What conflicts are portrayed in The Sun Also Rises?

Answer

What conflicts are portrayed in The Sun Also Rises?

Ernest Hemingway’s (1899-1961) The Sun Also Rises (1926) is a story about people who live after World War I. The novel shows how war destroyed their peace and faith. The characters feel lost, empty, and restless. In this world, they face many kinds of conflict — both inside their hearts and with each other. Hemingway presents personal, emotional, and moral struggles that show how difficult life became after the war.

Inner Conflict in Jake Barnes: The main conflict in the novel lives inside Jake Barnes. He was injured in the war and lost his sexual power. This wound hurts him deeply because he loves Lady Brett Ashley. He wants to be with her, but knows it can never be possible. Jake says,

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

Brett refuses because she knows she will always need passion and sex from other men, which would only hurt Jake more. This makes Jake’s life painful. His inner struggle represents the wounded heart of the “lost generation.”

Love and Emotional Conflicts: The novel is full of broken love and emotional tension. Jake and Brett love each other, but cannot be together because of Jake’s wound. Brett moves from one man to another—from Mike to Cohn to Romero—but finds no real happiness. Every relationship ends in pain and confusion. Jake’s love is silent and pure, but he suffers quietly. The characters cannot run away from their inner pain. We understand this when Jake tells Cohn:

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

Conflict Between Old and New Values: After the war, old values like bravery, honor, and religion lost meaning. People started to live freely, without rules. Brett drinks, travels alone, and has relationships with many men. She breaks the traditional role of women. Jake and his friends also drink all day and wander from city to city. Yet, they still feel