Objectives

• Analyse how Hemingway's iceberg-theory style — surface understatement, strategic omission — constructs meaning in Jake Barnes's first-person narration.
• Explain how Hemingway uses free indirect discourse and dialogue to characterise Robert Cohn and Lady Brett Ashley without authorial comment.
• Interpret the Burguete fishing sequence (Chapters 11–12) as a pastoral counterpoint to Parisian and Pamplonan disorder, and evaluate what it reveals about Jake's values.
• Analyse how the fiesta chapters (Chapters 13–17) dramatise the collapse of the expatriate group and the novel's themes of masculinity, performance, and disillusionment.
• Write a sustained, evidenced analytical paragraph — using embedded quotation and precise language analysis — on Hemingway's construction of loss in The Sun Also Rises.
• Evaluate the ambiguity of the novel's final exchange between Jake and Brett (Chapter 19) in the context of the Lost Generation epigraph and the novel's broader ironic register.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: What Jake Won't Say: Iceberg Theory and the Opening Narration (Chapters 1–4)

   60 min · ch. 1, 2, 3, 4

   Do now

   Read the first paragraph of Chapter 1 on the board: 'Robert Cohn was once middleweight boxing champion of Princeton.' Jake introduces Cohn before himself. Write two sentences: what does this reveal about Cohn, and what does it reveal about Jake? Avoid using the word 'interesting'.

   Teacher input

   Model close reading on Chapter 4's taxi scene: Jake rides alone after Brett leaves with Count Mippipopolous. The teacher reads aloud from 'It was a fine night' to 'I did not want to think about it.' Illustrate how Hemingway's use of paratactic syntax — short, declarative sentences connected by 'and' — conveys emotional suppression. Help students see that 'I did not want to think about it' only reveals the surface: beneath lies Jake's impotence, his love for Brett, and his humiliation. Annotate on the visualiser: what is expressed vs. what is left unacknowledged.

   Independent task

   Students should annotate the section in Chapter 7 where Jake takes off his clothes and examines his war injury in the mirror, only to be interrupted by Brett's knock at the door. They need to write one analytical paragraph using the PEEL structure to answer: "How does Hemingway use narrative sequencing and specific sentence choices in this passage to convey Jake's psychological wound?" The paragraph should include at least two short quotations and identify a specific technique.

   Exit ticket

   In one sentence, complete this: 'Hemingway withholds explicit statement of Jake's injury in Chapters 1–4 in order to create tension and deepen the reader's engagement with his character.'

2. Lesson 2: Constructed by Others: How Cohn and Brett Are Made Through Dialogue (Chapters 5–7)

   60 min · ch. 5, 6, 7

   Do now

   In Chapter 6, Mike Campbell expresses his disdain for Cohn with the line, "I can't stand Cohn," while Jake remains largely silent. This raises the question of whose viewpoint we should trust, and it prompts us to consider why Hemingway might choose to give Mike this speech instead of Jake. Perhaps Mike's strong feelings contrast with Jake's passive demeanor, highlighting their differing approaches to conflict and emotions.

   Teacher input

   Model how Brett is portrayed solely through the reactions of others and her own dialogue, without any direct description from Jake. In Chapter 7, we see this with Brett's entrance—"Brett was damned good-looking"—and her line, "Oh, darling, I've been so miserable." The teacher illustrates that "damned good-looking" reflects Jake's voice channeling male desire, while Brett's words express her emotional vulnerability. Notice how free indirect discourse merges Jake's admiration with his own suffering. Additionally, analyze the rhythm of Brett's dialogue: it's short, clipped, and performative.

   Independent task

   Students receive a printed extract containing the complete dialogue between Jake and Brett in Chapter 7, from 'Don't touch me' to 'Good night, darling.' They are required to annotate it for: (a) Brett's explicit statements, (b) what she chooses not to say, and (c) one language feature in Jake's narration that indicates his emotional state. Following this, they will write a second analytical paragraph addressing the question: 'How does Hemingway portray Brett Ashley as both desiring and withholding in Chapter 7?' The paragraphs will be collected afterward.

   Exit ticket

   Before: > Name one thing Hemingway tells us about Brett through dialogue and one thing he refuses to tell us directly. One sentence each.

   After: > Identify one aspect of Brett that Hemingway reveals through dialogue and one aspect he deliberately leaves unsaid. Provide one sentence for each.

3. Lesson 3: The Irati River as Counterworld: Pastoral, Masculinity, and Restoration (Chapters 11–12)

   60 min · ch. 11, 12

   Do now

   On the board: 'It was a good place to fish.' (Chapter 12). Write for three minutes — what does the word 'good' convey in Hemingway's writing? Consider what it leaves unsaid. How does this differ from how you would describe a place you cherish?

   Teacher input

   Teacher models a reading of the bota-bag wine-sharing scene on the bus in Chapter 11 — Basque farmers passing wine to Jake and Bill — contrasting it with the performative drinking of the Paris café scenes. Demonstrate how Hemingway employs sensory, concrete nouns ('the wine was good,' 'the hills were brown and barren') to indicate genuine experience versus the superficial social interactions of Montparnasse. Show how Bill's playful dialogue ('You're an expatriate. You've lost touch with the soil.') both mocks and laments the expatriate condition. Annotate tone: affectionate irony.

   Independent task

   Students read the passage in Chapter 12 where Jake prepares his fishing hook, catches trout, and relaxes in the shade — from 'I threaded one of the worms on the hook' to 'It was a hot day.' They will write a comparative paragraph: 'How does Hemingway use setting and physical action in the Burguete fishing sequence to illustrate what Jake cannot find in Paris?' They need to include at least one specific detail from the Paris chapters (Chapters 3 or 4) as a contrast. Paragraphs are to be submitted at the door.

