Ernest Hemingway`s ”The Sun Also Rises”

*Love as depicted and understood by the characters in Ernest Hemingway`s ”The Sun Also Rises”.

Ernest Hemingway`s ”The Sun Also Rises” depicts love in various ways. Cohn's love for Brett, Mike's love for Brett and Jake's love for Brett all present a different slant to the idea of love.

Cohn is the dependent, weak type who clings to love. Mike is the apathetic type who is indifferent to Brett's plight. And Jake, in his silent, self-effacing way, loves Brett but bottle up his feelings.

The object of their affection, on the other hand, seems to draw distorted sense happiness on the influence she wields on men. Men are not people to be loved for her. They are mere conquests. In short, objects that only merit her attention if she is in the middle of chase. Once she captures their poor hearts, she loses quickly interest. Such as the case with all men linked to her in the story Cohn, Mike, Jake and Romero.

Brett is more comfortable in speculating about what she and Jake could have had together instead of committing herself to accomplishing that dream in real life because she knows her limitations. She knows for a fact that she would not be faithful. She says to Jake that she is a "tromper". Aware with the reality of her true nature, she refuses to make a commitment to love to spare Jake of hurt feelings.

Brett arrived at this decision not because she is a noble, philosophical thinker but more so because she is a shallow, pathetic, and ultimately sad figure. Her hedonistic way of living does not prepare her for commitment or deep relationships. She is not capable of exercising wisdom. All her actions stem from selfish intents. There was nothing nurturing about her. She simply takes but does not give. Despite her social interactions, she lost sight of the most important consideration - herself. Her very existence is empty which she tries to mask by company, parties and endless drinking spree. She tries to escape despair by drowning it with her interaction with men. It, ironically, only made her more sad and alone. She is a wounded girl seeking for her real identity. This ultimately makes Brett a very sad figure.