Jake's Change In The Sun Also Rises

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Jake’s character in the novel The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway has been formed long before the novel picks up on his character. He was a soldier in World War I, which is where he was wounded. His wound has taken away Jake’s ability to have sex, yet he does not say so directly, there are many times in the novel where he implies his internal struggle of his wound. Jake, however, does find many ways to divert his attention away from his own problems such as resorting to drinking and maintaining his bond with his friends, which also causes him some difficulties. Throughout the novel, especially in book three, Jake grows and develops as a character both in the way he views his friendships and the outside world as well as his past and the…show more content…
The first two words of the novel are “Robert Cohn’. Jake shows great respect and admiration for him at the beginning of the novel, he feels that Cohn is “nice and awful”. As we slowly progress through the novel we can start to see his feelings shift, making it more of a relationship where Jake tolerates and almost pities Cohn. Jake’s growing hostility toward Cohn may have a big part to do with Jake’s own feelings of inadequacy. Brett is and always has been the love of Jake’s life, yet she refuses to enter into a relationship with Jake solely because of his injury which stems back from the war. Of course, hearing that Brett slept with Robert Cohn, did not help Jake’s feelings towards him, especially knowing that there was no emotional value to the affair created hostility towards Cohn as Jake lacks that relationship and ability with Brett. When the novel transitions to book three, this is where the readers see the real change. Robert Cohn is only mentioned once by Brett, “I do. I’m all right again. He’s wiped out that damned Cohn” (246). Cohn’s rage and frustration make him lash out at Romero and Jake which take a tremendous toll on the entire friend group. By the end of the novel Jake thoroughly hated Cohn, showing his progression of seeking true friends who have the ability to understand his wound, rather than bring up memories and painful emotions from his past and his
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