Sun Also Rises2 Essay, Research Paper

In the novel The Sun Also Rises, by Ernest Hemingway, a reader is

forced to decide weather the spite that the Jake has for Chon

originates from Jake?s racist background, or his deeply seeded

jealousy of Chon for having a brief affair with Brett. Even though it

is clear that Jake has racist views, the hatred he has for his former

friend Chon Chon is strictly based on the jealousy he feels towards

Chon for the weekend he spent with Brett.

Jake goes in to great detail about Chon?s early life. He speaks

highly and admiringly of Chon, but in a condescending way. A reader

get her first hint on page one that Jake has some racist feelings

toward Chon. He speaks of how Chon’s nose was flattened in a boxing

match and concluded the sentence with ?…and it certainly improved

his nose? (11). This can be taken as a reference to the stereotypical

?Jew? nose that is often associated with Jewish people. Jake and Chon

are close friends, and Jake likes him up to the point where he becomes

involved with Brett. Jake goes on and on about all of the

relationship mistakes in Chon?s life. There is an hint of jealousy

that appears in Jake’s tone. He states that women began to become

attracted to Chon as he got older, and that it ?changed him so that

he was not so pleasant to have around? (16). There is racism in

Jake?s tone, but Jake?s problem with Chon is is strictly one of

jealousy.

By this time Jake has already developed an extreme distaste for

Chon?s endeavors with women, but these feelings their peak when Chon

and Lady Brett have a brief affair. Jake, having unconditional love

for Brett, blames the entire incident on Chon. In turn, Chon makes as

point to rub it in Jake?s face. Jake says ?…it was giving him

pleasure to be able to talk with the understanding that I knew there

was something between them? (106). Jake has a great deal of trouble

dealing with this. It has nothing to do with the fact that Chon is

Jewish, Jake is merely jealous of him. It would not be manly for Jake

to openly admit his jealousy, and blame the jealousy on his harsh

feelings toward Chon. As a result Jake falls back on the fact that

Chon is Jewish, and uses that as an excuse for his anger.

One of the reasons that Jake was so hurt by Chon?s affair with Brett

was that Jake knows that Brett will always love him, and has no

feelings for Chon other than a temporary lust. Chon is unable to

accept the fact that Brett does not care at all for him, and he makes

it very difficult to for people to enjoy his company. Bill says?he

makes me sick and he can go to hell,and I am damn glad he is staying

here…?(108). These is not a racial based opinion, Chon just has an

unpleasant personality. Everyone in the group agrees that Chon?s

presence is not enjoyable, but nobody feels it the way Jake does.

In this story Jake allows the woman that he to loves run his life and

occupy his thoughts. Jake is a bitter person, and he is living in a

time of unhappiness and depression that resulted from the war. The

hate he feels for his former friend Chon Chon is not one of racism;

before the incident with Brett they were close friends. This is just

another case of a woman coming in between two male friends. The affair

might not have even affected that relationship, it is Chon’s reaction

to the affair that spoils the friendship. Jake is jealous of Chon

because he knows that Brett loves only him.