Preview

The Sun Also Rises: The Tragic Relationship Between Jake And Brett

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
578 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
The Sun Also Rises: The Tragic Relationship Between Jake And Brett
The relationship between the characters Brett Ashley and Jake Barnes in the novel The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway can be viewed as a tragic relationship, or one with elements that make the relationship complicated for those involved in it. These two fictional characters are living in Paris during a time between the first and second World Wars, prior to the Great Depression that struck Europe and the United States. These characters’ infatuation with each other is limited due to a war injury that Jake suffered, therefore, they cannot truly be together under Brett’s standards. Jake is more practical about this relationship, because he still continues to chase Brett, and hopes that eventually his injury will not be an obstacle in their love. Relationships, especially those as disastrous and confusing as the relationship between Jake and Brett seems to be, become entangled by the tragedies within them, and fate itself.
All relationships, even those where love is not necessarily present, could have a tragic part inside of them. I have found myself in tragic relationships that could be somewhat comparable to Jake and Brett. When there is an obstacle between two people, whether this barrier is a physical thing, or …show more content…
Overall, the relationship between Jake and Brett is certainly a tragic relationship. Hemingway makes this relationship tragic by introducing an injury to Jake that Brett cannot accept. Brett allows this to be an obstacle in their relationship, while Jake tries to defy their fate by fighting to maintain the love between him and Brett. Jake decides that he does not want fate to control him, and rather he wants to control his fate. Fate can be controlled if you do not let fate control you. In the end, fate will not be the one to decide if Jake and Brett are trapped, they will likely be forced to decide
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Characters In Edward's Eyes
    • 111 Words
    • 1 Page

    Characters In Edward's Eyes

    Jakes background is that he’s always wanted to play baseball, and be there for his family. Jakes conflict is that he’s having a really hard time moving on. Till one day he get a letter from a baseball player tell him that thanks to edward now he can see agina. That's what made Jake want to find Edward's eyes…

    • 111 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Comparing All Quiet On The Western Front 'And The Sun Also Rises'
    • 2215 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Comparing All Quiet On The Western Front 'And The Sun Also Rises'

    Jake however becomes a redeemable character through his journey to overcome his psychological and physical damage from the war and gains sympathy. However Brett does not earn any more respect or accomplishes any growth in overcoming her war wounds. This takes its own path in the end when Jake moves on from Brett’s taunting attitudes and starts to gain his balance in life again. Hemingway’s hopelessness is conveyed more positively than Remarque’s critical outlook on war. Throughout both book the characters struggle with their emotional difficulties to stay attuned to their prewar lives and struggle with hope for the future. However Hemingway takes the path of a more positive ending while Remarque creates a happy doom for his brave, suffering characters. There are many parallels between the characters in each book enough though the themes and perspectives are entirely different. The main point serves the same purpose, whereas the lost generation was hopeless unless they rarely saw a glimpse of the future after…

    • 2215 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Jake La Motta Character Analysis
    • 598 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Jake La Motta Character Analysis

    From the beginning of life each and every action has had a reaction. Jake La Motta is no exception to that. The middleweight boxer runs around town with his brother and manager, Joey. In the beginning of the film Jake meets Vicki, and starts to pursue the fifteen year old. Soon they marry and Jake’s boxing career resumes but is eventually suspended on the allegation of throwing a fight. However, after Jake is reinstated he finally wins the middleweight championship. Jakes life afterward seemed to slowly plummet. He lands himself in jail and finds himself alone even after getting out. However, it began to look up because of his popular comedy career. Jake’s life was filled with sin, scandal, lies, cheating, abuse, jealousy, but also, redemption.…

    • 598 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Looking for Alibrandi Essay Example
    • 936 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Looking for Alibrandi Essay Example

    The love relationship in this novel is realistic compared with contemporary Australian teenagers. Josie’s relationship with Jacob Coote is a good example. Josie has really fallen in love with Jacob because it was her first true love. She has really enjoyed the moment…

    • 936 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Jake Barnes Altruism In The West By Ernest Hemingway
    • 156 Words
    • 1 Page

