True behind life

Sarah Elgohary                             professor Susan Cushman

Modern Novels English 305                         2/2714

The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemmingway Essay 1 

    Life is full of many different and unique types of hardships.  All individuals must learn how to cope with their problems from their environment, their own personal experiences and their friends and family and the people around them.  There are many lessons people must acquire in order to be able to understand the world around them. This is also true in the literary world because all authors convey and explain some unique messages about life’s lessons that characters must learn to overcome   their obstacles in order to achieve their goals and dreams in life. The characters must also learn to face who they really are in life and they have to learn to accept the reality of the world they live in. There are two major messages about two lessons that people are exposed to throughout their lifetime: these lessons are conveyed by Ernest Hemmingway in his literary work The Sun Also Rises. These   very important themes   are the death of true love caused by the intolerable  attitude and actions of Brett Ashley and the the lack of intimacy,   between all of the characters , yet at the same time all of the characters   in The Sun Also Rises: have  an unbearable  loss of their lives meaning due to the affect the war   has had on them especially Cohen , they are the lost generation ( in World War ll)..    Hemmingway in his novel, represents these two themes through characterization, struggle,  and symbolism of Jake, Brett, Cohen, Mike, and Pedro Romero as they all try to overcome life’s obstacles  and finally learn to accept the reality of their situations in life.

    Brett Ashley character in The Sun Also Rises     represents the death of true love for many reasons.  First of all, of Brett’s behavior intolerable attitude , and actions  the way she expresses herself towards her friends and society proves  that she is the complete opposite of any other woman at the time of the 1920s.    In addition, in the beginning of the novel, Brett as a woman living in time of the 1920s,  she gives off the illusion that she is a very liberated, Narcissist and selfish person who is very  confident in her self . The audience is only exposed to Brett true feelings when we learn about her intimate relationship with Jake who is the only person that Brett is genuinely in love with and he is the only person that sees Brett’s true self.  Even though Brett and Jake are both genuinely in love with each other, they are unable to move forward in their relationship past very intimate kisses because Jake was wounded in the Great War and he is unable to have children.  

Despite the   fact that Jake is wounded I do not think that was the only reason Brett and Jake did not end up together after all if Brett was really genuinely in love with Jake she would have found a way to be together with him.  I think Brett was in denial she could never bring herself to fully accept the reality of Jake past she was never emotionally strong enough to commit to a serious relationship with Jake to fill the gap of loneliness  in his heart that Jake was never able to let go of his past because he could not be with the one person he truly loved . As a result of not being able to be with the one person she truly loved In order to try to  fill the void of loneliness she had, Brett tried to make herself happy, in an attempt to forget about Jake Brett had mean less sex with all the guys except for Jake. Brett even slept with Cohen Jake’s best friend and went to saint Sebastian with Cohen who was infatuated with Brett, but she hated Cohen. Brett knows that JAKE  was really hurt when he found out that Brett had slept with Cohen, I think Brett wanted to make Jake a little jealous by sleeping with Cohen so Jake Could finally express his true feelings for her. Brett ‘family set up with Mike her boyfriend Mike and Brett did not love each other. Mike; only stayed with Brett because he was bankrupt and Brett’s family was   rich she would sleep with mike too. During the bull fighting party in Spain Jake did not want Brett to fall in love Pedro Romero because he did not want to lose her, but ironically he was the one who pushed Brett and Pedro Romero together which led to them having an affair. This led to Brett and Jake parting ways for good. I feel bad for Jake because even though he was truly  in love with Brett and he thought if it was not for his wound I do not think Brett and Jake would been together if he was not wounded because of Brett although may be they could have worked together because both Brett and Jake both seem very optimistic about what could have been when before they part ways in end Brett said “ Oh Jake’. ““We could have had such a dammed good time together.  “Then Jake said yes “Isn’t it pretty to think so “(251). 

