Bottles Up!

I've come to realize throughout The Sun Also Rises that the 1920's was an era where drinking was prominent. The Paris nightlife and fiestas of Spain provide a basis for much alcohol consumption! Jake Barnes and Robert Cohn share a drink of whiskey and soda. While at the bar, Cohn points out what a nice place it is and Barnes' response of agreement is "there's a lot of liquor" (page 19). Barnes' comment indicates the desire for liquor almost constantly, especially while residing in Paris. The characters seem to drink at a constant rate where every other page has some description of a bar they visit or a night club they dance at; furthermore, at all of these places, alcohol is consumed. The consuming of liquor as described in the story is relevant for the time period of which Hemingway wrote the book. Prohibition is over, so alcohol seems to be praised! The Americans- Cohn, Barnes, etc.- in Europe seem at ease throwing "bottles up."