   Exit ticket

   In Chapters 11–12, Hemingway's use of short, factual sentences to describe nature evokes a sense of stark realism, emphasizing the raw beauty and harshness of the environment, which contrasts with the more flowing, emotive language he employs in Paris to reflect the city's complexity.

4. Lesson 4: The Fiesta as Crucible: Performance, Collapse, and Romero (Chapters 13–17)

   60 min · ch. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17

   Do now

   Read this line from Chapter 13 on the board: 'Romero never made any contortions, always it was straight and pure and natural in line.' Write: What qualities does Hemingway admire in a bullfighter, and what does this reveal about his views on individuals? Two sentences.

   Teacher input

   Teacher models a close reading of Chapter 15's bullfighting scene, where Romero dedicates the bull to Brett, with a focus on the word 'natural' as Hemingway's key ethical term. Explore how Romero's 'purity' in technique contrasts with Cohn's 'romantic' delusions and Mike's drunken bravado. Discuss how Jake's position as aficionado—his insider knowledge, confirmed by Montoya in Chapter 8—becomes problematic when he introduces Brett to Romero in Chapter 16. Hemingway emphasizes this through Jake's terse, guilt-ridden narration: 'I did not care what it was all about.' Note the change in Jake's sentence length at this point.

   Independent task

   Students are tasked with crafting a structured response consisting of three paragraphs, totaling 250 to 350 words, to the question: 'How does Hemingway utilize the character of Pedro Romero in Chapters 13–17 to highlight the novel's themes of authenticity and disillusionment?' They should include quotes from at least two of the five chapters and discuss Montoya's role in Chapter 13 as it relates to Jake's betrayal in Chapter 16. Responses will be evaluated based on the rubric provided at the beginning of the lesson.

   Exit ticket

   Jake's introduction of Brett to Romero highlights the moral complexities of love and loyalty, revealing Jake as an aficionado of personal sacrifice in a world filled with emotional turmoil.

5. Lesson 5: 'Isn't It Pretty to Think So': Irony, Elegy, and the Lost Generation (Chapters 18–19)

   60 min · ch. 18, 19

   Do now

   The epigraph on the board states, "You are all a lost generation." — Gertrude Stein. Next, consider the last line of Chapter 19: "Isn't it pretty to think so?" Reflect on how these two quotes connect. What does Jake imply when he uses the word "pretty"?

   Teacher input

   Teacher models a reading of the final taxi exchange in Chapter 19 — from "Oh, Jake, we could have had such a damned good time together" to "Isn't it pretty to think so?" — showing how the subjunctive mood ("could have had") indicates that this situation can't be changed, and how Jake's response reflects irony as a way to cope. The taxi setting also mirrors Chapter 4, where Jake is alone in a taxi after Brett leaves with Mippipopolous, creating a structural echo that highlights themes of circularity and stagnation. Annotate: Hemingway's use of "pretty" as a diminutive term — it downplays the fantasy while still recognizing its charm.

   Independent task

   Students will write a complete examination-style response (400–500 words) to the question: 'How does Hemingway present loss in The Sun Also Rises?' They should focus on Chapter 4 (the taxi scene), Chapter 14 (Jake's sleepless reflection), and Chapter 19 (the Madrid coda), incorporating quotations and analyzing specific language choices. This task will be done under timed conditions (30 minutes for writing) and will serve as the draft for their summative assessment.

   Exit ticket

   After (Humanized): Write the single word from the novel's last line that carries the most weight, and explain in 20 words why you selected it.

Activities

Assessment

• Lesson 1 exit ticket: students complete the sentence about Hemingway's strategic withholding — teacher checks whether students name omission as a deliberate technique rather than a gap.
• Lesson 2 collected paragraph on Brett in Chapter 7: marker looks for use of free indirect discourse as a named concept and at least one embedded quotation with analysis.
• Lesson 3 comparative paragraph: marker checks whether students identify a specific Burguete sensory detail AND a contrasting Paris detail by chapter number.
• Lesson 4 exit ticket: marker checks whether students use 'aficionado' accurately to signal Jake's moral code, not just his hobby.
• Lesson 4 three-paragraph response: marker checks whether Romero's 'naturalness' is linked to Hemingway's broader ethical vocabulary and whether Montoya's role in Chapter 13 is used as contextual evidence.
• Lesson 5 exit ticket: marker checks whether the chosen word is justified with reference to tone or irony, not just personal preference.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• RL.11-12.3 — Analyse the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story (e.g. where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).
• RL.11-12.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyse the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.
• RL.11-12.5 — Analyse how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning as well as its aesthetic impact.
• W.11-12.9 — Draw evidence from literary texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — Explain the function of word choice, imagery, and syntax in conveying meaning.
• Character (CHR-1) — Explain the function of contrasting characters in a literary text.
• Narration (NAR-1) — Explain the function of point of view and its effect on the reader's understanding of character and theme.
• Structure (STR-1) — Explain the function of structure and how an author's sequencing of events contributes to meaning.
• Figurative Language (FIG-1) — Explain the function of figurative language, including irony and understatement, in a literary text.

AQA

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts, including Hemingway's use of paratactic syntax, free indirect discourse, and structural echo.
• AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received, including post-WWI expatriate culture and the Lost Generation.
• AO5 — Explore literary texts informed by different interpretations, including critical readings of Hemingway's iceberg theory and feminist readings of Brett Ashley's characterisation.

Edexcel

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts, with specific attention to Hemingway's narrative voice, dialogue, and sentence-level choices.
• AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are produced and received, including the 1920s American expatriate experience and post-war disillusionment.
• AO4 — Explore connections across literary texts, including comparison of Hemingway's pastoral (Burguete) and urban (Paris, Pamplona) settings as contrasting registers.