 Another reason Brett is bad for Jake is that she constantly tells Jake she loves him but will not commit to him. Committing to a relationship with Jake would entail Brett giving up sex, as Jake is impotent from a war wound. Jake is hopelessly in love with Brett. However, he knows he will never consummate their relationship. Jake's impotence is a barrier between him and the love of his life. This hopeless situation perpetuates Jake's increased drinking and increased insecurities about his masculinity.

Because of Jake's impotence, Brett throws herself into meaningless affairs with other men. Even though she will not commit to Jake, she will not give up her relationship with him. However, she often brings other men around Jake and tells him of her affairs and before Jake can really say anything about it, she will say something like: "But, oh, Jake, please let's never talk about it" (Hemingway 247). One of the men Brett introduced to Jake was Count Mippipopolous. The Count is easy-going and unlike many of Brett's lovers, the Count is not jealous of her other lovers. The Count takes Brett and Jake out for dinner and dancing. After dinner, the Count asks Jake and Brett "You are very nice people … Why don't you get married, you two?" (Hemingway 68). Jake quickly replies "We want to lead our own lives" (Hemingway 68). Brett follows suit saying "We have our careers … Come on. Let's get out of this" (Hemingway 68). The reality that they would not be together was hard for Brett and Jake to face. Later while dancing, Brett tells Jake that they will not be together romantically. Brett is not willing to make the kind of sacrifices necessary to be with Jake.

"You are a rotten dancer, Jake. Michael's the best dancer I know."

"He's splendid." 

"He's got his points."

"I like him," [Jake] said. "I'm damned fond of him."

"I'm going to marry him" (Hemingway 69).

Brett and Jake's "dancing" is easily identifiable as "sex". Brett only wants to be with the best "dancer" who "has his points" (Hemingway 69).

Through all of the affairs, Brett and Jake always end up together. Brett often uses Jake as a support. When she is in trouble or has had a bad experience, she calls on Jake to rescue her. Brett tells Jake stories about her adventures with other men. Brett knows that she will never have an affair with Jake. Jake knows that he will never be with Brett as a couple. Brett has to have sex. Committing to Jake would mean that she would end up cheating on Jake. Jake knows that there is no happy ending for Brett and him. For instance when Brett says, "Oh Jake, we could have had such a damned good time together", Jake replies, "Yes, Isn't it pretty to think so" (Hemingway 251). But Jake won't give up their relationship because he loves Brett and that is the only female relationship he seems to have. Neither Brett nor Jake gets any real satisfaction from their relationship. Jake always has to hear about Brett's other lovers and Brett can never/will never commit to Jake. The relationship is very destructive for both of them.

 pretty to think so “( 251)

 World War I was a devastating period for the world's youth not only physically, but emotionally as well. The pain that came from an embittered, global war left many people to feel as though there was no hope or meaning to life. Loneliness, depression, and a sense of moral bankruptcy all made up the landscape of what Gertrude Stein coined as the "Lost Generation." Many writers were successful at capturing the essence of this group of people, none perhaps more than Ernest Hemingway with his novel The Sun Also Rises. Most of the characters in this tale encapsulate what it means to be part of this generation. The character of Robert Cohn, however, is questionable in his relationship to the rest of the characters. Although Cohn seems to share many of the qualities of the others, there are aspects of Cohn's life that do not fit this image of a "Lost Generation."(http://voices.yahoo.com/analysis-robert-cohn-hemingways-sun-also-1055845.html?cat=38).

It is important in analyzing the character of Robert Cohn to study his similarities to the other characters in the novel. Hemingway somewhat deceives his readers into thinking that Cohn is part of this generation simply because of those who he seeks out as friends. Early on in the novel we get an idea of why Cohn might hang out with the expatriate group of Jake, Brett, Mike, and Bill. Discussing Cohn's boxing title at Princeton, Jake says, "He cared nothing for boxing, in fact he disliked it, but he learned it painfully and thoroughly to counteract the feeling of inferiority and shyness he had felt on being treated as a Jew at Princeton" (Hemingway 10). Cohn felt like an outcast, a definite similarity to the other members of the group. Through Jake's description of Cohn we also find out that Cohn doesn't like to stay in one place for extended amounts of time, much like the other characters in the novel. This gives Cohn another reason for aligning with the expatriate group. Cohn's similarities to the others in the beginning of the novel seem to tie him to the "Lost Generation," but it soon becomes apparent that these shared characteristics are only similar on the exterior.

