Jacob Kirschner
AP Literature
6th Hour
April 7, 2011
Character Analysis
“Jake Barnes: The Ideal “Lost Generation” Hero
Ernest Hemingway, a renowned American author, identified himself with the post World War I group known as the “lost generation.” Struggling to deal with the atrocities surrounding this era, Hemingway created a new hero and captured the essence of the “lost generation.” In his first ever attempt he created one of the best characters that represents this era in Jake Barnes. Jake Barnes, the narrator of The Sun Also Rises (1926), left impotent by an ambiguous war wound struggles to deal with the everyday problems of the “lost generation.” Ultimately, these problems are successful in distracting Jake and his colleagues from accomplishing anything. Yet, despite these problems, Jake, the hero of The Sun Also Rises, is able to overcome them just a tiny bit making him the ideal “lost generation” hero.
The main flaw in Jake’s character is the war injury he has suffered. Not only does this present a physical problem but it transcends into an emotional one. This war injury presents Jake with the problem of not being able to consummate his love with Lady Brett Ashley. As Lady Ashley and Jake flirt with the idea of being together they both know it will never happen. One of the many instances that shows this is at the end of the book where Brett says to Jake, “Oh Jake, we could have had such a damned good time together” (222). Yes, a relationship between these two is possible; however, Jake does not have any agency. He is caught up in the problems of the “lost generation” that only members who identify themselves with understand what these problems are.
Furthermore Jake’s injury leads to many insecurities he feels, which is understandable. These insecurities, however, lead to many confrontations between the fake relationships Jake and his friends form. These relationships, paired with partying, drinking, and fishing trips are all a guise taken on by the persona of a Hemingway “lost generation” hero.Participating in these activities are ways for Jake to assert his masculinity. This is shown in the scene where Robert Cohn, the antithesis of Jake Barnes, finds out that his so-called “love” Lady Ashley has just slept with the young bullfighter Pedro Romero. Cohn completely overreacts as he barges into Lady Ashley's room and beats Pedro, while Jake has silently watched many of men float in and out of the bed of Lady Ashley and has not yet once overreacted. Yet this may be all due to the fact that Jake has no agency.
Despite the whirling vortex of the “lost generation” mannerisms Jake is able to realize that he is a part of it, and they always say identification and acceptance of the problem are the first steps to solving the problem. This is what sets Jake Barnes apart from the rest of the characters in The Sun Also Rises making him the perfect Hemingway hero. He tells Cohn “You can’t get away from yourself by moving from one place to another” (19). Not only does Jake realize this problem, he is also the only character in the book who shows true passion. This passion is that he is an aficion--one who loves bullfights. He also has a passion for fishing and nature, which is surprising considering he was created by Hemingway. Jake is the only character, excluding Mike Campbell, who has created something of a career; Barnes is a successful newspaper writer. This really is Jake Barnes’s claim to fame, but it is truly what sets himself apart from the other characters making him the hero.
Overall this essay may seem scattered vacillating between Jake having no agency and Jake having agency. But this is all done to prove the point that Jake Barnes is not a typical hero; however, he is a hero in the context of the “lost generation.” The small and somewhat furtive achievements accomplished by Jake are what makes him a hero allowing him to rise above the torpor of most individuals during the “lost generation.” His aficion, love for nature, and realization of being a part of the “lost generation” makes Jake Barnes the perfect Hemingway hero.
AP Literature
6th Hour
April 7, 2011
Character Analysis
“Jake Barnes: The Ideal “Lost Generation” Hero
Ernest Hemingway, a renowned American author, identified himself with the post World War I group known as the “lost generation.” Struggling to deal with the atrocities surrounding this era, Hemingway created a new hero and captured the essence of the “lost generation.” In his first ever attempt he created one of the best characters that represents this era in Jake Barnes. Jake Barnes, the narrator of The Sun Also Rises (1926), left impotent by an ambiguous war wound struggles to deal with the everyday problems of the “lost generation.” Ultimately, these problems are successful in distracting Jake and his colleagues from accomplishing anything. Yet, despite these problems, Jake, the hero of The Sun Also Rises, is able to overcome them just a tiny bit making him the ideal “lost generation” hero.
The main flaw in Jake’s character is the war injury he has suffered. Not only does this present a physical problem but it transcends into an emotional one. This war injury presents Jake with the problem of not being able to consummate his love with Lady Brett Ashley. As Lady Ashley and Jake flirt with the idea of being together they both know it will never happen. One of the many instances that shows this is at the end of the book where Brett says to Jake, “Oh Jake, we could have had such a damned good time together” (222). Yes, a relationship between these two is possible; however, Jake does not have any agency. He is caught up in the problems of the “lost generation” that only members who identify themselves with understand what these problems are.
Furthermore Jake’s injury leads to many insecurities he feels, which is understandable. These insecurities, however, lead to many confrontations between the fake relationships Jake and his friends form. These relationships, paired with partying, drinking, and fishing trips are all a guise taken on by the persona of a Hemingway “lost generation” hero.Participating in these activities are ways for Jake to assert his masculinity. This is shown in the scene where Robert Cohn, the antithesis of Jake Barnes, finds out that his so-called “love” Lady Ashley has just slept with the young bullfighter Pedro Romero. Cohn completely overreacts as he barges into Lady Ashley's room and beats Pedro, while Jake has silently watched many of men float in and out of the bed of Lady Ashley and has not yet once overreacted. Yet this may be all due to the fact that Jake has no agency.
Despite the whirling vortex of the “lost generation” mannerisms Jake is able to realize that he is a part of it, and they always say identification and acceptance of the problem are the first steps to solving the problem. This is what sets Jake Barnes apart from the rest of the characters in The Sun Also Rises making him the perfect Hemingway hero. He tells Cohn “You can’t get away from yourself by moving from one place to another” (19). Not only does Jake realize this problem, he is also the only character in the book who shows true passion. This passion is that he is an aficion--one who loves bullfights. He also has a passion for fishing and nature, which is surprising considering he was created by Hemingway. Jake is the only character, excluding Mike Campbell, who has created something of a career; Barnes is a successful newspaper writer. This really is Jake Barnes’s claim to fame, but it is truly what sets himself apart from the other characters making him the hero.
Overall this essay may seem scattered vacillating between Jake having no agency and Jake having agency. But this is all done to prove the point that Jake Barnes is not a typical hero; however, he is a hero in the context of the “lost generation.” The small and somewhat furtive achievements accomplished by Jake are what makes him a hero allowing him to rise above the torpor of most individuals during the “lost generation.” His aficion, love for nature, and realization of being a part of the “lost generation” makes Jake Barnes the perfect Hemingway hero.