Lady Brett Ashley Character Traits

“Oh, Jake, we could have had such a damned good time together.’ ‘Yes, Isn’t it pretty to think so?”. Their final discussion is right where they started in the back of a cab. Brett has just dug a hole even deeper into the abyss of disappointment that Brett has already given him. Jake has lost his masculinity in more ways than one. He has to live without Brett, and with his disability, denying him any chance at all with women. He has finally accepted the loveless relationship that has become of them, and will push forward knowing how it will never be.

Jake is consciously aware that there is a problem, which is more than can be said about his friends. Perhaps the people that surround Jake are the issue, though. His close friends and the people whom he travels with include Lady Brett Ashley, Robert Cohn, Bill, and Mike. Brett, the target of Jake’s unrequited affections, is likely someone whom he should stop spending time with; however, it seems that he just can’t get away from her. She is a very strong and independent woman who isn’t known to behave in a traditionally feminine way. Jakes does remark that although she is very independent, “She can’t go anywhere alone.” Robert Cohn is a Jewish, wealthy expatriate; but unlike many of his friends, did not spend any time in the war. Cohn also falls head over heels in love with Brett, who soon rejects his affections as well. As a wealthy, Jewish, non war veteran Cohn stands out in the group and his fumbling attempts to court Brett are the source of much mockery and leads to many fights. Bill is also an American veteran who seems to be always drinking. He tends to use humor to try and deal with the emotional scars of war; however, is not immune to the immaturity and cruelty sometimes characterized by Jake and his friends. Finally, Mike is a very heavy drinking Scottish war veteran who is completely bankrupt. He is seen to have a terrible temper, which most often displays while he is drunk. Mike is also not comfortable with the

          The most prevalent theme in this story is loneliness. Jake is obviously lonely, so much so that he stoops to such pathetic lines as, "I'm kinda hoping so, just so it takes a little more time and we can talk some. Or else you can give me your phone number now and I won't have to lay my regular b.s. on you to get it later." His loneliness also shows when Gilb describes how, "her hand felt so warm and soft he felt like he'd been kissed." Jake seems to crave the human intimacy of love, and yet all he does is flirt with a woman whom he does not even care for enough to be truthful to. This is also situational irony. Corresponding with this theme of loneliness is the concept that everyone is looking for love. This need is very evident in Jake and is also displayed in Mariana. No intelligent female would even relent a little in the face of such an apparent swindler as Jake. However, Mariana must be a little flattered and lonely because she smiles at his attentions and even makes small talk with him.

The value of monetary exchange extends to his relationships, particularly with Brett: “I had been getting something for nothing. That only delayed the presentation of the bill. The bill always came. That was one of the swell things you could count on” (Hemingway, 152). In this instance, Jake is referencing that his friendship with Brett, has given him the benefits of having as much of a romantic relationship as he can, which makes him feel he has cheated Brett of deserving payment. This explains why Jake supports Brett’s sexual promiscuity, as other men are capable of giving her what he cannot, sexually.

Even though she truly loves Jake she still goes out with Robert Cohn and sleeps with him, then comes crying to Jake; continuing to tell him how much she is in love with him and how perfect the would be together, knowing that it could never happen. While Lady Brett Ashley is playing games between almost every male character in the story and having a good time doing it; she doesn't realize that all of these guys are fighting each other and ruining their friendships because she goes from one to the other having sex with them and telling them that they are the one for her.

In The Sun Also Rises the past event World War I negatively affects Jake and his fellow expatriates, causing their motivation in life to vanish, leaving them to find solace in bullfighting, travel and alcohol. Jake and his friends feel aimless in life, they do not feel strongly about many things except for the magnificent tradition of bullfighting. Bullfighters within the novel are seen as people who “‘live their lives all the way up’”(18). These famous individuals receive anything they so please.

By pushing men away, Brett is really displaying codependent behavior. She acts like she does not need the men to fulfill her emotions, but without men competing for her, her life is empty. Not only does she lean on Jake for emotional fulfillment, but she counts on men obsessing over her. She acts as if she would be alright if no men exclaimed their love for her, but she in fact thrives on it. Her fuel to live is turning men down, and she depends on that behavior to get by in her already empty life.

