So far into the book, we established that the relationship between Brett and Jake is fairly intimate. There are several moments scattered throughout the book that shines a light on just how close the pair is. One of the biggest things is that Brett is one of the few people who knows about Jake’s war wound; and she is the only one who knows what his injury actually is — not just the "accident" he tells everyone. Despite this injury being a cruel misfortune, Jake is actually (more or less) willing to openly “talk” or “joke” around about his injury with Brett. And this is where the conflict between the two rests. It has already been established by their declaration of love on page 34, I feel that Brett isn’t as in love with Jake as she claims to be. For instance, the conversation between Brett and Jake which states —
Reading this part of the book, I seems to me that Brett feels as if Jake’s injury is like a punishment from god. That she has finally found a man that she genuinely cares for, but can’t do anything sexual with him (which seems to be important to her). And she feels like all the wrong she had done to men before has come back to bite her in the butt. Following this, when Jake says that being in love is fun, she clearly doesn’t agree. There is evidence in Jake’s statement that she was thinking about sexual relations when he mentioned it because he quickly corrects himself by saying, “I don’t mean fun in that ways. In a way it’s an enjoyable feeling.” And her negative reaction to it hints to it that she’s not really interested in having a relationship with Jake because of his injury; which supports that Brett isn’t as “jelly-melting” for Jake as she claims to be.
“When I think of the hell I’ve put chaps through. I’m paying for it for it all now.”
“Don’t talk like a fool” I said.
“Besides, what happened to me is supposed to be funny. I never think about it.”(34)
“It’s funny,” I said. “It’s very funny. And it it’s lots of fun, too, to be in love.”
“Do you think so?” her eyes looked flat again.
“I don’t mean fun in that ways. In a way it’s an enjoyable feeling.”
"No, " she said. “ I think its hell on earth.” (35)
Reading this part of the book, I seems to me that Brett feels as if Jake’s injury is like a punishment from god. That she has finally found a man that she genuinely cares for, but can’t do anything sexual with him (which seems to be important to her). And she feels like all the wrong she had done to men before has come back to bite her in the butt. Following this, when Jake says that being in love is fun, she clearly doesn’t agree. There is evidence in Jake’s statement that she was thinking about sexual relations when he mentioned it because he quickly corrects himself by saying, “I don’t mean fun in that ways. In a way it’s an enjoyable feeling.” And her negative reaction to it hints to it that she’s not really interested in having a relationship with Jake because of his injury; which supports that Brett isn’t as “jelly-melting” for Jake as she claims to be.
I think Brett is interesting in having a relationship with Jake, but she feels like his injury is a big stepping stone that she isn't ready to get over at the moment. I interpreted her statement "I think its hell on earth" as her saying that it's hell loving someone who you can't be with. Yes, it is kind of selfish for her to come to the conclusion that, because of Jake's injury, she can't be in a relationship with him. But I believe that it's also false to say that she doesn't have feelings or a want to be in a relationship with him. The whole situation is just complicated.
ReplyDeleteI think that when Brett says, "I think it's hell on earth", she means that she loves him so much that it's torturous that she can't be with the one she loves both physically and emotionally. Jake's war wound is one of the very few things keeping them from being together, other than of course Brett's commitment issues/fear of settling down. I think that your point though, of Jake's war wound being a punishment from god or even a very cruel joke to them is very accurate.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said about how Brett feels that she can't be with Jake, however I think that since it's been such a long time since they've agreed that they can't be together that it hasn't become such a serious concern in their lives. In addition, we've talked in class about how Jake goes to Spain and hangs out with Bill because it keeps his mind off of things (Brett), and in the same way, I think that Brett fills her life with men to not think about Jake too.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that she does love him, but I also think that she's not very good at maintaining relationships beyond sex and so doesn't really know what to do when she's around him. I never thought of the idea that she has so many men in her life because she wants a distraction from her feelings for Jake, but now that Hailan mentioned it it makes a lot of sense.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that Brett's behavior even through the end of the novel may imply that she does not truly love Jake. I think that perhaps it is not that she does not love him, but that Jake and Brett's have different definitions of love. Jake, after his injury, has found love to be devotion and emotional connection while Brett seems to find herself using the word love haphazardly with nearly all of the men she's been intimate with. I think her definition of love has a much stronger basis in physical attraction. With Jake being our narrator, we are more inclined to accept his definition of love because of his "unwavering neutrality" and because he's the one actually telling his story. If Brett were telling us her story, we might have been able to see much more clearly how she loves Jake.
ReplyDeleteI think that they both love each other, but to what extent is the real question. Jake seems to only love Brett which might have to do with his injury and his inability to have a relationship with another person. Meanwhile Brett always comes back to Jake, but she also seems to be using him. Their relationship is confusing and there are times when it seems real and others where it doesn't seem to ever get anywhere. Overall their relationship is probably the most important in the book, but also the most confusing.
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