sun also rises 2

The occurrence and events within the war marked Hemingway deeply. Every war comes with emotional scarring, but it seems to believe that it bettered him in addition to taking away. His gain from this unfortunate time in history is a prior to the Lost Generation-esque mentality. He believed in the possibility of another war out that “none of it will matter particularly to this generation because to them the things that are given to people to happen have already happened.” Hemingway was making a statement about this new subsequent Great War generation that was missing a quality that the previous one managed to acquire from having to live through a huge and terrible event. Something happened to this group of people, but in Hemingway’s opinion, it taught them not to expect things without doing anything to make them happen. Or even worse, when things they do not notice. They take everything as a given or as if it was nothing unusual that was happening. Having experienced a war, Hemingway and his generation are more sensitive to things that occur. It is curious that this early draft preface was discarded. This could be based on a decision to not share this judgment with younger people. His doing so would distance himself from a demographic he may have wanted to target. There are other likely reasons for doing this ranging from not wanting to begin his novel with that message or deciding not to address the issue in only a foreword.

Among those in the book who are allowed to take things for granted in this way is Brett. As a wealthy, attractive girl in an open relationship, she is free to indulge with just about anyone she desires. Men “happen” to her and she is free to acknowledge, ignore or reject them. She has never undergone a personal Great War for her to gain an appreciation for her admirers. Having had no such event to teach her about the catalysts of events, she continues to accept her callers as normal and remain unappreciative of them. Unaware of the work and devotion put into an attempt to woo her. Without this understanding, she is free to dismiss would be suitors as she pleases. She even seems to go so far as to- consciously or not- go so far as to entertain men that she is not interested in so that she has the emotional freedom to leave them once she grows bored with them. This strategy defends against any draining feelings that may arise in some after having taken a large number of lovers.

While there are issues that she could pay less attention to, this is just one example of how not having certain life changing events can leave one lacking in character. It is true that Brett lived through the war and experienced it in some ways, she is arguably not as affected as the men in the story, due to being sheltered by her money. Not having to serve, live off of rations or physically donate in any capacity creates distance. In this way Brett, along with many other wealthy people are one in the same with the generation that followed the Great War. People whose lives move forward because of circumstances unseen by them that happen to them.