The Sun Also Rises, published in 1926, was written about a post world
war shell-shocked era that drank too much, and had widely socially
accepted feelings of expatriation and social easiness. Ernest Hemingway
shows us a scene of exciting sexual excursions, bullfights, and late
night dance clubs (ex: Club Select) and bars in France. He romanticizes
a pitiful time for several characters and paints a picture of almost
perfect serenity, while underneath, many characters are struggling to
stay emotionally alive. The traditional value system that binds day to
day moral behavior has been struck down by the war to the point that
Jake Barnes feels that money is the only stable value left, and that
honor, glory, and heroism were lost words with little or no meaning.
Another effect of this world war was in the revolution of women. They
too, were forced to redefine their code of ethics. Gone were the days of
cooking and cleaning in the defined space of the home, and in were the
days of Flappers, and women venturing out into the sun of the man’s
world. How and why did women evolve into their new role? We get the
unique opportunity to investigate this when we analyze one of
Hemingway’s fictitious characters whom represents far more than meets
the eye. Brett Ashley is the extreme tour guide on this trip through
social structure, and the woman’s place in it. And we see, through her,
a little titillating glimpse into the future.
Robert Cohn brings us the traditional pre-war point of view towards
women. He is the man who protects the poor innocent sweet young
lady from all rough things in life. He is big and strong, and should up
hold the maidens honor. This is why he is so disturbed when Jake says
she is, “a thirty-four year old drunk whose ‘true love’ died from
dysentery during the war and who has since twice married and divorced”
(Reynolds 64).
Cohn would like to punch Jake for this remark, but his judgement
prevails and stops him from this grievous action. Unfortunately later,
his judgement isn’t on guard, and when Pedro Romero has relations
with Bette, he decides it’s time to take action. He beats Romero, and
when he realizes that it would be unchivalrous to continue his
pummeling, he recoils and in traditional fashion attempts to shake
Pedro’s hand. Brett doesn’t outwardly show her approval, but by her
juggling of men, she shows that she is a new woman, and men are of no
matter to her. Only these avant-guard, almost feminist women could
accomplish this, and the reason they could is because of the post war
attitude that women should be avid individualists seeking new
experiences.
Two major events helped give women this new freedom. First were the
war, and then the lack of concern for rules and structure. The second
thing was the 19th amendment giving women the right to vote. This
gives women not only a level of equality to men, but also a way to
demand that level. This meant that although she didn’t have the best
name in town, Brett was able to publicly drink, and make public rounds
with several men without being condemned as a whore. Gone are the
long skirts, bustles, and constricted waists: New designs, and short
skirts were the craze. She shows her independence from the traditional
norm in a conversation with Romero. He attempted to domesticate her
by telling her to give up her mannish felt hat, let her hair grow out, and
wear more modest clothing. She obviously had a problem with that, and
she even had this to say to Jake later, “He wanted me to grow my hair
out. Me, with long hair. I’d look so like hell”(Hemingway 242). Then it
was short hair and skirts above the knees, and now it’s dye jobs, and
Marilyn Manson clothing and make-up.
Brett did not follow the new code completely. An example of this comes
when she slips back into her compassionate female side when she
attempts to save Cohn with her body. She feels sorry for him, and
attempts to make him feel better by having sex with him. He
unfortunately never understands her position, and decides that it is his
personal duty to see to her safety. After realizing that he would not be
satisfied with casual sex, she gets sore at him, and is scorns him. Brett
is shown to us as Hemingway’s ideal female character free of sexual
repression. She flaunts herself and is completely safe in the public’s eye
for doing so. In many ways, Brett is a predecessor of today’s modern
woman.
Brett’s character in this book transcends the decades, and we see her
oftentimes today. Women are constantly attempting to gain equality
with men, and especially in the ‘90’s, they assume excess sexual risks,
previously thought unheard of by their mothers. They stay out until late
at night and they party as much as the boys do. Where will it stop? It is
anyone’s guess. But before the next century, we will have female
presidents and female generals in the military. And to think, it may all
be because of Brett’s ground breaking actions. With some help from the
imagination of a previously unknown author, Ernest Hemingway.
Works Cited
Reynolds, Michael S. The Sun Also Rises: Twayne’s Masterwork Studies:
A Student’s
Companion to the Novel. Boston Massachusetts, G.K. Hall & Co., 1988
Hemingway, Ernest. The Sun Also Rises: New York: Charles Scribner’s
Sons, 1926