We've talked a lot in class, especially in the recent panel presentations, about the power dynamic between Brett and Jake in the novel. One of the panel presentations discussed the imperial qualities of Brett and her control over the guys in the novel, most prominently Jake. We discussed and argued about the extent of Jake's independence from Brett and whether or not he rebels against her. I believe that Jake never puts up a real struggle to become free of Brett's influence in his life and that Brett is in as much control over Jake as before.
The power dynamic between Brett and the guys in interesting in part because Brett holds the traditionally masculine role of power over the guys. This is both due to the fact that she is the only woman in their group but also in part due to Brett's charms that cause all of the guys to love her. These aspects of hers (she's smart, seductive, and good-looking) combined with their past history together causes Jake to be totally in love with Brett. Jake shows this love for Brett through his sacrifices for Brett (such as letting her come into his room in the middle of the night). We have no evidence that Brett also shows this same affection and commitment towards Jake. Really we have no evidence that Brett sacrifices anything at all for Jake. Throughout the novel what we see is that Brett uses Jake as emotional support (one example is when she gets him to see her through her affair with Romero), while Jake never gets anything other than some basic comfort which anyone could've given to him. Basically, Jake has unconditional love for Brett (essentially his love for her does not change based on her actions). Through Jake's point of view, we see that he has true, unconditional love for Brett, and this love causes him to overlook the fact that Brett doesn't sacrifice anything for him.
We never see things from Brett's point of view, however her actions do not suggest a true love for Jake. Inarguably, Brett has a closer connection to Jake than the other guys in the novel, which is why she asks Jake to see her through her affair with Romero. Rather than being an example of love for Jake on Brett's part, however, that scene is an example of Brett's complete control over Jake. Some of us argued in class that somehow, by the end of the book, Jake has overthrown Brett's presence in his life. However, I cannot read the last scenes of the novel with this lens. Jake basically has his best time of the novel during his time in San Sebastian in Book III. Brett asks him for help, and he sacrifices his time to help her. This only adds to the notion that Brett controls Jake. This is also the case in Jake's sacrifice of his aficionado status for Brett. Given this backdrop for the final scene of the novel, I can't see how Jake can do a complete 180 in his last line by rejecting Brett's presence in his life in the last line "Isn't it pretty to think so?" I can only see this as an admission by Jake of something he already knew: that he and Brett could not be together.
In conclusion, I disagree with the notion that Jake rebels against Brett's power over him by the end of the novel. If anything, I think he has only increased it by the end of the novel through sacrificing even more to Brett.
Do you agree or think I have a baseless argument? Go into the comments and make your friendly discussion heard.
The power dynamic between Brett and the guys in interesting in part because Brett holds the traditionally masculine role of power over the guys. This is both due to the fact that she is the only woman in their group but also in part due to Brett's charms that cause all of the guys to love her. These aspects of hers (she's smart, seductive, and good-looking) combined with their past history together causes Jake to be totally in love with Brett. Jake shows this love for Brett through his sacrifices for Brett (such as letting her come into his room in the middle of the night). We have no evidence that Brett also shows this same affection and commitment towards Jake. Really we have no evidence that Brett sacrifices anything at all for Jake. Throughout the novel what we see is that Brett uses Jake as emotional support (one example is when she gets him to see her through her affair with Romero), while Jake never gets anything other than some basic comfort which anyone could've given to him. Basically, Jake has unconditional love for Brett (essentially his love for her does not change based on her actions). Through Jake's point of view, we see that he has true, unconditional love for Brett, and this love causes him to overlook the fact that Brett doesn't sacrifice anything for him.
We never see things from Brett's point of view, however her actions do not suggest a true love for Jake. Inarguably, Brett has a closer connection to Jake than the other guys in the novel, which is why she asks Jake to see her through her affair with Romero. Rather than being an example of love for Jake on Brett's part, however, that scene is an example of Brett's complete control over Jake. Some of us argued in class that somehow, by the end of the book, Jake has overthrown Brett's presence in his life. However, I cannot read the last scenes of the novel with this lens. Jake basically has his best time of the novel during his time in San Sebastian in Book III. Brett asks him for help, and he sacrifices his time to help her. This only adds to the notion that Brett controls Jake. This is also the case in Jake's sacrifice of his aficionado status for Brett. Given this backdrop for the final scene of the novel, I can't see how Jake can do a complete 180 in his last line by rejecting Brett's presence in his life in the last line "Isn't it pretty to think so?" I can only see this as an admission by Jake of something he already knew: that he and Brett could not be together.
In conclusion, I disagree with the notion that Jake rebels against Brett's power over him by the end of the novel. If anything, I think he has only increased it by the end of the novel through sacrificing even more to Brett.
Do you agree or think I have a baseless argument? Go into the comments and make your friendly discussion heard.
I agree that the end of the book doesn't signify Jake's attempt at independence. If he were actually rebelling against Brett's power over him, he would not have gone to her aid in Madrid. However, the scene in Madrid certainly shows a change in his attitude towards Brett, she has fallen off of a pedestal for him over the course of their vacation. She probably won't be getting back on it either, when Jake says his famous "Isn't it pretty to think so?" line he could be suggesting that there was no way that it could have worked out, so he probably romanticizes Brett less, even if he still loves her.
ReplyDeleteI mean.. the phrase "Isn't it pretty to think so?" seems to be Jake's passive aggressive way of calling out Brett for constantly ignoring him. Brett makes the comment saying that the two of them would've been nice together and Jake essentially said "yea that's a pretty absurd, but funny idea, isn't it?". Jake throughout the novel was obviously 100% for Brett. He sacrificed so much for her and was really overprotective. Perhaps this final passive aggressive comment was finally him getting tired of this detrimental relationship. At this crucial point in the novel, Hemingway masterfully leaves the reader hanging. I think this quote leaves enough evidence to think that Jake would cut ties with Brett, but also leaves the possibility that Jake will continue to pursue Brett. However, before any more decisive evidence is presented, the novel is ended, leaving this conflict up in the air.
ReplyDeleteI agree, and also felt the kind of power dynamic. I felt like at the end however, the final "Isn't it pretty to think so?" signifies a shift in Jake's perspective. Jake's behavior near the end of the novel, I really felt as him at his last straw. Yes perhaps at that moment Jake still has some sort of connection beyond friendship, with Brett, but it also felt as though they were fading quick, and the last line was a sort of bittersweet farewell to Jake's previous life and he entered a new chapter in his life where he's found acceptance of the fact that he will never be with Brett, ever.
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