Context

You're looking at final line of Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, and it's chock full of regret, longing, and the bummer that is life.

Jake, our protagonist, is hanging out with his would-be-but-never-shall-be ladylove, Brett. A lot of drama has gone down, including, but not limited to, Brett's fling with Romero, Cohn's assault of Romero, and Mike being just a generally drunken, though often hilarious, mess.

Things have finally calmed down and Brett is reflecting on what could have been with her true love—to which Jake responds with this quote. 

It's cynical, that's for sure, and it's a pretty pithy representation of the apathetic lives of the Lost Generation, a group of young people disillusioned by World War I and wandering around seeking pleasure by any means. Brett is fantasizing about the life she and her true love Jake could have had together, but Jake can see through it, and sums it all up with a life-has-no-purpose last line.

Isn't it pretty to read it?

Where you've heard it

You may have heard this from a grad student after you told them they might not waste 9 years of their life to get three useless letters after their name.

Pretentious Factor

If you were to drop this quote at a dinner party, would you get an in-unison "awww" or would everyone roll their eyes and never invite you back? Here it is, on a scale of 1-10.

We suggest you stick to head nodding when people describe their naïve hypotheticals to you.