Jacob Barnes, also known as Jake, has a very ambiguous role in Hemingway's novel, The Sun Also Rises. He portrays himself as a calm, gentle man who likes to observe the drama unfolding around him rather than contributing to it himself, but on the inside, we get to know the emotionally unstable side of Jake, a person with many insecurities about his purpose in life. This combination of characteristics affects how Jake interacts and responds to the people around him throughout the novel, providing insight into his character.
In Paris, we see Jake aimlessly wandering from bar to bar, drinking as much as he can before moving on to the next. At one bar, Jake observes Brett enter with a group of gay men. Infuriated, he responds, "I was very angry. Somehow they always made me angry" (28). These men have done nothing to provoke such a reaction from Jake, instead, this reaction is caused due to Jake's insecurities over his sense of masculinity. He admits it himself, saying, "I know they are supposed to be amusing, and you should be tolerant, but I wanted to swing on one, any one, anything to shatter that superior, simpering composure" (28). Due to the nature of the wound he suffered in the war, Jake lashes out at those who do not take advantage of their masculinity. He continually attempts to prove to himself that he can be just as macho as those without his deficiency. The gay men in the quote highlight Jake's shortcomings, causing Jake to express his fury in the way he did.
Brett's relationship with Jake also provides an interesting insight into his character. Brett, having an intimate conversation with Jake, says, "'Isn't it rotten? There isn't any use my telling you I love you.' [Jake responds] 'You know I love you'" (62). Jake and Brett want to be in love with each other, but the complexity of their relationship, both publicly and privately, are not conducive towards a relationship that can be sustained. Brett wants a man that can fulfill her emotional and physical needs, and Jake is only able to satisfy the emotional aspect. Jake knows he does not have a chance at Brett, so he shares his innermost thoughts with her. Jake loves Brett and Brett returns that in the unique way she does, but in the end, they seem to be more in love with the idea of being in love than they actually are with each other.
Hemingway masterfully narrates the novel from Jake's perspective. From his thoughts and feelings to his everyday struggles, Jake can not be seen as a one-dimensional character. Hemingway leaves too much to be inferred, and not everything can be noticed in one reading. What do you think of Jake and his role in the novel? Does his character supplement or lead the plot?
2 comments:
I really like the point you made about how Jake and Brett seem more in love with the idea of being in love than they are with each other. It reminds me of the cryptic last line of the book, when Brett wonders out loud to Jake what could've been between the two of them. I wonder, if Jake was not injured, could their relationship still work, or is the fact that they can never actually be together what draws them to each other?
To answer your last question, I think Jake really drives the plot. Since Hemingway provides so little, leaving us with only the bare minimum of dialogue and descriptions, we really depend on the small nuances of Jake's commentary to further explore the novel. Just like how we discussed Jake on the first day of class, were able to see there was so much more to him than we realized. In addition, everything somehow circulates back to Jake in the novel. I would argue, his tragic love story with Brett really unfolds the novel and turns it into what it is.
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