Frank Cui
11/04/10
“Character determines incident. Incident illustrates character.” In Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun
Always Rises, the main character, Jake, plays a pivotal role in shaping the novel’s occurrences or
incidents, and these occurrences ultimately help to define Jake’s true nature. Moreover, in Hemingway’s
For Whom the Bell Tolls, Robert Jordan’s personality also helps to shift the novel along its storyline
through various incidents, and these events also help to unveil the true identity of Jordan’s character.
Jake, a newspaper reporter in 20th Century Paris enjoys the night life of the Parisian club scene,
which indicates his charismatic persona. His love of the Lady Brett Ashley, through their chemistry and
the connections between their personalities give a basis to which the novel is able to build on, with
sweeping effect. His out-going personality ultimately leads him to the wild Pamplona fiesta, held in
Spain during the running of the bulls with his equally charismatic friends and his love, Lady Ashley. This
decision would ultimately define Jake as a character, who is likeable, funny, sociable, and would unfurl
the plot through the many vivacious and humorous scenes throughout the novel. Jake’s love of bullfighting would lead the group on to experience some of the most intense and zealous moments in the
fiesta that comes with the running of the bulls, the nonstop partying in local attractions, and the heavy
drinking. His introduction to Pedro, an outstanding young bullfighter, is a key addition to the plot as it
attracts the attention of Lady Brett. However, their relationship does not work out as it proceeds to tear
apart the relationships of many of Jake’s friends. Jake’s enthusiastic nature led to the culminating of
these occurrences in a fistfight with a friend who is madly obsessed with Brett. The fight even brings
Pedro into the mix as he is attacked and beaten. These events are in due course the result of his
forceful, bashful, yet likeable personality. His love of Lady Ashley is a straightforward way to see through
Jake’s true self, as Lady Ashley unlocks the secrets within that make Jake a loveable character for
generations after the publication of the novel.
Throughout a novel, a character must make decisions that ultimately define who they are, and
Robert Jordan, through his individual qualities unfurls the story of For Whom the Bell Tolls, revealing his
true identity in the process. Robert Jordan is a bomb specialist in the Spanish Civil War, and he is on a
mission near the small town of La Granja to destroy a bridge which cuts off the enemies’ reinforcements
during a surprise attack against the old fascist regime. To Jordan, a man who is used to demolishing
oncoming trains along the railroad, the mission seems simple enough, and he joins a small group of
Spanish guerilla fighters of the old Republic in order to carry out his mission. The leader of the guerillas,
a gloomy but wily commander named Pablo seems ready to quit in his endeavors for the Republic, and it
is through Jordan’s dealings with this man that unfurl many of the story’s events. Pablo seems ready to
betray the company at any moment, and despite the urges of his compatriots in the guerilla unit, Jordan
refuses to kill Pablo. He suspects, but little does he know, that Pablo could be a danger. Jordan shows his
kindly nature through his refusal to kill an unarmed ally, and the events that follow are a direct result of
his unwavering loyalty to his men. However, the fascist seem prepared for the surprise attack which
leaves Jordan in the midst of a perilous all-consuming guerilla war. His compatriot El Sordo and his
company of men were brutally wounded, but Jordan, through his decision making keeps his own band of
guerilla fighters safe without the firing of a single shot. He allows the fascist cavalrymen to pass through
unscathed, although he could have shot down many. Jordan’s actions in the heat of pressure show him
to be a cool calculating customer who is not too bloodthirsty to command his troops, yet not afraid of
the heat of battle. Unfortunately, Jake’s refusal to kill Pablo ultimately leads to his demise. In a moment
of madness, Pablo steals the bombing equipment including the fuse to set off the explosion and throws
the set into the nearby gully. Pablo realizes what he has done, and attempts to repent as he returns to
help his fellow guerilla fighters, and a newfound ally, Robert Jordan. The clumsiness of blowing the
bridge ultimately leads to the death of many members of the unit, including Robert Jordan in the finale
of a forceful escape attempt. Robert Jordan’s love, Maria is shell-shocked. Their relationship was based
on Jordan’s compassion and his ability to love, but through the many culminating events, tragedy
strikes, and they are torn apart through Jordan’s fall. In a way, characters choose their own fate.
Jake, The Sun Also Rises, and Robert Jordan, in For Whom the Bell Tolls, both embody
characters whose decisions reveal their true identities as people and have a drastic affect on the
storyline of their respective novels. A great character in a novel stands out from within the pages;
he/she is not flat, and as a result their actions will cause drastic turns in the novels’ overall plots as well
as revelations within their true selves. These characters are what make books come to life, and they are
the reason many of us enjoy the stories the author has to tell. The various events and occurrences that
these characters cause through their own unique personalities and which reveal these characters for
who they really are give the books in which they are a part of a sense of magic.