The Sun Also Rises Book Report - Jake Cantor

            Over the break I read The Sun Also Rises, by Earnest Hemmingway.  The book is based in a period after World War 1 but before World War 2.  The main characters are Jake Barnes, an expatriate of World War 1 who was badly scarred by the war, Robert Cohn, an annoying friend of Jake’s who tags along almost everywhere he goes, Lady Brett Ashley, Jake’s love of his life that he is unable to get with because of the injuries he suffered in the war, last but not least Bill Gordon, a heavy drinking Scottish lad who also served in World War 1 so Jake and him have a strong bond from the war.

            The main plot in the book is that Jake decided to go on a trip to Spain, Robert tags along and when they arrive in Spain they meet up with Bill and Lady Brett Ashley.  Jake finds out that Brett is engaged with a rich man and that greatly upsets Jake.  They go on through the book traveling through Spain doing different activities such as fishing and partying.  The book has some interesting turns in Jake’s behavior, for example when Jake and Bill go fishing out in the woods Jake feels at peace and actually slightly happy for the first time since the war, then a couple days later while partying during a Spanish bull fighting festival he feels the saddest and most depressed he has in a very long time.  The book has one big motif, masculinity.  Masculinity is such a huge part in the book because during the war Jake was hit by some shrapnel and his man parts were blown into smithereens, now without his man parts Jake feels like less of a man because he has lost his ability to have sex.  This really depresses Jake because Brett is the love of his life and the only reason they can’t be together is because of Jake’s missing organs.

            I would not recommend this book for someone who is looking for an action packed and exciting book, Hemmingway’s style is quite dull and in some sections of the book it feels as it is dragging on for a long while.  Also even though Jake is the narrator of the story his inner emotions are well hid and it takes a great deal of reading before you finally get into Jake’s mind.  All in all I did get a small amount of enjoyment out of reading this book because of the complexity of Jake’s situation; it was mildly exciting to see how Jake dealt with his many problems from the war.