Kafka and the Three Transformations

Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis gives the events from Gregor Samsa's mind, relating his experience, surroundings, and family all from his guilt-prone point of view.  Though the metamorphosis clearly refers to Gregor's transformation from human to cockroach/"monstrous vermin," a significant metamorphosis is also apparent throughout in the characters of his family - primarily his father and sister.

At the beginning of the novel, we are told (in a somewhat timidly respectful way from Gregor's point of view) that Gregor's father is a fat, lazy man that spends hours simply eating breakfast and reading the paper, depending on his son for income support.  Initially not wanting to take care of the situation with Gregor, he runs away and tries cowering behind his wife.  

[insert passage from beginning]

As Gregor's "condition" remains stagnant, the father realizes he must find a means of supporting his family, and decides to get a job as a banker -- taking his role so seriously, as to refuse to take off the uniform, even when sleeping. 

[insert passage about father's "dedication"]

Gregor comments on his father's shockingly different appearance when he sees him a few months after his own metamorphosis.  Rather than fat and old looking, he notes that his father looks stronger, younger, and sharper with his new assimilated role.

[insert]

Gregor's sister Grete starts out as a timid, young child that we only hear through the door of Gregor's room, separated from her brother as well as her parents, begging for her brother to let her in on his "dilemma."  Once her brother's transformation becomes known, she immediately takes it as her role to take care of him.  

[insert beginning, caring sister]

She does this quite diligently and seems the more sympathetic and caring out of Gregor's family, until the very end where she condemns him.  Suddenly she has had enough of Gregor and says things that eventually cause him to give up and die.  

[insert ending where she explodes]

After Gregor's death, her parents reflect on Grete's youthfulness and attractiveness, and, as Mr. Mitchell said, the essence of the ending is "Look at that fertile body, we gotta marry her off."  Grete transforms from a young, essentially useless member of the Samsa family, to a hardworking and caring sister, to an irritable and fed-up adolescent throughout the course of the novel. 

Gregor's father and sister transform over the course of the novel, alongside Gregor himself.  Though Gregor's transformation is physical, that of his family is mental and social, and, despite the lack of a son/brother at the end, they seem better off and hopeful for the future.

*note: [inserts] above are for the potential expansion of the blog post to an essay (as passages alluded to are most likely known at the moment*

Paris? Pamplona?

Cuando los amigos en El sol también se eleva están en España, hay algunas diferencias entre sus personalidades y el escenario en comparación con Paris (Español).
Quand les amis dans Le soleil se léve aussi sont à Paris, il y a beaucoup de différences entre leurs personnalités et sertissage de que est en Paris (Français).

Though the characters in the Sun Also Rises continue their habitual café drinking at all hours and argue amongst themselves in France as well as Spain, there are differences in their interactions, as well as the general feel of the book as the setting changes.  Though you can tell from reading the book that Hemingway clearly loved Paris and its nightlife and craziness after the war, his depictions of peaceful and "pre"-modern Pamplona hold an appreciation different from that associated with the insider descriptions of Paris.

Hemingway describes Paris and the pastimes of the characters enough to allow for the reader to feel like they're a part of the busy, drunken, nightlife, but his descriptions of the city's overall physical appearance are not like those found in the Spanish section, where many sentences, if not long paragraphs at first, are used for describing the nature and tradition of Spain.  Paris is seen as modern and busy as it was greatly affected by the war, while the countrysides of Spain are unaffected and ancient-feeling.

Most of the scenes in Paris take place during the night hours, in urban scenes, with a seemingly "moral vacancy" (as was suggested in class).  In contrast, Jake and Bill spend a lot of their time fishing in the wilderness, or when all the characters are together, watching bullfights in the daytime.  Because Paris is so urban and busy, it gives off a claustrophobic vibe that breeds anxiety in all the barhopping and partying the characters engage in.  Though a good deal of wine is consumed in Spain as well, the days seem to last longer and without as much stress as in Paris, possibly due to the openness of Pamplona and its surroundings.

