Epigraphs

So I’ve been thinking about the epigraphs at the beginning of the book and how they relate to the overall narrative of The Sun Also Rises. Here are a few of my thoughts on the epigraphs.

I think the epigraphs set the mood of the novel very well. Ecclesiastes’ quotation could be read as a very cynical thought that is somewhat related to the idea of irony. Although generations change, the earth still remains, the winds blow south and then north, and the rivers flow into the sea and then return. From this viewpoint, the actions of each individual in each generation seem inconsequential. From the Ecclesiastes quote, I feel a sense of detachment. Ecclesiastes takes a very zoomed out perspective, merely stating that generations pass away and generations come, without any attachments or biases. This attitude is mirrored in Jake’s facade. Jake wants to act like he’s unfazed by the actions around him, as if he’s unaffected by Brett’s multiple affairs with Cohn and Romero. However, Jake isn’t completely unaffected. He wants to be with Brett and feels hurt about it. Jake knows that Brett will move on to another man, just like how a generation passes, but can’t feel detached about the matter no matter how hard he tries.

I liked the phrase “lost generation” in Gertrude Stein’s quote, particularly because it made me think: What did this generation lose? I could probably write a very long list of things characters in the book “lost” such as, Jake’s injury, the possibility of Brett and Jake getting together, the ability to live without a facade. The World War has taken many things from these characters but in the absence of these things, the characters in this book have developed coping mechanisms. Almost everyone in the book (but Cohn) drink in order to keep their mind off issues. Bill and Brett are never serious in order to maintain a facade of invulnerability. They’ve “lost” traditional gender ideas, as shown by the androgyny of Brett and Brett’s relationships. Finally, the characters are expatriates who are unconnected with their homeland. In a sense, the things characters have lost have greatly affected them.

Finally, circling back to Ecclesiastes (pun not intended), there’s a cyclical air to Ecclesiastes quote, the rivers return to where they came from, the wind returns to wherever it started. I think there’s something circular about Jake and Co.’s actions. I feel like by the end of the story, most of the characters are back to where they started (Except Cohn maybe?). Brett leaves Romero and goes back to Mike. Most likely, Brett will continue living the way she has and get into more romantic entanglements. Jake still has feelings for Brett. Even Jake and Brett’s relationships feels cyclical. You see Jake and Brett in a cab at the beginning and you see them in a cab at the end, although I think there are a few differences in the two scenes. You could make a neat little feedback cycle. The exact cast of people may differ but I feel like a similar situation will occur between Brett and Jake in the future.

That’s all I have to say. I’m still unsure about the significance of the epigraphs and this post became a little disorganized. Any thoughts?