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Toxic Masculinity in 'The Sun Also Rises' - Coggle Diagram
Toxic Masculinity in
'The Sun Also Rises'
STEREOTYPES
career focus and drive for occupational success is archetypal of men in academic industries, like journalism
casual
DISCRIMINATION
is littered throughout the novel to portray the hostility of apathetic masculinity
likely a display of Hemingway's own prejudices within society
discrimination is used as a shallow display and induction of the male superiority complex - after the war, men felt the need to assert dominance within society, and discrimination and prejudice against minorities enabled this seize of societal power
Archetypal stereotypes of masculinity are used to display the shift in gender identity and subjectivity post-war. Hemingway displays the difference in definitions of masculinity and the psychologically toxic environment it is fostered in, showing the negativity surrounding masculinity.
cartoon caricature of Jake Barnes
extreme anti-Semitism against Robert Cohn
misogyny with the presentation of Brett Ashley - her primary characteristic features rely on her sexualisation and relationships with men
intense focus on sports throughout: for example, the focus on fishing proficiencies, bull-fighting as a thematic symbol, and also mentioning of Cohn as a boxer
focus on the sexualisation of women, incorporating casual homophobia into this intense depiction of heterosexuality
women - i.e. Brett Ashley - are the reason for the majority of tensions and anger within the novel; Hemingway uses this to display the fragility of masculinity as the characters are easily led astray and corrupted by Brett
'AFICIONADO'
portrayed as both a literal and a figurative shared language and sense of understanding between men
creates a separate realm outside of reality that only the proficient can understand - acts as a diversion from the problematic outer-world
For Jake, having '
aficionado
' is compensation for his personal lack in physicality due to personal injury
it could be argued that being '
aficionado
' also compensates for Jake's lack of personality and characterisation, as he quantifies his personal insubstantiality through the label of '
aficionado
' that he knows not many other men can wear
The label '
aficionado
' acts as compensation for individual characters' insecurities and insubstantialities. The combination of the bullfighting itself and the difference in language and specific terminology offers a form of escapism, where the characters can transform into a different identity and avoid reality for as long as they desire.
a matador preparing his bull for slaughter
Hemingway himself was a lover of bull-fighting and different European cultural practises - it is debated among critics whether he himself was deemed as an
aficionado
of the ring
it is clear that Montoya values
aficion
over any other personal values, however, when Jake betrays him by introducing Brett and Romero, he cannot forgive him
despite Jake having
aficion
it is clear that Montoya values and protects his bullfighters as a primary purpose - Jake's ban from the hotel depicts how important
aficion
is to the culture, and how serious consequences can be for one who meddles with a bullfighter's
aficion
ALCOHOLISM
the novel is centred around alcohol
"there was much wine, an ignored tension, and a feeling of things coming that you could not prevent happening"
alcohol brings out negative qualities within each character, Jake recognises the tension rising and the helplessness of not being able to stop the inevitable drunken hostilities arising
Alcohol is used as a key symbol to criticise masculinity further - evidently, the majority of characters are addicted to the substance and need it for entertainment/survival. It helps develop the trope of insubstantiality and superficial characterisation developed by the perception of masculinity, hence criticising masculinity itself.
image of Hemingway himself
traditional wine bag, representative of the one passed around on the bus within the novel
the characters use alcohol as an escape from reality: whether it is to forget war-trauma or the stresses of everyday life, they use excessive drinking as a coping mechanism
the portrayal of drunk characters adds to the fluidity and mergence of characters, adding to the insubstantiality and monotonous nature of the group of characters
JEALOUSY
Jake is antipathetic towards Robert Cohn - despite their juxtaposing personalities and Barnes' barely concealed antisemitism, there are layers of professional and occupational jealousy prevalent throughout their interactions
Robert Cohn is extremely jealous of anyone who achieves any sort of intimacy with Brett Ashley, and this is mirrored within Mike and Jake
romantic jealousy displays an alternate representation of masculinity, as the artificial displays of strength and machismo is undermined by Brett's presence, creating a weak and pathetic depiction of masculinity
The depiction of jealousy - whether professionally, physically or romantically - displays the pathetic nature of men in the novel. They are too dependent, insecure and self-conscious to focus on building themselves as individuals, leading to the lack of identity throughout. This demonstrates the destructive power of jealousy, as - within the plot - jealousy leads to anger, and anger leads to violence and destruction of friendships and physical damage.
jealousy towards Cohn who was not involved in the war - he didn't experience any of the trauma the other men faced and is relatively untainted
other characters are also jealous of his emotional transparency and realism - frequently, Cohn fails to hide his emotions, and although the men mock him for his vulnerability, it is likely they are jealous of his capacity to display his true identity
CAPITALISM
CONSUMPTION
is a major theme representative of masculinity within the novel
the extreme consumption of alcohol reveals addiction and unhealthy coping mechanisms and ways of dealing with post-war psychological trauma
prices and customer consumerism is everywhere throughout the novel, yet financial problems are never mentioned
Hemingway's portrayal of capitalism displays a key criticism on the artificiality and materialism fostered by post-war America. This, combined with the lack of substance and characterisation of the individuals in the book further emphasises this criticism. It further aligns with Hemingway's left-wing political beliefs, condemning the superficial nature of monetary possessions and wealth.
