Friend Group Dynamics

            At this point in The Sun Also Rises there is a clear friend group. It consists of Jake, Bill, Brett, Robert, and Mike. Each of these characters has an important role that they play from the perspective of Jake. I am relating them all back to Jake as we see each of these characters through his eyes and individuals often view themselves as the center of a group. Although at times Jake may consider himself somewhat of an outsider he is still the center of his experiences with the others. Also, in Spain he is the one who feels at home and is in the most control (ie. speaks the language and sets everything up).

            Bill acts as Jake’s best friend at this point. They are always very comfortable around each other as shown through the way they pick up immediately like they were never apart when Bill is first introduced. As well as the level of vulnerability they display to each other: long conversations like “slumber party talk” when they lay down to take a nap together after fishing, sleeping in the same bed, Bill saying that he loves him in a non-homosexual way (who knew No Homo was invented by Hemingway?). Bill also detests Robert for seemingly no other reason than that Jake obviously greatly dislikes him. Bill seems to be at least a little aware that Jake and Brett have some type of relationship and quickly attempts to cover or retract any upsetting comments about her. His knowledge of their relationship can be assumed to add to his loathing of Robert.

            Brett causes a lot of turmoil within the group. She annihilates any care that Jake had for Robert by disappearing with him, is constantly playing with Jake’s emotions, and regularly disrespects the sanctity of her and Mike’s relationship by flirting with and sleeping with other men. She doesn’t seem to care much how her actions affect the others around her. She acts as the main conflict in the story.

            Robert is the most disliked friend in the group. Brett has no real feelings toward him, she simply used him as company, Jake detests the fact that he’s been with Brett, Bill hates him because Jake hates him, and Mike also hates him for the same reason as Jake. He spends his time following Brett around wherever she goes. His every action seems to antagonize Jake. It seems as though no one really wants Robert on the trip based on how they talk about him and act towards him.

            Mike usually appears to be a likable guy. No one really seems to have a problem with him and until recently the only part of his personality that we are shown is his drunken affection toward Brett. He seemed as though his whole character would be as the not-quite-as-sharp friend. However, when the whole group is together in a bar he begins savagely insulting Robert Cohn for having been with Brett and his following behavior. This scene showed that he is more than Brett’s idiotic fiancé, he has depth, and he is a sympathetic character who is dealing with marrying an unfaithful woman. It also shows that he is not always what I would describe as likable. He has a moment that shows a clear anti-Semitic attitude when he claims the worst thing about Brett’s affair with Robert was that he is Jewish. The things that he said to Robert were also pretty nasty saying that he was worse than any other man Brett had been with.

            Put together, their friend group as a whole seems to have some serious issues that can’t be resolved very easily. What do you think about their relationships with each other?