“The Sun Also Rises” as a Fictional Chronicle of the ‘Lost Generation’.

Answer

Evaluate “The Sun Also Rises” as a fictional chronicle of the ‘lost generation’.

Ernest Hemingway’s (1899-1961) “The Sun Also Rises” (1926) is often regarded as a defining novel of the “lost generation,” a term used to describe the disillusioned and aimless young people who lived through World War I. The novel captures the sense of loss, confusion, and restlessness that characterized this generation, making it a powerful fictional chronicle of their experiences.

Lost Generation: The term “lost generation” was popularized by writer Gertrude Stein, and it perfectly describes the characters in “The Sun Also Rises”. In the novel, Jake and his friends are expatriates, living in Europe after the war. They are people who have lost their sense of purpose and direction in life. Jake and his friends spend their days drinking, traveling, and socializing, but these activities do little to fill the emptiness they feel inside.

Jake’s Unfulfilled Love with Brett: One of the main ways the novel illustrates the lost generation is through its portrayal of Jake Barnes. Jake, a war veteran, has been physically and emotionally wounded by the war. His injury has left him impotent (sexually disabled).

Jake’s injury prevents him from having a fulfilling romantic relationship with Lady Brett Ashley, the woman he loves. Jake says to Brett,

Couldn’t we live together, Brett? Couldn’t we just live together?

In this heartbreaking line, Jake begs Brett for a life together, but she rejects him. Since Jake has become impotent, Brett knows her need for sex, which she would have to get from other men, would break Jake’s heart.

At the novel’s very end, Brett becomes emotional and wishes to stay with Jake. However, Jake rejects Brett’s emotional approach –

Yes, isn’t it pretty to think so?

With this final line of the novel, Jake realizes the hard reality that Brett will never settle down with one man, not even him, and acknowledges their love is a “pretty” illusion.

Jake’s unfulfilled love with Brett is a metaphor for the broader sense of unfulfillment that haunts Jake and the lost generation.

The Expatriate Lifestyle and Alienation: The characters in “The Sun Also Rises” are also portrayed as being disconnected from their past and their homes. They have chosen to live as expatriates (someone who is living away from his own country), far from the countries they once called home. This decision reflects their sense of alienation and their inability to find a place where they truly belong. Jake says to Cohn,

You can’t get away from yourself by moving from one place to another.

This line gives us insight into the problems and activities of the post-war generation. Many of Jake’s friends, and indeed Jake himself, try to cure their unhappiness through constant travel. They always search for something that might give their lives meaning but never find it.

Loss of Ideals: The novel also explores the theme of lost ideals through the character of Robert Cohn. Cohn, who did not fight in the war, clings to old-fashioned ideas of romance and adventure. However, his ideas seem out of touch with the post-war reality that the other characters experience. Cohn’s longing for something meaningful only highlights the emptiness that the others feel. Jake says,

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

Jake escapes his emotions through drinking, like many other members of the ‘lost generation’.

The Symbolism of the Title: The title of the novel, “The Sun Also Rises,” suggests a sense of hope. However, the novel ends with the final line:

Isn’t it pretty to think so?

In this emotional line, Jake realizes his love with Lady Brett cannot be fulfilled because of his sexual disability, a war injury. Jake’s final line in the novel reflects the lost generation’s understanding that their hopes and dreams are ultimately unattainable, despite the promise of new beginnings suggested by the title.

In conclusion, “The Sun Also Rises,” is a powerful portrayal of the lost generation. Through its characters and their experiences, the novel captures the sense of disillusionment and restlessness that defined the post-war generation.