Although understanding stereotypical ideas of masculinity is relatively straightforward, challenging these stereotypes and defining new concepts of masculinity are extremely difficult. Activities such as fishing, bullfighting, and war exemplify traits associated with masculinity, and men are expected to take pleasure in these activities to validate their manhood. Additionally, a man’s sexual prowess plays a significant role in his perception of masculinity. Traditionally, men are depicted as constantly pursuing attractive women to fulfill their sexual desires. The novel “The Sun Also Rises” by Ernest Hemingway delves into the exploration of masculine and feminine identities in the post-World War I era known as the Roaring Twenties. The protagonist, Jake Barnes, is a war veteran who became impotent due to a war injury. As a result, Jake’s sense of masculinity is naturally called into question. However, there are other factors that contribute to his uncertainty about his own masculinity. In contrast to Jake, his love interest, Lady Brett Ashley, represents a new interpretation of femininity and becomes the desired woman among all the men in the story.
Jake Barnes’ inability to conform to traditional masculine standards contrasts with Lady Brett Ashley, who manages to maintain her femininity despite possessing typically masculine qualities. Both characters ultimately challenge societal expectations of gender roles, allowing them to seek comfort in each other as the novel progresses. A central challenge to Jake’s masculinity arises from his permanent injury sustained during World War I, which renders him impotent. Unable to find satisfaction through conventional sexual acts, Jake initially attempts to navigate this challenge by engaging a prostitute, driven by a sentimental desire for companionship (Hemingway 22).
He is aware that he cannot engage in sexual activities with the woman, but desires to fulfill his longing by spending time and having meals with a prostitute. However, he is discouraged from enjoying the encounter because of her lack of intelligence, stating that “Georgette was quite attractive when she didn’t speak” (Hemingway 23). He settles for the company of a girl, but is unable to appreciate her beauty as he becomes distracted when she talks. This compromised masculinity is revealed early in the novel as the act of hiring a prostitute fails to satisfy beyond the obvious absence of sexual gratification. This inability to connect with a woman physically not only hinders Jake’s sexual relationships but also prevents him from forming any kind of meaningful relationship altogether. Lady Brett Ashley, whom Jake is deeply infatuated with, confesses her love for him, yet due to his impotence, she is unwilling to enter into a real romantic relationship with him. His emasculation even affects his interactions with other men. Later in the story, during a fishing trip, Jake discusses his wartime injury with his friend Bill Gorton. Jake appreciates Bill’s advice to “never mention your accident…turn [the impotence] into a mystery,” and also advises him saying, “you don’t work. One group claims women support you. Another group claims you’re impotent” (Hemingway 129).
Bill and Jake venture further into the wilderness in search of a good fishing spot, prompting a change in conversation. Jake reflects on Bill’s previous advice and expresses disappointment when it abruptly stops. He wonders if Bill’s comment about his impotence caused him to withdraw. Despite this, Jake appreciates the connection and guidance he shares with Bill, indicating that he is not offended by the crack about his impotence. He desires profound connections with others, similar to his desire for Brett, but Bill, like Brett, becomes uncomfortable and reverts back to surface-level small talk. As a result, Jake is forced to redefine his masculinity on his own due to the lack of connection and support from others. The masculinity that worked for him before the war, which likely included wooing women, no longer serves him well. Without his sexual organ and its associated masculine identity, Jake must navigate his own path. The impact of the war is evident in Jake’s character and the other characters as well, each heavily affected and scarred. Alongside his physical war wound, Jake also grapples with identity issues unrelated to the injury.
One of Jake’s main desires is to start a romantic relationship with Lady Brett Ashley. However, it seems unrealistic to believe that their story would have a fairytale ending if Jake had not been in an accident. He seems to realize this when he reflects on his inability to be with Brett, stating “I suppose she only wanted what she couldn’t have” (Hemingway 39). This understanding is supported by the fact that Brett is involved with several men throughout the novel. Despite knowing that he cannot have Brett for himself, Jake arranges for her to be with the attractive Pedro Romero. Robert Cohn, who was recently involved with Brett, accuses Jake of setting her up with Romero and calls him a “damned pimp” (Hemingway 212). Although Jake is not thrilled about Brett being with Romero, he recognizes that he cannot offer a suitable alternative for her. He offers his assistance by asking “what do you want me to do?” and Brett responds by saying “come on, let’s go and find [Romero]” (Hemingway 204). As a war veteran, Jake is deeply troubled by Brett’s involvement with Cohn, who did not serve in the army.
Although Romero does not have the traditional qualifications of a veteran, he puts his life on the line in every bullfight, serving in a form of war that Jake greatly admires. As a result, Romero becomes a representation of Jake’s love for Brett and also manages to draw Brett away from two men, Robert Cohn and Mike Campbell, whom Jake does not approve of. It appears that Jake does indeed act as a pimp for Brett, just as Cohn suggests.
The 1920’s can be considered the era where the ‘modern’ woman first emerged. The lifestyles and expectations for women before World War I were significantly more old-fashioned compared to the new and liberated flappers that gained popularity in the 20’s. Lady Brett Ashley embodies this modern woman archetype. While Jake struggles to redefine his sense of masculinity after the war, Brett is doing the same in terms of redefining what it means to be a woman. From early on in the novel, Brett asserts herself as one of the men. She is not an idealized version of what war veterans could have had if they were not affected by the war, like Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby, nor is she an innocent girl untouched by war – her sexual promiscuity actually portrays her as the opposite. Brett represents a new type of woman, someone who would not be too different from many modern women if transported to present-day New York.As she introduces herself to Jake and his friends, Brett immediately positions herself as part of the group, referring to herself as a “chap,” a term typically used by males. Brett came up to the bar.
