Manhood of the Sun also Rises

Recently, I had the chance to read Ernest Hemingway's The Sun also Rises. The book was particularly interesting and I enjoyed reading about the tales of Jake and his relationship with friends and loved ones. One of the central themes of the book however I found particularly interesting was the theme of Jake and his "manhood."

Jake is a World War I veteran and when he returned from the front, he was both physically and mentally scarred from the war, so much so that it affected his personality. Such can even be seen in simple conversations such as when he goes to get a drink in Paris and the waiter questions if he should be doing such. Jake's reaction is that "he's sick" which prompts the waiter to say that everyone is sick. However, when you take into account what Jake has been through, one can say that he's "sicker than most people." Seeing fellow soldiers being lost in the war, or going through the devastation of the attack may have impacted Jake's mentality, traumatizing him and actually making him lose manhood. War is typically portrayed as a man's thing to do, when Jake however returns with negatives thoughts on it, in a sense he's lost some of the manliness that he started out with.

In addition to the mental effects from the events of the war, there are also the mental effects Jake suffered from the physical damage he sustained. Although it is not that clearly explained, Jake is wounded during battle and he is unable to properly have sex again. Not only would damage one's pride as a man, but it would also other negative effects, in which Hemingway goes into. During the course of the story, Jake has romantic feelings for a woman, Brett, who helped recover from his physical wounds. However, this relationship is strained because wants to be in a relationship with Jake and perform sexual acts with him. Jake however knows he is unable to do such and some points in the story has moments where he just lies in bed crying to himself, because he is unable to have a full relationship with Brett. Because he is also unable to have a full relationship with Brett, Jake feels depressed and even saddened that he cannot reach a full relationship with one he loves.

In the end however, it is implied through the events of the story that Jake comes to terms with who he is now. He begins to continue living life as did as Brett moves on to find another lover, who she eventually breaks up with. Jake however meets up with Brett again, as friends, and they discuss how things might have turned out if Jake could have fulfilled a relationship with her.

It is these kinds of thoughts that Hemingway builds on that makes a person question their gender role. As Hemingway shows, there is clearly more than just physical attributes that make up one's gender.