While Jake was going to bed, he thought to himself, “ I suppose she only wanted what she couldn't have” (pg.39). He is saying that he cannot be in a romantic relationship with Brett because they both know that he can’t give her what she wants which is sex. He is not able to indulge in sexual intercourse. Based on the context, it seems as if they had been in a romantic relationship in the past and his penis injury must have been the reason why they broke up. Brett continues to date other men and unlike Jake, they do not have any physical wounds. Jake loves Brett, and even though they are not together, he feels jealous and insecure when he witnesses other men talking about her. Most men in society believe that having a penis is what makes them manly and powerful. Based on this expectation, it would be hard for Jake to associate with men who have penises because he may feel uncomfortable around them. The fact that he is castrated will make him feel emasculated because he is different from other men, especially Brett’s significant others. Jake’s lack of self esteem is caused by his physical condition and this makes him

But although Brett may have set a role model for other women, she still had her flaws, one of them being that she was very promiscuous and had several affairs, leading men on to think that she cared for them, for so to ditch them for someone else. One very good example of this is her relationship with Jake. She cared deeply for Jake, but kept on hurting him, not necessarily intentionally, by her not wanting to be in a relationship with him due to his impotents. After Jake and Brett depart in Pamplona, Jake goes to San Sebastian, but quickly after his arrival, he receives a telegram from Brett who was in trouble, and needed Jakes help. The telegram said: “Can you come to hotel Montana Madrid, am rather in trouble, Brett” (Hemingway 209). The reason Brett is contacting Jake to help her is because she has decided to leave Romero, her 19 year old lover whom she left to Madrid wit. Brett knows how strongly Jake feels about her, and knows that he will always be there for her when she is in trouble, something that is proven when Jake says: “Well, that means San Sebastian all shot to hell. I suppose, vaguely, I had expected something of

Jake is not a wealthy man; however, his ego gets the better of him. Time and again, he keeps a tight check of his bank account balance. But when Brett starts hanging out with Count Mippipopolous, Jake is not averse to offering up his money when they all go out together. Money takes a back seat to Jake's ego. Once, Brett sends the Count out for champagne so that she could be alone with Jake. Whereupon she talks to him about her fiancé, Michael and this shoots down Jake's already bruised ego to its lowest. However, For Jake, just to be with Brett is pure happiness. He is so blinded with love for her that he doesn't even flinch when she does

Jake also at times seems to realize how bad his life is, but then never regrets it. He is in love with Brett Ashley, but she is always with other people, including Robert Cohn, which makes Jake jealous. This jealousy turns to anger when Jake gets into a fight with Robert and is then knocked out.

The readers could tell that the narrator was head over heels for Marla Singer, one of the few female characters in the novel, but he refuses to approach it. He said, “I tell Tyler, Marla Singer doesn’t need a lover, she needs a care worker. Tyler says, ‘Don’t call this love’” (Palahniuk 62). The narrator and Tyler agree with each other that they are most certainly not in love with Marla, but the readers know he is.

Jake and Robert are supposed to be friends; Robert knows that Jake loves Brett but knowing that they can’t be together due to Jake being sexual impotent. Brett is only leading Jake on by telling him she loves him while continuing to sleep with Robert and being engaged to Mike. Lady Brett Ashley is sleeping around with Robert because she knows that Jake can’t give her the sexual pleasure. Therefore, she’s just moving on with another guy for one of her many desires. On top of messing with these two “friends”, she is engaged to Mike Campbell who is known for having money.

Jake’s reunion with his wife, which anyone would assume to be a joyful event for any long separated couple, did not reflect by any means any aspect of such jubilant atmosphere. Prior to seeing his wife Jake was described to be filled with “joyous anticipation”—perhaps more due to his desire to show off “his swell attire to her,” rather than genuine love for the woman— but this feeling soon waned as he caught a glimpse of her in her orthodox, sloven attire (pg. 33 & 34). Jake “averted his face” in pure disgust as soon as he saw Gitl (partially because of the hideous “wig” that she was wearing, which reminded him of just how un-American she was) and “wished that her release were delayed indefinitely” (pg. 34). Unfortunately for Jake, however, her

The novel, The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemmingway is a mind jumbling story with twists and turns throughout its pages. The story begins in 1924 in Paris, France where all the characters live. The story travels through Bayonne in southern France to Pamplona, Spain and finally ends in Madrid, Spain. The story progresses with the characters traveling throughout Spain and France. Jake Barnes, a World War I veteran, is one of the main characters and the narrator of the novel. There are references throughout the novel about Jake’s love for the main female character, Lady Brett Ashley. The story revolves around the different characters’ love for her. Brett is engaged to Michael Campbell, a lesser character in the story but a friend to the main characters.