“Hello, you guys.”
“Hello, Brett,” I replied. “Why aren’t you drunk?”
“Never going to get drunk anymore. I say, give a guy a drink.” (TSAR 29).
She is intentionally defying societal expectations for women at the time by integrating herself into Jake’s circle of friends. Jake characterizes her as having a somewhat masculine appearance, stating, “She wore a slipover jersey sweater and a tweed skirt, and her hair was brushed back like a boy’s” (Hemingway 29). Despite her boyish demeanor, it is abundantly clear that both Jake and the other men find her incredibly attractive. Jake highlights this when he mentions, “Brett was damned good-looking…She was built with curves like the hull of a racing yacht, and you missed none of it with that wool jersey” (Hemingway 29). Cohn also appears to be captivated by Brett’s charm: “She stood holding the glass and I saw Robert Cohn looking at her…he had that look of eager, deserving expectation” (Hemingway 29). Throughout the novel, men are completely infatuated with her, and naturally, she enjoys the attention. Brett possesses an elusive quality embodied by her boyish hairstyle, name, and demeanor that enthralls the men. This quality distinguishes Brett from the prostitute; while the prostitute may be “a rather pretty girl” who keeps her mouth shut, Brett’s masculine way of speaking enhances her allure. Furthermore, Brett showcases a masculine fascination with violent gore. During the bullfight mauling, she remains remarkably composed: “How did it go?”.
“Wonderfully! Simply perfect. I say, it is a spectacle!”
“How about the horses?”
“I couldn’t help looking at them.”
“She couldn’t take her eyes off them,” Mike said. “She’s an extraordinary wench.” “They do have some rather awful things happen to them,” Brett said. “I couldn’t look away, though” (Hemingway 182).
Jake’s inability to connect with others, including his failed relationship with Georgette and rejection by Brett, forces him to search within himself for a different form of masculinity. He realizes that his impotence is not the main reason for his disconnection from Brett. Through his fishing trip with Bill and his encounters with Montoya and Romero, Jake begins to discover a strong sense of masculinity known as aficion. Aficion, defined on page 147 as passion, is characterized by a deep love for bullfighting. Montoya’s hotel only accommodates those with aficion, as demonstrated by the framed photographs of skilled bullfighters. Those without aficion are disregarded by Montoya, who discards their photographs. Possessing aficion is an embodiment of powerful masculinity, and Jake starts to become a master of it.
He relies on passion and honor to grasp aficion, which he clings to as a fresh form of masculine identity. When people saw that I possessed a deep love for something, and there was no secret code or specific questions that could uncover it, rather it was like a spiritual test with defensive, hidden inquiries, there was the same slight embarrassment followed by a hand on the shoulder or a “Good man.” However, more often than not, there was physical contact. It seemed as though they desired to touch you to confirm it. This is the crucial factor for Jake. The key that enables him to discover some sense of masculinity, and even more importantly, a sense of connection. Notice the emphasis on being touched. Through acquiring aficion, he is finally able to establish a bond with others, and remarkably, this newfound persona begins to attract Brett for the same reasons Jake initially became infatuated with her. Jake found appeal in Brett’s ease with her masculinity-infused femininity, setting her apart from the likes of Georgette and others. Similarly, Jake’s passion for life, particularly bullfighting – his aficion – draws Brett to him in a way that the weakened war hero persona never could. It is through these redefined gender roles that Jake and Brett are finally able to bond.
The connection between Brett and Jake, rooted in their shared passion for bullfighting and the exhilaration of this solitary battle, sets their relationship apart from Brett’s other relationships. Unlike their friends, who embrace a traditional masculinity that allows them to immerse themselves in the chaos of the fiesta without composure, Brett and Jake’s bond leaves them composed, which is a quality lacking in other characters in the novel. Even Romero, an impressive presence in the bullring, cannot match Jake’s composed demeanor in real life. As Romero demonstrates remarkable poise during his performance in the arena, Jake sees this as a representation of true masculinity: “Romero killed directly below us… Then without taking a step forward, he became one with the bull” (Hemingway 244). It is this sense of poise and calmness that Jake embraces as his ideal of masculinity; it allows him to withstand Brett’s provocations and challenges, ultimately enabling them to become united without any need for movement.
The future of their relationship is uncertain, and it is unclear how comfortable Jake and Brett are in their blurred gender roles. However, it is evident that they remain together at the end, forming a stronger connection. Despite this connection, both characters are permanently scarred and separated. Their final dialogue does not highlight their current love for each other or discuss future possibilities. Rather, it reflects on the potential beauty of their relationship before the war. The ending evokes a multitude of emotions. While it is admirable that Jake and Brett have rejected traditional gender expectations, they are still trapped in the past and unable to move forward. The war and its associated traditions have left them unable to rediscover a sense of tradition after abandoning it. In the end, it appears that both characters are unable to do so.Left holding onto each other, they contemplate what could have been, with little optimism for the beauty of the future.
