Vacuums and War

"In simplest terms, a novel is about a hero who wants something and the consequences if he or she doesn't get it. I'm surprised at how many aspiring novelists lose sight of this and write meandering stories that seem to lose their way, leaving readers adrift." - Jeff Gerke, Fiction Writing Tip #4, www.wherethemapends.com

This advice is what came to mind as I pondered what, exactly, frustrates me about The Sun Also Rises. With the possible exception of Lady Brett, the characters don’t really want anything. Even Jake, the narrator of the entire story, has no aspirations. Jake’s life basically involves going out and drinking, going fishing, and going to the bull fights in Spain. There are no great rewards attached to any of these activities; neither are there dire consequences if Jake can’t do any of these things.

And I think it all goes back to World War I. Jake participated in a war that had the potential to give great meaning to his life. The war held promises of participating in patriotism and gaining honor for defending the United States. Instead, the war basically stripped Jake’s life of meaning. Instead of feeling proud of his country, he seems to strongly dislike associating with Americans. He never talks about what
he witnessed in war, but I can’t help suspecting that Jake’s rather
anesthetized reaction to the bull fighting indicates that he’s become
desensitized to violence. He has been raised Catholic, but religion offers him no hope or purpose. I’d guess that he became disillusioned with religion because of what he witnessed in World War I. And the war took away his ability to have (in his mind) meaningful relationships, either with Brett or with anyone who hasn’t been through the same experiences.

One of the problems that I have in connecting with the story and the characters, then, stems from the fact that Jake seems so resigned to his situation. Maybe if Jake were trying to find fulfillment, I would feel more compassion toward his character.