The Sun Also Rises: Theme

Throughout the course of the entire book, all of the main characters are involved in a crazy love triangle. Jake loves Brett and Brett loves Jake. But Brett won't be with Jake. Robert loves Brett, but Brett doesn't love him back. Brett also loves Pedro Romero, but then she decides that she can't be with him. There are so many connections and relationships in this book that just don't work out. A theme in this novel is sex creating only problems for people. For example, Cohn and Brett's relationship upset both Mike and Jake. After Cohn and Brett had an affair, Jake and Mike became jealous. Jake mostly kept his feelings to himself, but Mike became so annoyed and irritated in the end that he started a fight with Cohn. Lastly, Jake's war injury that prevented him from having sex was the reason that Brett wouldn't be with him. Overall, sex in the novel only added to the disfunction in the characters' lives.