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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
This is a pretty mixed bag, as I liked the writing a lot and disliked most of the content. The writing is a combination of short, sparse descriptions of the characters' actions and a lot of back-and-forth dialogue, and yet it somehow paints a rich description of each situation so that I could feel what the characters felt, whether the breeze on the top level of a bus, the baking sun on wet skin after swimming, or the cool quiet when walking with a friend at night after a day of rain. That made it a good summer read. As far as what actually happens in the book, though, there's a lot of drunkenness, fighting, casual sex, anti-Semitism, and the occasional n-word. If you understand that Hemingway was trying to capture the unmoored feeling of an entire generation after the first world war, then it provides some context for the characters' poor decision making, but it doesn't make it any more enjoyable to read. And yet, because of the great writing, I found it pretty easy to get through and didn't hate it. I don't think I'd recommend it for today's readers except as a cultural landmark.
This is my least favorite of the bunch, but contrary to that fact, I can actually see the merit of teaching this novel. First of all, even though it is a classic, the language is very straight-forward (even if the characters' habit of talking around the issue at hand can be confusing). Second of all, I think that Hemingway is an important author to read and discuss and the earlier students are introduced to him, the better. Also, apart from WWI, I think that the novel has held up really well. Regarding the war, this generation is no stranger to war, so we can relate to it in a more general sense. I do think this novel would have to be taught to a senior level class. Some of the topics include impotence, excessive (and I do mean excessive) drinking, and casual sex. I would want to make sure that my students were mature enough to not misinterpret the novel and think that these characters are "cool" for doing the thinks that they do. Although I didn't personally enjoy this novel, I think some of my students might. If nothing else, it's a good novel for building reading comprehension skills and perhaps basic vocabulary (spelling and pronunciation skills).The characters strike me as being very immature, and more like teenagers than adults. Speaking of which, I would definitely like to discuss Stein's concept of The Lost Generation which Hemingway applied to this novel. I think that would really help the students relate to the text. For me, my teen years were much like The Lost Generation which Stein describes. It's a period of self-discovery and also a period in which one is trying to figure out what life is about and where he or she fits into the world. This is undoubtedly a feeling that all teenagers can relate to.
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So well described that I almost feel like I’ve been to the Fiesta with them.
The characters are uncomplicated and credible, for their era, there wasn’t a huge story line but the detail with which it was described lets you throw yourself into the book.
The characters are uncomplicated and credible, for their era, there wasn’t a huge story line but the detail with which it was described lets you throw yourself into the book.
legit had never read Hemingway so decided to read this and it was ok.
honestly i was fighting for my life in Book 1 i was absolutely annoyed. i actually really liked Book 2 though bc it was an absolute shit show of drinks party bulls. i can see the vision.
adventurous
challenging
funny
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes