In the desperate modernist world in which Ernest Hemingway's characters operate, romantic conventions are incompatible with the demoralized state of the world. Therefore, traditional ideals such as that of the "true hero" must be radically redefined in order to apply to its characters. The criteria for a hero in a modernist society consist of particular characteristics, as Harry E. Hand explains in his essay, Transducers and Hemingway's Heroes: "The Hemingway code, lived and acted but never verbalized by the hero, suggests the following concepts: love for a woman, honor… determination… resignation but not personal defeat… individual freedom from the demands of society.” In Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, a hero is someone who is able to recognize and accept the cynical state of the world without letting this awareness affect their dignity or strength of mind. By these measures, it is worth asserting that the matador Pedro Romero is the closest the novel comes to the representation of a hero. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The concept of “grace under pressure” truly defines Hemingway’s hero (Main 871). A person who can be considered heroic is one who does not fight against the despair and banality of the world, but allows circumstances to strengthen his resolve. She is a person who remains undefeated thanks to her ability to adapt to a modernist world, while maintaining strength of spirit. Romero is a good example of this when he chooses to continue with his scheduled bullfight, despite having been brutalized by Robert Cohn the night before. “During Romero's first bull, his injured face was very visible. Everything he did showed that. All the concentration of the clumsy and delicate work with the bull who couldn't see well brought it out. The fight with Cohn had not affected his spirit but his face had been smashed and his body injured. He was erasing all that now” (SAR 222). Even though Romero had just gone through a physical and emotional ordeal, it did not dampen his determination, and he was still able to step into the ring with pride and dignity. He has a vitality and determination that none of the other characters in the novel possess. While the main characters often and shamelessly give up when something becomes too difficult to handle (physically or emotionally), Romero remains persistent and determined. This is proven by Romero's response to Cohn's vicious and unprovoked attack. When Cohn fought Jake and Mike earlier in the novel, not only were the two quickly incapacitated, but they barely made an effort to get up after being knocked down. Romero, however, refuses to admit defeat and continues to get back up every time Cohn knocks him down. He doesn't stop fighting until he can finally throw a punch at Cohn, when the man offers him a handshake. Romero, however, is not blind to the world in which he lives. In fact, he has a remarkable ability to navigate both worlds (the old world and the new modernist world). Romero is one of the few characters in the novel who embodies many of the traditional values ​​such as chivalry, courage, and perseverance, while displaying a cunning and sophistry typical of a modernist character. Jake and Bret are undoubtedly partly responsible for this and are a bad influence on him, the effect of which is seen when Romero reveals that he is lying about his inability to speak English and later when he lashes out at Cohn . However, although he.