The Sun Also Rises: The Tragic Relationship Between Jake And Brett

The relationship between the characters Brett Ashley and Jake Barnes in the novel The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway can be viewed as a tragic relationship, or one with elements that make the relationship complicated for those involved in it. These two fictional characters are living in Paris during a time between the first and second World Wars, prior to the Great Depression that struck Europe and the United States. These characters’ infatuation with each other is limited due to a war injury that Jake suffered, therefore, they cannot truly be together under Brett’s standards. Jake is more practical about this relationship, because he still continues to chase Brett, and hopes that eventually his injury will not be an obstacle in their love. Relationships, especially those as disastrous and confusing as the relationship between Jake and Brett seems to be, become entangled by the tragedies within them, and fate itself.
All relationships, even those where love is not necessarily present, could have a tragic part inside of them. I have found myself in tragic relationships that could be somewhat comparable to Jake and Brett. When there is an obstacle between two people, whether this barrier is a physical thing, or
Overall, the relationship between Jake and Brett is certainly a tragic relationship. Hemingway makes this relationship tragic by introducing an injury to Jake that Brett cannot accept. Brett allows this to be an obstacle in their relationship, while Jake tries to defy their fate by fighting to maintain the love between him and Brett. Jake decides that he does not want fate to control him, and rather he wants to control his fate. Fate can be controlled if you do not let fate control you. In the end, fate will not be the one to decide if Jake and Brett are trapped, they will likely be forced to decide