Discuss the Impact of World War I on the Lives of the Characters in “The Sun Also Rises.”

Answer

Discuss the impact of World War I on the lives of the characters in “The Sun Also Rises.” [NU: 2018, 20] ★★★

“The Sun Also Rises” (1926) by Ernest Hemingway (1899–1961) shows how World War I (1914-18) changed people’s lives deeply. The characters in the novel feel lost, empty, and without purpose after the war. They try to find meaning in a world that has changed forever because of the war. These characters are often called the “lost generation.” They feel confused and hopeless as they move through life and try to forget the scar left by the war.

Jake Barnes – A Symbol of Post-War Loss: Jake Barnes is the main character. He fought in the war and got badly injured. His injury made him sexually disabled (impotent). This injury is a symbol of his deeper emotional pain after the war. Because of this injury, he cannot have a complete romantic relationship with Brett, the woman he loves. Jake says,

“Everybody’s sick. I’m sick, too.”

Here, he tells Georgette that he is “sick” when she asks why he does not want to kiss. This shows both his physical injury and the emotional pain that many feel after the war. Moreover, Jake’s love for Brett remains unfulfilled. This shows how all the characters in the novel are searching for something to fill the emptiness left by the war, but they cannot find it.

Shattered Ideals of Masculinity: Before the war, people believed in honor, courage, and heroism. But the war, with its brutality, guns, and gas attacks, destroyed these ideas. For Jake and his friends, the war made them question what it means to be a man. After the war, they do not know who they are or what they believe in. They move from place to place and try to forget their pain. They often use alcohol to escape their feelings. Jake says,

“Under the wine I lost the disgusted feeling and was happy.”

This