Ernest Hemingway Consumer Culture Analysis

In the taxidermy scene, Hemingway is criticizing the consumer culture of the 1920’s. During this time, materialism and mass production were on the rise, which significantly affected American culture. In this scene, Bill wants Jake to buy a stuffed dog. He uses logos to convince Jake that it is a good idea to buy the dog because it will “brighten up [Jake’s] flat” (78). However, in these lines, Bill has a sarcastic and joking tone, so he really does not mean for Jake to buy the dog. This shows that he is condemning others who might buy things just for their looks. Bill also describes buying the stuffed dog as a “simple exchange of values” (78). Jake can trade his money for one stuffed dog. While consumerism appears to be a simple give and take, it is often unequal, as a consumer can get something that means a lot to them, or they can throw their money away on something worthless. What …show more content…
While walking through Paris, Jake and Bill come across a stuffed dog. This scene is most likely referencing Sergeant Stubby, “America’s celebrated war dog” (Adair). This heroic and highly celebrated dog was stuffed and displayed at a museum after his death. By inserting the taxidermy scene, Hemingway shows how soldiers living with PTSD were constantly reminded of their past through such simple things as a stuffed dog. Later on, while discussing drinking, Jake says that Bill is “about a hundred and forty-four ahead of [him]” (79). This is an allusion to the 144th Infantry Regiment who fought in the “fall 1918 Meuse-Argonne offensive” (Adair). There was an extreme loss of life during this battle and by including it into the scene, Hemingway shows how soldiers can be reminded of the war by just a few numbers. Veterans of the Lost Generation had to learn to live and cope with their past in order to survive their lives after the