Monday, January 26, 2015
Snow Day Post: Jake Barnes
What do you make of our narrator so far? If we had class today, we would have talked about his "wound" a bit. Hemingway isn't crystal clear what happened to Jake in the war, but we can infer that his injury has left him impotent.Why is that important, not just on a literal level (it complicates his potential relationship with Brett), but on a symbolic level? What seems to be wrong with Jake?
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I think it is safe to say that impotence would be one of the most devastating "afflictions" a man could face, as sexual prowess is the traditional marker of masculinity. For a man of this time to be impotent would likely garner sympathetic coos from women, but little else, and certainly would likely render him ineligible to wed for the most part. On a literal level, it gives Hemingway and explainable "out" for Brett, a reason she will not allow herself to love Jake without making her look even more horrible than being depicted as an insatiable drunk with commitment issues already poses her. On a symbolic level, it renders him impotent on every level and gives explanation to his constant cruelty with almost everyone except Brett. It explains his unwillingness to travel, his lack of motivation at work and in trying to find a love outside of the safety of Brett and his unwillingness to get too close to anyone. He has let impotence become the norm and thus, crippled parts of his life that the war did not touch. I find him a most complex and heartbreaking character.
ReplyDeleteI think Leah hit the nail on the head. Not only do I agree that Jake’s impotence “gives explanation to his constant cruelty with almost everyone,” I also think that his impotence gives him reason to be jealous of Cohn. After all, as a boxer Cohn may have the physical ability to do something Jake no longer can because of his impotency. Although Cohn is quite good at boxing, he puts much more energy into publishing his writing which, according to Jake, is mediocre. I think that Jake might find it frustrating that Cohn is wasting a skill that he excels in, especially if Jake is no longer able to do rigorous physical activities. I do believe that Jake values Robert Cohn as a friend, but I also think--even if subconsciously—Jake is jealous and frustrated that Cohn doesn’t take advantage of his ability to box.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Rachel on her explanation of Jake's relationship with Cohn. Although Jake speaks harshly of Cohn at times, he also cannot understand how Frances could talk to him the way that she does. Jake obviously admires Cohn, but I feel that his friendship is clouded with jealousy, a feeling that could only be increased when Cohn takes an interest in Lady Brett. Jake's relationship with Lady Brett is already complicated, possibly due to his injury, and Cohn is a man that Jake may feel has a better chance with her.
ReplyDeleteThe biological imperative to reproduce is the strongest drive that any animal possesses, including Homo sapiens. To be incapacitated in that way is to be emasculated, to be psychologically and spiritually crippled. In essence, Jake is stripped of his manhood, thus forcing him to seek other avenues for masculine expression. Little wonder that he drinks so heavily, as a way of numbing his pain. In essence, Jake is forced to function in a masculine world without the use of the most important tool of his masculinity (no pun intended).
ReplyDeleteI think that Jake’s anger toward Cohn stems from resentment that he and the other male characters in the book fought in the war but Cohn did not. Short of forfeiting his life in combat, Jake has made the ultimate sacrifice that a man can make. We can only imagine the agony that he must feel. He has difficulty sleeping because he cannot get Brett out of his mind. And yet he has no way to satisfy his sexual urges. Life must be a living hell for him. But what options does he have but to play the hand that life has dealt him to the best of his ability?
I agree with Leah in that being left impotent would be incredibly devastating for any man. I'm sure he attributes his inability to have Brett with his condition, thus feeling that he cannot fault her for her decision. This type of wound is different in that it leaves this man unable to engage in something that must occur between two people who are in love. Not only can Jake not be with Brett, but what woman would consent to being with him? At least that is probably what he thinks. His situation is sad and has probably left him bitter.
ReplyDeleteThe Sun Also Rises was published in 1926. At this point, women were entering the work force and starting to rise in equality towards men. This could make women more selective about their partners, and Jake’s impotency would make it less likely for him to find a suitable women. While most people would not see this, he would think this about himself, thus potentially damaging his relationship with Brett. While reading, I felt like this was his excuse for not moving forward with Brett.
ReplyDeleteI feel like this also explains some of the feminine undertones of the novel. As previous posters have noted, sexual prowess is a distinctly masculine trait. By removing his ability to reproduce, that diminishes the potential for any sexual exploits, in effect, de-masculinizing the character.
I agree with all of the comments before mine that say how devastating it must be for Jake to have an injury that leaves him unable to have sex. Like Rachel said, sex is something that most couples engage in, and honestly it is something that women want from their partner. I think that symbolically that his injury means more than him just losing his ability to have sex. I think that this is a symbol for the fact that Jake left part of himself in the war. He is lost now and not the man he was before he went to war.
ReplyDeleteI think, from a male perspective, it would be devastating. Intimacy is one of the major factors in a relationship as Jessica pointed out in her comments above. If one is impotent, he can not be sexually active with a woman which creates a multitude of problems should he choose to pursue a relationship. I think it is also devastating for Jake because he is on love with someone who could potentially have a large pool of suitors. If he is impotent, that could play a big role in Brett choosing not to be with him. Most women ideally choose a partner in hopes that he will be able to father her children both in the literal and figurative way. If he can not even offer that to Brett, he does not have much else to prove that he can be a good romantic partner other than the fact that he is in love with her. Is love enough for someone like Lady Brett? That combined with the fact that his masculinity suffers, I think Jake's wounds are deeper than the readers realize.
ReplyDeleteI agree with most everyone above, Jake's impotence is something he feels as a loss of manhood. He must have a lot sexual frustration, which has lead to frustration with life in general. Like Charles and some of my other classmates pointed out, Jake definitely hassome resentment and bitter feelings towards Cohn. However, I personally feel that Jake is resentful and bitter towards most of the people he interacts with and really life in general. I believe that Jake feels trapped, powerless, and directionless in his life.
ReplyDeleteI feel that Jake's impotence everyone has pointed to serves only one purpose in the story. Hemingway used this as a way to create sympathy for a character who others in this blog have referred to as "cruel", "jealous", and "frustrated". The part of his character that is the most difficult for me to wrap my head around is the fact that his impotence can be viewed as both the reason and the excuse for his negative traits. By this I mean that as I said earlier it is an excuse meant to create sympathy, but others here have also noted it the main reason he is cruel. I suppose what makes it difficult for me to view it that way is do we see what Jake was like before his "wound"? Do we have evidence that the character was more jovial and less damaged beforehand? I don't feel there is sufficient evidence for this argument.
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