Epigrams and Epigraphs

1. Epigrams and Epigraphs And an introduction to Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises

2. Epigrams • Short, usually witty saying that packages one thought. “Genius without education is like silver in the mine.” “I can resist everything but temptation.”

3. Epigraphs “You are all a lost generation.” —Gertrude Stein in conversation In The Sun Also Rises, Hemingway included two epigraphs. An epigraph is a phrase, quotation, or excerpt that is included before another text or work. One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth forever… The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to the place where he arose… The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to its circuits… All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come thither they return again. – Ecclesiastes

4. How are they different? • EPIGRAPHS • Used for literary or aesthetic purposes • Not self-contained (needs something to come after) • Usually difficult to understand • “Open up” meaning (many possible interpretations) • EPIGRAMS • Used for educational or didactic purposes • Self-contained • Easy to understand • Package meaning quickly • “Close down” meaning (only one interpretation)

5. Why an epigraph? • Authors use epigraphs to help us as readers interpret their work Let’s read aloud! Gertrude Stein (1874-1946) (That’s her on the left.)

6. Let’s dive deeper. • “You are all a lost generation.” —Gertrude Stein in conversation • One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh; but the earth abideth forever… The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to the place where he arose… The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to its circuits… All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come thither they return again. –-Ecclesiastes Remember these? Epigrams or epigraphs? What do you think these mean? Should we know What they mean yet?

7. The Sun Also Rises • Note this quote from A Moveable Feast: “Later when I wrote my first novel I tried to balance Miss Stein’s quotation from the garage keeper with one from Ecclesiastes.” • What does Stein think of Hemingway’s generation? What does Hemingway think of Stein’s? • Do you think Stein understands Hemingway’s generation? What about the other way around? • What does Stein value? Hemingway? • What makes them value different things? What’s that say about value as an objective, clearly-defined idea?

8. So, what does it all mean for us? • The Sun Also Rises is about a group of ex-patriots living in Paris, all of whom have been touched by World War I. The book follows the group as they vacation in Pamplona, Spain during the bullfights and a week-long fiesta. The main conflict involves a love triangle among Lady Brett Ashley, Robert Cohn, and Jake Barnes. Other conflicts occur when the “Lost Generation” ex-patriots interact with people in other countries and from other generations. • How about some youtubage about the book? • Based on the two epigraphs, let’s hypothesize about some themes that the book might explore. We’ll keep the hypotheses in mind as we move through the book and see how we did.

9. Sources • Benjamin Franklin via http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/pdt/reference/coop/History.php • Oscar Wilde via http://duodeluxo.wordpress.com/2009/11/28/maxima-do-dia/ • Hemingway via http://thephoenix.com/BLOGS/medialog/archive/2008/02/26/weird-correction-of-the-day.aspx • Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas via http://culturestone.tumblr.com/page/2