The Sun Also Rises Q&A
- 1
What does it mean to be “tight,” a term used frequently in the book?
“Tight” is a slang term used during the era, synonymous with drunk, or intoxicated.
- 2
It is said that the group of people the story revolves around are examples of the “Lost Generation.” What is the “Lost Generation?”
The “Lost Generation” is a term given to those born in the 15- 20 years before 1900, who participated in World War l, and had become disillusioned with the lifestyles of previous generations. Oftentimes, the “Lost Generation” refers specifically to writers and authors of this period of the time (roughly the 1920s), many of whom were so opposed to traditional American values that they moved abroad to live as expatriates.
- 3
What themes does “The Sun Also Rises” address?
Many themes are addressed: The damage done by the horrors of way to nearly all of the main characters in the story, both physical wounds and psychological wounds that lead to dysfunctional relationships and the excessive use of alcohol as an anesthetic; The power of sex, and especially its potential for damage; the ability (and inability, in some cases) for males to develop deep bonds of friendship; and the shunning of post-war American culture and values (those of other nationalities have also done so as well, becoming expatriates in Paris from England, Ireland, and other countries).