If the qualities and actions of the group's members represent what the "Lost Generation" is, then Robert Cohn is the sore thumb of the group. Aside from the initial similarities Cohn shares with the others, there are distinct characteristics of Cohn that separate him from those same people. Unlike everyone around him, for instance, Cohn has not been directly affected by the war. Jake had sustained a serious injury in the war that left him impotent. Brett had been a nurse who had lost her husband to battle. Mike had gained his inhuman-like drinking ability from his service in the war. Everyone had felt the impact of war except Robert Cohn. This direct connection of a great loss from the war was a key element of the "Lost Generation" that Cohn did not seem to have, at least to the extent of the others. Cohn's inability to drink on a large scale also put him at odds with the group. After waking from a drunken stupor, Cohn rejoins the others and states, "What a lot we've drunk." Mike replies, "You mean what a lot we've drunk. You went to sleep" (Hemingway 163). This separates him from the group as well, and the others resent him for not having to deal with his problems by drinking.

Perhaps the most apparent difference between Cohn and those of the "Lost Generation" lies in his high morality in an immoral world. Jake’s description of Cohn's commitment to his relationships shows that Robert did not sleep around with women on a regular basis like the people around him. Of the past relationships Cohn has had with his ex-wife and Frances, Jake explains, "For four years his horizon had been absolutely limited to his wife. For three years, or almost three years, he had never seen beyond Frances. I am sure he had never been in love in his life" (Hemingway 16). Cohn felt a sense of love, or at least a pretense of love, which kept him committed to his relationships. Perhaps this is why Cohn could not give up on Brett so easily.

Cohn also shows his outdated sense of romance when Mike is arguing with Cohn about his affair with Brett. As Jake explains Cohn's reaction to Mike's impending assault on Cohn, "Cohn stood up and took off his glasses. He stood waiting, his face sallow, his hands fairly low, proudly and firmly waiting for the assault, ready to do battle for his lady love" (Hemingway 182). Here, Robert Cohn's actions are almost reminiscent of Don Quixote and his chivalric crusades throughout a land that has long since abandoned such noble efforts. Cohn is prepared to fight heroically for "Lady Brett," even though it is obvious that she is not a gentleman's idea of a lady.

Cohn's value system is shown to be obsolete during his fight with Romero. After striking the bullfighter repeatedly, Mike recalls from what Brett had told him that "...Cohn said that he wouldn't hit him again. Said he couldn't do it. Said it would be wicked" (Hemingway 206). Mike went on to explain, "Cohn wanted to pick him up and carry him to the bed...Then Cohn leaned down to shake hands with the bull-fighter fellow. No hard feelings, you know. All for forgiveness" (Hemingway 206). Cohn's sense of honor and values had no place in any situation it seems, and Cohn was subsequently run out of Pamplona.

    

1. There are many problems in life. Only through life lessons and experiences can people learn to overcome adversary to achieve their dreams in life. IN his novel The Sun Also Rises Hemmingway represent two major themes. are the   death of true love caused by the intolerable attitude and actions of Brett Ashley and the lack of intimacy, between all of the characters , yet at the same time all of the characters in The Sun Also Rises: have an unbearable  loss of their lives meaning due to the affect the war has had on them especially Cohen , they are the lost generation ( in World War ll).. Hemmingway in his novel, represents these two themes through characterization, struggle, and symbolism of Jake,  Brett, Cohen, Mike, and Pedro Romero as they all try to overcome life’s obstacles and finally learn to accept the reality of their situations in life.