Masculinity In Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell To Arms

Jake, on the other hand, is also a rather thoughtful character, but mostly to his friends. Jake knows that if Cohn accompanies the group to Spain, it would be hard for Robert to keep sane, as Brett would probably (and would) go off with Mike and any other man but he. So, Jake gives Cohn several chances to opt out of the trip, and even though Cohn declines him, Jake did his best to help his friend, “QUOTE ABOUT OFFERING TO OPT OUT.” Later, when the group is in Spain and are sitting down at their first bullfighting event, Jake realizes that Brett had never witnessed the gory injuries a matador may endure. In accordance(?), Jake warns Brett of the grisly sight she was close to spectating, which at the very least readied her as she chose to watch. …show more content…
The predominant way these characters’ masculinity is shown is through the manly activities they partake in. Frederic Henry’s love for drink is a constantly recurring theme throughout A Farewell To Arms, indulging himself with wines, Grappa, whiskey, and more. He can also intake a large amount of alcohol while staying stable, as in one night, he consumed over four different bottles of alcohol, “QUOTE ABOUT DRINKING A LOT IN ONE NIGHT FREDDY.” Furthermore, Frederic’s drinking is not his only show of masculinity. In his physical relationship with Catherine, he is constantly having sex with her. On multiple occasions, Frederic and Catherine had intercourse more than five times in a day, even while Frederic was injured! Finally, Frederic’s manliness is highlighted by his knowledge and interest in war and weaponry. Being a military leader, Frederic obviously holds some sort of combatant expertise, or he would not be as high-ranked as he is. Whenever asked for his opinion on a war related matter, he always gives an educated and straightforward response, “PP 183-184 QUOTE ABOUT MILITARY KNOWLEDGE.” Additionally, he is proud of his position in the army, and when regular soldiers at the border camp treat him disrespectfully, he regards them with disdain, disgusted at their rudeness, “TREATeD BADLY AT BorDER.” Frederic also has extensive knowledge of weaponry, which is shown when …show more content…
Like Frederic, Jake is a big drinker, and is an even a bigger socialite, indulging himself with multiple drinks a night. Within a span of a few hours, Jake consumes three magnums of champagne and a bottle of wine, a tremendous feat even with the help of a friend, “CHAMPAGNE PLUS WINE ONE NIGHT.” Jake not only drinks champagne, but a wide variety of drinks, including red and white wine, Pernod, and whiskey, a man’s drink. Jake’s interest in fishing is also very macho, and his skill at the sport is also impressive. Accompanied by Bill, Jake takes a two week vacation before his actual vacation in Pamplona with the sole purpose of fishing. On one such venture to the river, Jake is able to catch six fish on a fly within minutes, “CATCHING SIX FISH,” while it takes Bill an hour to catch only several more. Ultimately, Jake’s biggest interest and passion is for bullfighting, arguably the manliest activity in existence. Jake travels every summer to Pamplona to witness the bulls’ running and the matador’s teasing of the bulls, and flaunts his knowledge frequently. He thoroughly explains to his companions on the trip the going on’s in the head of the bull, laying out their mentality and their instincts expertly, “GETTING INSIDE BULL’S HEAD WITH JAKE.” Jake also explains to the group what “aficion” means in the bullfighting community, as he is