    Jake Barnes Altruism In The West By Ernest Hemingway

    Jake Barnes’ altruism plays an important role in his life as well. Akin to Frederic, he is a selfless person, and he thinks of others before himself. In his situation with Brett, he puts her feelings before his own, and sets her up with Romero, a handsome young matador,”QUOTE ABOUT SETTING ROMERO UP WITH BRETT” Knowing that Brett desired to be with Romero, Jake puts his own feelings aside to put them together. Additionally, Jake is a great believer in sharing, giving others necessities that he has and they don’t. For example, during the bull running in Spain, which is basically a continuous party, Jake liberally shares his wine with strangers near him, “QUOTE ABOUT SHARING WINE AT PARTY.” He also is very generous with cash, overpaying and tipping…

    • 156 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Examples Of Tom And Daisy's Relationship In The Great Gatsby
    • 989 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Examples Of Tom And Daisy's Relationship In The Great Gatsby

    In F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby (1920) the main characters Tom and Daisy Buchanan are prime examples of “love gone bad.” Throughout the novel Tom and Daisy’s relationship evolves into a very unstable one. At times one would question themselves as to why they stayed in the relationship. The main characters are from the same social class with a background in money. Each loves the fact that one complements the other in the way of money and class. Due to the fact that they were never held accountable for their actions, they can be portrayed as careless people. Many examples show that each does not have the others interest at heart, but they do in fact share real love.…

    • 989 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Comparing Stories 'Love In L. A And A & P'
    • 1514 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Comparing Stories 'Love In L. A And A & P'

    Jake lacks many things in life such as loving parents and a loving girlfriend but he mainly lacks attention and being careful throughout life. He never thinks twice about his actions but if it means keeping his freedom and not getting in trouble then he’ll do whatever it takes. Even if it means hurting someone around him for his own gain and then going on in life as if nothing ever happened being the same low-life that he is. Even though Jake thinks about what he does and what he is going to do, it is never in a positive way and it seems like somebody always gets hurt. He thinks about changing his life but the fact of keeping his freedom blinds him into doing deceitful things to keep it that way and never really changes. In the story, the inciting incident is when Jake rear-ends an innocent bystander while wanting to hurry through traffic but fate collides and the event spills out and eventually Jake is stopped on the side of the road thinking of what just happened. He is quick to admire what little damage he caused to his car “‘It didn’t even scratch my paint’, Jake told her in that way of his” (44), and admire the beauty…

    • 1514 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Lady Ashley Quotes
    • 876 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Lady Ashley Quotes

    Brett’s values are distorted compared to those of the native women of the city. She lacks direction in life and finds emptiness in many activities that she would have enjoyed when she were younger. Brett values the pleasure of sex before true love and respect and this is why Brett refuses to be with Jake at the beginning of the novel. Brett makes fun of Jake for bringing a date, since he cannot have sex with anyone. Brett thinks that it’s not fair for him to date, because sex is essential for her and she believes that without sex a relationship has no meaning.…

    • 876 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Corruption In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald
    • 924 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Corruption In The Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald

    The anguish Jay Gatsby endures within Fitzgerald's novel, The Great Gatsby, closes aligns with elements and occurrences from his own life. The devastating rejection due to money, the destructive influence of alcohol, and the catastrophic effects of adultery within a relationship are all mutual experiences that connect the main character to the author. The moral corruption of the 1920s resulted in devastating tragedies within the lives of both men, producing psychological wounds too deep to be…

    • 924 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    A Farewell to Arms: The Overall Tone
    • 305 Words
    • 2 Pages

    A Farewell to Arms: The Overall Tone

    The overall tone of the book is much different than that of The Sun Also Rises. The characters in the book are propelled by outside forces, in this case WWI, where the characters in SAR seemed to have no direction. Frederick's actions are determined by his position until he deserts the army. Floating down the river with barely a hold on a piece of wood his life, he abandons everything except Catherine and lets the river take him to a new life that becomes increasing difficult to understand. <br><br>The escape to Switzerland seemed too perfect for a book that set a tone of ugliness in the world that was only dotted with pure love like Henry's and Cat's and I knew the story couldn't end with bliss in the slopes of Montreux. In a world where the abstracts of glory, honor, and sacrifice meant little to Frederick, his physical association with Catherine was the only thing he had and it was taken away from him long before she died. <br><br>The love that Frederick and Catherine had for each other was more than could be explained in words and Frederick makes it known that words are not really effective at describing the flesh and blood details. Their love during an ugly war was not to be recreated or modeled even as much as through a baby conceived by their love. The baby could not be born alive because their love was beautiful yet doomed so that nothing could come out of it. <br><br>Hemingway's language is effective in leaving much to the readers interpretation and allowing a different image to form in each readers mind. The simple sentences and incomplete descriptions frees your imagination and inspires each person to develop their own bitter love…

