The characters in The Sun Also Rises are all in search of something after World War I. Travel plays a part as one of the major themes, with countries such as France and Spain being countries that Jake, Robert, and Brett explore. It can be argued that these three main characters are trying to escape their issues by drinking and escaping to different countries to get a new start. However, Ernest Hemingway’s theory is that, “Writing is like an iceberg. 1/8 of the information is above the surface, and 7/8 is below the surface.” Jake, Robert, and Brett’s drinking and escapist issues are what is above the surface. Their inability to realize how to solve the pain from the results of World War I are what is below the surface. Friendship is the best
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They were not able to completely vent about their troubles and how the war affected them because they were overly concerned with Jake’s inability to have sex. When Jake is looking at himself naked in the mirror, he observes his genitals and thinks, “Of all the ways to be wounded,” (38). This vague hint at his injury also gives a hint at how Jake begins to remember the war when he thinks of his genitals. The affect that the war had on Jake was his inability to have a solid stance on how he felt about the people in his life. His values of physical danger and manly confidence hindered his ability to logically trust in someone. Logically trusting in someone means trusting what someone tells you, versus not trusting in someone because their life seems “too good to be true”. It also means that you do not only form a bond with someone because of what they can do for you, or what you can do for them. Brett was toxic to Jake’s ability to solve his issues because she shared the same mindset. She could not totally commit her attraction solely to him because of she wanted to have a physical relationship. Between the two, he was the only one to look for a solution to still be together despite his shortcomings.
They were not able to completely vent about their troubles and how the war affected them because they were overly concerned with Jake’s inability to have sex. When Jake is looking at himself naked in the mirror, he observes his genitals and thinks, “Of all the ways to be wounded,” (38). This vague hint at his injury also gives a hint at how Jake begins to remember the war when he thinks of his genitals. The affect that the war had on Jake was his inability to have a solid stance on how he felt about the people in his life. His values of physical danger and manly confidence hindered his ability to logically trust in someone. Logically trusting in someone means trusting what someone tells you, versus not trusting in someone because their life seems “too good to be true”. It also means that you do not only form a bond with someone because of what they can do for you, or what you can do for them. Brett was toxic to Jake’s ability to solve his issues because she shared the same mindset. She could not totally commit her attraction solely to him because of she wanted to have a physical relationship. Between the two, he was the only one to look for a solution to still be together despite his shortcomings.