Brett and Jake’s Relationship Progression in Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises

Throughout every novel there are five key elements when discussing the plot.  These elements are known as: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.  Specifically, for this entry I will be discussing both the climax, as well as the falling action and resolution, mainly regarding Brett and Jake’s relationship.  

I believe, as many others do as well, that the climax regarding this novel is during the fiesta in Pamplona, Spain.  This occurs in chapters fifteen as well as sixteen.  During these chapters the fiesta is described in much detail.  Hemingway writes about the towns preparation for the big fiesta, and how when the fiesta finally commences there are many people partying and dancing in the streets drunkenly.  During this time the group of five characters that attend are friendly amongst each other and they party all night together.  While still in Spain the bull fights begin, which Brett enjoys especially.  The climax, however, I believe is when Cohn fights Mike and Jake.  Cohn feels guilty about this afterwards and announces to the group that he would be leaving the next morning.  Before he can leave, however, Cohn finds Romero in bed with Brett which infuriates him, and he beats Romero up as well.  He is shameful of himself because of this as well and leaves. 

Overall, I believe that Jake and Brett’s relationship stays mainly the same, which is in its slightly unhappy state.  Jake does, in fact discover that Brett and Cohn had an affair and this in turn frustrates him more than he already was due to his inability to do what Brett wants and needs.  Their relationship has been on a slow decline since the very beginning of the novel, with only a few instances of affection.  Brett still would continue to satisfy her needs from other men.  I do not believe that the fighting that took place in Spain affected Brett and Jake’s relationship, however, the friendship between Jake and Cohn is completely shattered.  He realizes that Brett will never marry him, and Brett seems to finally acknowledge this as well.  This is what changes their relationship.  

The resolution of the novel was an interesting one to say the least.  It is interesting in regard to the fact that there is barely an ending or resolution.  It is very simple and minimalistic.  There is no life-changing occurrence that happens here, and the ending is not in the slightest a happy one.  The characters have continued to go in complete circles throughout the plot.  Many believe that the ending is to be used as a reference to understand the novel in its entirety, but I believe that in many ways the ending is what makes people misinterpret the novel as a whole.  The only change I seem to check is that Jake has somewhat changed by finally realizing that the fact he can’t deliver what Brett needs in their relationship, so it will never work out or progress in the slightest.