    • 305 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Comparing Themes In The Great Gatsby And F. Scott Fitzgerald
    • 1181 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Comparing Themes In The Great Gatsby And F. Scott Fitzgerald

    Fitzgerald presents the character of Jay Gatsby who seeks a similar experience to that of BB, however in his quest to obtain Daisy he becomes tainted by the immorality of his world. Love can only be fully consummated when it remains uncorrupted; The Great Gatsby depicts this as hopeless aspiration in the modern world. Thus through comparing BB and Fitzgerald’s treatment of love and hope, one can see how their contexts and personal values affect their perspectives.…

    • 1181 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    TEWWG essay
    • 872 Words
    • 2 Pages

    TEWWG essay

    From early on Janie is curious about the meaning of true love, but her Nanny puts a stop to all of her daydreams when she forces Janie to marry Logan Killicks when she finds Janie kissing Johnny Taylor. Janie goes into the marriage with an open mind hoping that she will fall in love with him but soon realizes that love isn’t something that you can force. “‘Cause you told me Ah must gointer love him, and, and Ah don’t. Maybe if somebody was to tell me how, Ah could do it.’”(Hurston 23). Even though Logan does not make her happy, Janie stays in this relationship to please her grandma. “What was she losing so much time for? A feeling of sudden newness and change came over her” (Hurston 32). From this marriage Janie learns about self-respect by leaving the unhappy relationship she was in. She goes into her next marriage feeling like a new person and hopes that Joe Starks will be the one.…

    • 872 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    A Doll's House Analysis
    • 1871 Words
    • 8 Pages

    A Doll's House Analysis

    1. Two examples of literature that share the theme of relationships are William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” and Henrik Ibsen’s “A Doll House.” Although there is a love relationship between Emily Grierson and Homer Barron in the story “A Rose for Emily,” a deeper relationship exists between Emily and the town she lived in. An unsound relationship between the town and Emily is seen throughout the story. We learn about the connection between the town and Emily in the first line of the story as the unnamed narrator tells us “When Miss Emily Grierson died, out whole town went to her funeral” (516). We also learn in the first line that the town had different feelings towards Emily and the men and women…

    • 1871 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Holden vs. Charlie
    • 409 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Holden vs. Charlie

    While Holden and Charlie had some difference, the way they thought and acted were more similar. Both boys were lonely and didn’t do very well with girls. Holden had girlfriends but messed it by yelling, not saying the right things, and leaving a girl at a restaurant. Charlie had a girlfriend his first year at high school but cheated on her by kissing her best friend. Charlie and Holden’s brothers were both successful in their life. Charlie’s brother was a star football player while Holden’s brother was a famous writer. English was Holden’s and Charlie’s favorite subject in school. Holden was good in English and Charlie just loved reading books and writing. The boys had a good relationship with their sisters, Holden’s bond was closer but Charlie stuck up for his sister when she needed help. Terrible things happen in each of their lives. Charlie’s aunt molested him at a young age while Holden’s brother died very young. Both of these events traumatized their lives but with help they finally got through it.…

    • 409 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    A Complicated Kindness Poem Analysis
    • 905 Words
    • 4 Pages

    A Complicated Kindness Poem Analysis

    It can be said that struggles bring people together and, at the same time, break them apart. When two people realize their life situations are quite similar are controlled by fundamentalism, they tend to stay close to one another for comfort and understanding, even though they share nothing in interest. However one will eventually attempt a change, to try and manipulate their circumstances for the better or to leave. The other is inevitably left alone and desolate. Although a complicated kindness entwines many such consequences from social issues and other obstacles deep inside its storylines, it reveals its dominant theme in the conclusion: that love endures in the end. Love will make hardships tolerable, will bind people together in spirit if not in a physical sense, and will brighten the optimism in the heart.…

    • 905 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More