warning: this post is kind of messy, and I apologize in advance
I have to admit that while I was reading Ernest Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises, I was in the anti-Brett camp. Every page had me annoyed at Brett not because she decided to hook up with any guy she fancied, but because she seemed like she was using Jake. She knew that Jake was so emotionally invested in her (just calling this "love" seems hollow) and she seemed to take complete advantage of that. Every time she said "darling" I cringed. It was almost like a damsel-in-distress cry for Jake to listen to / help her with her problems -- which in and of itself is perfectly fine; it's just that I didn't see her doing the same thing for Jake. Jake sacrifices so much for Brett, he completely loses the respect of Monotoya (and Monotoya's regard for him as an afficionado is important to him!), he gives up his mini-vacation in San Sebastian where he finally seems like he's content, and he puts her feelings before his own, always. Maybe that's admirable or damned nice of him or something, I don't know (I thought for a while about it, and I can't decide if Jake is a pushover or just a rare personality).
Then a controversial (within my own mind) thought that developed during Friday's class discussion: is Jake just being a good friend? Uh, if friendship is supposed to be a one-sided thing then sure. I really can't see this friendship as a two-way street, because Brett always talks about herself. Jake never says "darling, I've been so miserable," not that he should because that isn't his style, I mean that in the way sense that Brett unburdens herself to Jake but Jake doesn't ever discuss anything personal with Brett. Jake is Brett's confidant, but Brett doesn't seem to be Jake's. But I can still see the side of this question that says: Brett cares about Jake just as much as he does for her, but she just doesn't show it and we as readers don't see these feelings in the same way we see Jake's because she isn't narrating the story. Okay. Pair that with the idea that Jake seems to be Brett's only genuine friend/support and vice versa. The "vice versa" part doesn't make sense because what about Jake and Bill and their moments during the fishing trip? But Jake might never see Bill, or any of the other characters for that matter, again ("so long Jake" says everyone). Brett is there after everyone else walks out of this story. So vice versa works, I guess.
I have to agree, girl! Brett has been playing Jake the whole book. However, I do think that Jake was being a good friend to Brett by going to help her. If your friend was in a foreign place with people they barely knew crying for help, would you go? Lover or not, I'd hope so. The problem is that I don't think Brett would do the same thing if it was Jake in trouble. Jake is definitely Brett's only true friend, but not vice versa.
ReplyDeleteTheir whole group of friends pisses me off to be honest. How has almost everyone in that group fallen in love with that girl, and no one has seen her as the huge problem yet? She has broken up some sorta friendships (are they all even friends?), and at the end of the day not much has changed.
#TeamAntiBrett
-Surya
First of all, I just want to say that your blog is really pretty. Second of all, I really enjoyed reading this post because I had a lot of similar feelings towards Brett that I was having trouble articulating and describing when asked why I hated her. I especially agree with the notion that Brett's love towards Jake is "hollow" and questionable. I found it generous of you to give Brett the benefit of the doubt, and I suppose that is something she does deserve, but I still have difficulties thinking positively about Brett. I guess it is just that I don't understand how she can be so clueless, but maybe that's not really her fault. Anyway, I just liked seeing that someone else had relatable feelings.
ReplyDeleteIt's true that Jake doesn't seem to depend on Brett for emotional support the way that she depends on him. Are there perhaps certain gendered behaviors on display here? Jake doesn't like to "talk about it"--"it" being his wound (which Brett is intimately familiar with, as his nurse), but also just talking about feelings and stuff in general. The bromance scenes with Bill are instructive--there's a brief "I love you, man" moment, but Jake doesn't really want to unburden himself and talk about his feelings for Brett.
ReplyDeleteSo we maybe can't blame Brett for not "being there" for Jake. If he were willing to "talk about it," she might indeed reciprocate. Jake puts a lot of stock in his own stoicism, his ability to "take it." This may be a self-imposed ethos, and it may have to do with his ideal of masculine toughness.
I definitely agree with you and really enjoyed reading this post. I pretty much hate Brett and think that she's just playing Jake who is pretty smart and should realize this. But I also don't think she's done anything to deserve the benefit of the doubt that you're giving her. The best thing she did in the entire novel was let Romero go and then congratulate herself on "not being a bitch." If not being a bitch is an accomplishment for Brett, then she's obviously not a very good person.
ReplyDelete