Ryerson University
The Sun Also Rises: The Lost Generation and Masculine Identity
Taylor Vagenas
500650873
ENG 624-011
Thomas Heise
November 27 2015
Throughout the 20th century, modernist writers focused their literature on the social and political change that was occurring at that time. There was a constant push and pull transpiring between order and the disorder of the world. This created a distinction in society between an insider and an outsider. After World War I had ended, there was a great shift between pre war life, to post war life. In The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, the protagonist Jake Barnes was a soldier in the war. He struggles with his masculinity after the war as he is surrounded by those who he believes are manlier than he is. With this constant struggle, he defines himself as the outsider as he does not fit in with those who surround him. He represents a typical member of what was commonly known as the “lost generation” at this time. This was a generation that was influenced by their experiences in the war, and ultimately these experiences toyed with their feelings, beliefs and ideas on things such as love or …show more content…
He outlines the distinction between what an outsider and insider is in this era. He uses Jake to explore the characteristics of an outsider, by giving him the qualities that the Lost Generation possess and because of this he struggles with himself. Jake constantly puts his anger onto other characters, trying to pull himself closer to acceptance when in reality he is pushing himself further from it. Jake overcompensates for the lack of masculinity he feels not being able to satisfy Brett. Order is created through the insiders of society, while the disorder is created by the outcasts, like Jake. The novel focuses on the importance of society’s perceptions of a person, which ultimately defines and labels their
The Sun Also Rises: The Lost Generation and Masculine Identity
Taylor Vagenas
500650873
ENG 624-011
Thomas Heise
November 27 2015
Throughout the 20th century, modernist writers focused their literature on the social and political change that was occurring at that time. There was a constant push and pull transpiring between order and the disorder of the world. This created a distinction in society between an insider and an outsider. After World War I had ended, there was a great shift between pre war life, to post war life. In The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, the protagonist Jake Barnes was a soldier in the war. He struggles with his masculinity after the war as he is surrounded by those who he believes are manlier than he is. With this constant struggle, he defines himself as the outsider as he does not fit in with those who surround him. He represents a typical member of what was commonly known as the “lost generation” at this time. This was a generation that was influenced by their experiences in the war, and ultimately these experiences toyed with their feelings, beliefs and ideas on things such as love or …show more content…
He outlines the distinction between what an outsider and insider is in this era. He uses Jake to explore the characteristics of an outsider, by giving him the qualities that the Lost Generation possess and because of this he struggles with himself. Jake constantly puts his anger onto other characters, trying to pull himself closer to acceptance when in reality he is pushing himself further from it. Jake overcompensates for the lack of masculinity he feels not being able to satisfy Brett. Order is created through the insiders of society, while the disorder is created by the outcasts, like Jake. The novel focuses on the importance of society’s perceptions of a person, which ultimately defines and labels their