Friday, July 9, 2010

Farewell The Sun Also Rises...

The Sun Also Rises had an unexpectedly abrupt ending. I still felt like I was in the middle of the story when it got cut off. Looking back, I'm not sure that there was a definite plot to this story after all. There was no climax, resolution, or anything of that matter as far as I can tell. The reader is left at a cliffhanger wondering what will become of the characters Jake and Brett. They do not end up together, so do they end up happy at least? That's what I would like to know. Contrary to my belief that it would be unveiled to the reader at some point why those two could not be in love, the answer never came. Maybe someday they'll end up together after all. With characters as unpredictable as these I could see it happening easily.
Something I admired about Jake was how he came to Brett's rescue as soon as she sent him the telegram. He had no idea what the emergency was, but he wasted no time whatsoever in leaving to find her. The extent of his love for her is a rather admirable quality in a man. He is and always will be her most trustworthy, reliable, and loving friend she has in her life.
"Oh, Jake," Brett said, "we could have had such a damned good time together."
Ahead was a mounted policeman in khaki directing traffic. He raised his baton. The car slowed suddenly pressing Brett against me.
"Yes," I said. "Isn't it pretty to think so?" (page 251)
To me, Jake's final response to Brett's remark says it all. He would love to believe that what she is saying is true but he is smart enough to know that it is not.
The theme I got from this story is that love is pain. Everytime a character was in love, they seemed to suffer more than they celebrated. In my opinion, it showed a different, more jaded side of love.

1 comment:

  1. "He would love to believe that what she is saying is true but he is smart enough to know that it is not."

    So I guess that does show some progress in Jake's character.

    ReplyDelete