Self Acceptance

When Cohn complains to Jake that he is unsatisfied with his currents situation and thinks there is more out there in life, Jake reasons that his unhappiness is something more:

“Listen, Robert, going to another country doesn't make any difference. I've tried all that. You can't get away from yourself by moving from one place to another. There's nothing to that” (19).

I really enjoyed this quote from Jake. Though its message may seem slightly obvious, I think it suggests the need for self-acceptance, which is very important especially in the context of The Sun Also Rises. Jake suggests that Cohn's uneasiness stems from his failure to accept himself, rather than any of the reasons Cohn may provide. This belief appears justified by the very first story of Cohn – he learns boxing to cover up his feelings of “inferiority and shyness.” This type of actions is prevalent throughout the novel as characters often act in ways that try and mask their feelings of insecurity or inferiority. Rather than accepting themselves, these characters act overly manly and criticize perceived unmanliness in others.

I find this quote interesting coming from Jake, as he has the most obvious struggle with self acceptance. Impotent from the war, Jake has lost his “manhood.” He struggles with it himself, explaining to Brett:

“I was pretty well through with the subject. At one time or another I had probably considered it from most of its various angles, including the one that certain injuries or imperfections are a subject of merriment while remaining quite serious for the person possessing them” (35).

His struggle for self-acceptance is made much harder by those around him. Whether they poke fun at it as he suggests here, or, as Brett does, refuse to consider him a candidate for a relationship, Jake is seen differently by many. It is often hard to accept oneself, but it is even harder to do so when nobody else accepts you.

-Andrew T