Chapter 15 highlights the fun, frolic and gaiety of the start of the fiesta. This gay abandonment and party spirit must seem like a release following the years of World War 1. For the expatriate generation the fiesta is liberation of their suppression, where they can find themselves. A journey of self- discovery, of sorts for the group continues its theme. Throughout, the novel the theme of heavy drinking both for social reasons and to deliberately loosen their spirits and unleash their inner spirits plays heavily for all the characters, (Cohn passes out due to excessive alcohol). Alcohol serves as a curtain that they can hide behind, or to, forget the demons that troubles them. It acts as a useful foil for the emotional issues they face and disguises their insecurities, as it gives them courage, albeit a false sense of one.
During the start of the festivities, Cohn asks, who are the foreigners that the locals are celebrating and is surprised to learn that his group is. The group obviously feels very welcome and part of the celebrations and forgets that they are all outsiders to the spectacle. They are all trying to fit in and develop a sense of belonging, not just at this fiesta but generally.
How Cohn is viewed within the group is highlighted in this chapter, and insights into his character are revealed. Following, the trend of college, Cohn is still an outsider in society and is first and foremost viewed as a Jew. When he remarks he will be bored at the upcoming bull fight, we are reminded of his insecurities. He was a boxer at college and must view bull fighting as a non manly showmanship and not real fighting. The group picks up on this remark and will not let him forget him forcing an apology out of him after he feels nauseous at the blood bath, “He’s got this Jewish superiority so strong that he thinks the only emotion he’ll get out of the fight will be being bored”. In fact the skill of the bull fighter (Romero) belies the danger he faces, “Romero’s bull-fighting gave real emotions, because he kept the absolute purity of line in his movements and always quietly and calmly let the horns pass him close each time”. All the men in the group must feel a certain sense of emasculation and awe at watching the young bull fighter who manages to catch the eye of their love interest, Brett. The chapter ends with her foreshadowing how she will not fare well with her soon to be realized love affair with Romero and again emphasizes “hell” as her key word that symbolizes her turbulent love life that she wears like an albatross around her neck, “These bull fights are hell on one”.
It is poignant that the next day jubilation is replaced with rain, as Romero has literally rained on their parade as he steals the affection of Brett, from Jake, Cohn and Mike. Chapter 16 shows how Cohn and Mike begin drowning their sorrows and badly behaving as a way to deal with their heartaches. Brett on the other hand laments at what a woman is forced to go through in love and then contradicts herself by, “I’ve always done just what I wanted” and “I do feel such a bitch”. Well aware of how she mistreats men she continues her path of self-destruction. All the while like a broken record, yet again the hapless Jake stands on the sidelines ever ready to help Brett start her romance with Romero as he will be there to pick up the broken pieces later on.
Chapter 17 shows that heightened emotions come to a head. Cohn, unable to deal with the loss of Brett to Romero (though, he was never this upset strangely about Brett seeing Mike??), uses his boxing skills for the first time out of the ring by punching Jake and Mike in an inebriated state. Things are out of control in the same way the bull runs down the street out of control trying to take victims. Thus what happens in the fiesta actually mirrors what is happening in or acts as a metaphor for the friends lives. Cohn, is the first victim to fall in the same way they discover, that a man has been killed by the runaway bull that morning. Perhaps, chapter 15, where Cohn passes out, and Bill says, “I think he’s dead” foreshadows his fate. Cohn, punches Romero but eventually admits defeat and leaves the plot. Figuratively, speaking Cohn has been killed off in the story, and the boxer is down for the count!
wonderful! Ms. M
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