The alcohol consumed and its "packaging" also differ as the setting switches.  In Paris, the characters indulge in expensive, modern drinks, bottled in glass with nice labels, and they primarily consume drinks out of glasses while sitting at bars or fancy dinner/café tables.  In Pamplona, the drinks of choice are almost entirely wine in leather/skin wine sacks, offered to them not by the hand of a suited-up waiter, but by friendly farmers and peasants.

As the setting switched from Paris, France to Pamplona, Spain (and surrounding countryside), Hemingway's depictions of surroundings switched to a more natural focus, as well as giving off a warmer, more traditional feeling.  The characters still maintained their general habits of arguing with one another (though more seriously in Spain) and drinking with one another, but the overall quality of their time in Spain seemed lighter and not as hectic as in France.

Bulls, Booze, and Boys

In more than one way, Jake Barnes from Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises seems like a portrayal of Hemingway himself.  The style of narration from Jake's point of view as well as his speech is quite concise and matter-of-fact, as is Hemingway's general writing.  Both Jake and Hemingway enjoyed fishing, and both were part of the ex-patriot community in Paris in the 1920s.  Though Jake does not seem to engage in "overbearing masculinity" as Hemingway was said to have done, it seems that both had a complex regarding male roles and ideologies.  Also, in the way Hemingway describes bullfights through Jake's eyes, we get the understanding that he is an aficionado of bullfighting much like his invented character.  Hemingway's vivid yet pithy depictions of the matador's teasing yet expert movements regarding the bull really make the reader feel like they are in the bullring themselves.

Though, comparatively, the characters don't spend too much time in the bullrings, but rather in cafés getting drunk, a lot about the characters and their personas appear when watching a fight or discussing bulls or matadors before or after one.  As I already said, Jake is an aficionado of bullfighting.  Though he loses this form of respect from Montoya because he aided in the corruption of perhaps the best bullfighter alive (Romero), Jake's knowledge of bullfighting does not decrease, and we see even more explicit examples of his knowledge after losing this respect, when Jake picks up on the tricks Romero is using despite being hurt, and recognizes that one of the bulls has bad eyesight. He respects both the bull and the matador, and while he isn't disgusted by the blood and killing, he doesn't revel in it like someone disturbed might.  Jake has a strong personality that is brought out in his passion for bullfighting.  Bill is also very similar in this regard, and that might be what makes Bill and Jake such good friends for each other -- their strong yet individual personalities blend well together.

Brett is another character that doesn't seem very disturbed by the killings, but rather quite intrigued -- very unusual for a female, especially at the time.  Her calmness regarding the slaughtering of the bulls, as well as the man she loves (Romero) in such a dangerous position reflects on her strong, partly-masculine personality.  Though not explicitly stated, I felt that when Brett comments on how captivated she was by the bullfight, and how she could not look away, Jake loves her even more as he is such an aficionado of bullfighting, it just makes him happy that the girl he loves enjoys it too.  Because Brett has so many qualities that Jake likes, it's only logical that Bill and Brett are on good terms as well.  As she is one of the appreciative types of bullfighting, she fits in with Bill and Jake, and because Bill drinks and likes to have fun, he fits in with Brett and Jake in that aspect as well.

On the contrary, Cohn has difficulties bonding with any of the group.  Yes, he had an affair with Brett, but Brett has affairs with almost anything male.  Cohn is the only one in the group (including Mike) who turns green and feels sick during the bullfight.  He is also the only one that doesn't drink.  These two aspects of Cohn's persona estrange him from the group, and he does not fit in with them well.  In the case of the bullfights, Brett seems more masculine than him as she cannot stop herself from looking away, while he does his very best not to throw up at the thought of it.

Through Hemingway's details of bullfighting, I got the sense of being in the ring myself with a crowd of chanting, cheering, jeering, drunk Spaniards excited for the slaying of the bull and the finesse of the matador.  While depicting something he was clearly passionate about, Hemingway also allowed for character development, providing more insight into their relationships and personalities.  I really enjoyed the bullfighting scenes, and the Spanish setting in general.