Impact of Commercialism in Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises

Abstract

This thesis studies the impact of commercialism in Ernest Hemingway’s iconic work, The Sun Also Rises, by analyzing consumer-driven narratives that shape the characters’ identities and experiences. In the models of representation and cultural studies, the research critically engages with Stuart Hall’s concept of representation. It is close to Walter Benjamin’s ideas on reproducible art, and Judith Butler’s exploration of the materiality of the body. The methodology involves a detailed analysis of the text through the aforementioned lenses, showing how commercial forces shape characters, plot dynamics, and cultural themes in Hemingway’s narrative. The complicated narratives of the text exhibit the nexus between commercialism and its literary representation, shedding light on characters behaviors shaped by broader socio-cultural milieu. This study holds significance in enriching our understanding of the complicate relationship between literature, commercial influences, and cultural dynamics, providing valuable insights into the ways in which narratives reflect and support prevailing materialistic ideologies. Keywords: Commercialism, Representational art, Culture, War, Impact, Pleasure, Literature, Lost Generation.