men and through this connection they became friends. When this one man who had spent 15 years in America spoke to them, the other Basques were in awe. This seems odd to me that these Basques looked at two men from a different country with such reverence. They seem to almost worship the men even though they have no idea who they are. It is weird to think that as soon as people see Jake and Bill, they know that they are not from around the area and that they are Americans specifically. I think this shows how different and secluded America is. I believe this to be a bad thing and I think that we need to follow Jake and Bill and at least attempt to widen our horizons and expand our culture.

Entry #9

Throughout the book, I have been given the impression that Jake and Robert Cohn are friends. Cohn even goes so far to call Jake his best friend, but I had been given the impression that Jake did not exactly share those same feelings.

"Why I felt that impulse to devil him I do not know. Of course I do know, I was blind, unforgivingly jealous of what happened to him. The fact that I took it as a matter of course did not alter that any. I certainly did hate him. I do not think I ever really hated him until he had that little spell of superiority at lunch..." (page 105).

This section affirmed my thought that Jake was getting fed-up with Cohn. He intentionally tortured his "best friend." I don't think that these two ever really seemed like best friends. Instead I though that Cohn just didn't have many friends and Jake was one person who was actually nice to him. This seems like a horrible life to me. He has what seems like an awful girlfriend, some friends who don't actually like him, and he is not happy with what he is doing and has done in life. Maybe all that partying and drinking has factored into all of this, but that's just speculation.

Entry #8

Okay so Brett/ Lady Ashley (I have no idea what all these characters have so many names!!!) is really starting to anger me! She is a very promiscuous girl. She always seems to be with another guy, even though she is engaged, but in love with Jake instead of her fiance. Confusing right?

'"Don't you think it will be a bit rough on him?'

'Why should I?

'Who do you think I went down to San Sebastian with?' (page 89).

I'm not really sure how many guys she has had during the book so far, but it seems like a lot! She even went on a vacation with one of Jake's friends. In my mind, this would be considered as betrayal, but to Jake it seems to be no big deal. He always accepts her back and expresses his love for her, but she betrays him over and over again. Her own fiance even knows of her ways, but he just acts like it is no big deal and allows her to walk all over him and any other guy whom she crosses.