i
mage of Pamploma in the 1920s
Hemingway's descriptions prioritise the spending habits and financial statuses of his characters over the physicality or appearances
as the novel centres around a group of financially privileged characters, it is difficult to empathise with them as they complain and criticise a life of luxury many readers won't have access to
the entire novel is shaped around capitalism and consumerism; reflects the materialistic nature of post-war America
soldiers tried to make the most of their existence within normal society, so expended money on unnecessary luxury items and experiences
CHARACTERISATION
COHN
: a literary foil to Jake
Cohn is an insecure and self-conscious individual who allows himself to be controlled by others, namely Brett, and represents everything that Jake does not - his emotional liability displays the fragility of masculinity and danger of suppressing emotions as they manage to build up into an uncontrollable breakdown
despite being the most athletic and physically strong character within the novel, his emotions counterbalance his physicality and emasculate him as a dependent and annoyingly needy individual
BRETT
: represents a literary foil to lost masculinity
Brett Ashley's female agency and independency assists in the subversion and undermining of masculinity - almost every character reveals their romantic dependency through their infatuation with Brett.
shows masculine stereotypes with the combination of her fear of intimacy and genuine emotional connections, and intense sexuality - although these are antagonised within the novel, they are typically masculine traits
her interactions with Romero are presented as "femme fatale" motifs, as Montoya advises her to stay away in case of ruining his art
Brett's sexuality shows the fragility of masculinity and inner-strength of femininity; she presents herself as a strong, confident and dominant individual, and consequently, holds the most power within her relationships
During the fiesta, the men circled Brett, as "as an image to dance around", transforming her into an emblematic representation of fertility and sexuality
JAKE
: inconsistent narrator of the novel
it is questionable whether Jake is meant to mirror Hemingway: journalism, war wounds, borderline alcoholic, insomnia and anxiety - all of which are qualities broadcast by Hemingway himself
The novel is very symbolic of Hemingway as an individual - it utilises Hemingway's writing style throughout, projects his personal ideology, and reflects his humour and personality. Evidently, Hemingway was simultaneously an individual afflicted by toxic masculinity, but also one who was willing to project its ideology
metamorphizes into different "stock characters" at different points - e.g. hopeless romantic with Brett, shallow practical character, patriarchal capitalist consumer etc. - to show his lack of inner-self and individuality
he is representative of the 'lost generation' - there was a loss of identity for the individuals repairing combustions post-war, and a sense of meaninglessness for veterans who were a generation devoid of morality and purpose
The characters within the novel present a criticism of masculinity through the antagonism of unsympathetic traits and intense sexualisation of members of the opposing sex. Brett - as a female protagonist - is, arguably, the most masculine character, and acts as a commentary on the superficiality of "masculine" personality traits
poster for the movie adaptation of 'The Sun Also Rises'
narrative voice is laconic and witty but uncertain, adding to the unassertive representation of his own personality; even Jake doesn't know who he is or what he wants
there are multiple points within the novel where it is almost impossible to tell who is saying what - it creates a sense of discontinuity and also blends the characters into one homogenised personality
this fusion of characters displays a homogenised vision of masculinity, showing the lack of substance within each individual
VIOLENCE
display of machismo through Cohn's fist-fights: Cohn uses the physicality of boxing and fighting other men to mask his personal insecurities
this is a commentary on the superficiality of masculinity and the performativity of "being a man" - Cohn is very unstable, yet is idolised as the physically strongest individual
sexualisation of Romero highlights Hemingway's parallelism of sex and violence, equating and creating a metaphorical depiction of love as a dangerous game
BULL-FIGHTING
is a key symbol throughout the novel
it hyperbolises stereotypical masculinity within its brutalities and the portrayal of an unsympathetic extremely violent sport as a delicate art
the actual bull-fight is symbolic of the events that take place within the novel: for example, Belmonte as symbolic of Mike, Robert and Jake, who once commanded Brett's love (metaphorically, Belmonte to the crowd), and have been tossed aside
Bull-fighting is the most major symbol within the novel: it depicts the events taking place with the key characters and emblematises masculinity. The idolisation and admiration of inhumanely violence was a key theme running through post-war America: the skill involved in slaughtering bulls is representative of the lack of skills needed for trench warfare.
a traditional Pamplona bullfight
representative of Hemingway's own artistic techniques - every minor detail contributes to the final result, displaying his "Iceberg Method" and how he interpreted literature as an art form
HEMINGWAY
as the
AUTHOR
"The Iceberg Method": the majority of literature is under the surface, concealing key details within objective descriptions
"direct treatment of the thing" - a philosophy of style introduced by Ezra Pound but echoed through Hemingway
during the war, Hemingway projected anti-fascist material, becoming a communist sympathiser during the Cold War - this socio-context proves that
The Sun Also Rises
is a criticism and commentary against capitalism and masculinity, rather than a conformation to capitalist ideals
POST-WAR DYNAMICS
a key concept within the novel is the idea of '
the lost generation
'
the change in gender identity and subjectivity created an existential crisis for many men who didn't know how to express or identify themselves with the changing idolised mannerisms
The novel voices the post-war generation who were psychologically and physically damaged from the horrors of WWI. It represents Hemingway's own opinions about warfare and involves his own personal context as a soldier. He criticises the pointlessness and futility of marching against machine weapons, and explains the feeling of meaninglessness depicted by 'The Lost Generation', incorporating the massive societal change in the definition of what it means to be a man
Hemingway returning as an injured soldier
complete change in values and definition of what it means to "be a man"
the vulnerability and futility of being involved in total warfare against machine weapons completely transformed the depiction of masculinity - unsympathetic and cruel ideals were heightened,
trench warfare involved near to no skill, and therefore survival was left to luck - Mike's Abyssinian war wounds reflected the traditional image of masculinity in warfare, as his injuries were down to a collision and use of skills and technique
other men are jealous of Mike's war wounds that were more significant and symbolic than their own; his display industrial, physical and athletic talent where as WW1 wounds were a statistic
Jake emasculated by a war injuries rendering him impotent - his inability to have sexual relationships deprives him of typical masculine behaviour
