life At one point Jake says Under the wine I lost the disgusted feeling and was happy Jake drinks too much to forget his pain like many others who feel lost after the war The bullring becomes a place where they can see a clear fight and the courage that they miss in their own lives Bullfighting as a Representation of Masculinity The bullfight reminds the characters what true masculinity manliness is After the war many men including Jake feel weak and unsure about their masculinity Jake became sexually disabled due to a war injury He is very attracted to bullfights He admires the matadors for their bravery and skill which he feels he has lost Jake says Nobody ever lives their life all the way up except bullfighters This shows how Jake and others look up to bullfighters as examples of living life fully with courage This is something they feel they cannot do themselves Pedro Romero as an Ideal Figure Pedro Romero the young bullfighter is very important in the novel He is shown as pure skilled and honorable He is different from Jake and his friends who feel lost and confused Jake says about Romero Romero was straight and pure and natural in line This means Romero fights with purity and natural style This makes him a symbol of true masculinity and honor in a world that has lost these values Brett becomes attracted to Romero because he has qualities that she admires She does not see these qualities in other men around her Romero stays true to himself even in a confusing world Bullfighting as a Metaphor for Love and Destruction Bullfighting also shows the pain and danger in love and sex The language Hemingway uses to describe bullfighting is often linked with sexual meanings The matador s sword which kills the bull can be seen as a symbol of manhood and sexual power Just like the bullfight ends with death Lady Brett's relationships often end in pain and destruction Moreover the crowd s quick change in affection from the older matador Belmonte to the young Romero shows how people easily change their feelings This is just like Brett moves from one lover to another To wrap up bullfighting is a powerful symbol that helps us understand the characters struggles with war manliness and love It shows the lost ideals of bravery and honor in a world broken by war Bullfighting becomes a mirror to their lives reminding them of what they have lost and what they still wish for in a world that does not make sense to them anymore