Opposites attract?
I thought it was strange that Jake was so attracted to Brett. Even if she's pretty and has a boat-like figure, they don't seem compatible. Jake is quiet and stoic and rarely speaks his mind, while Brett is fun-loving, out-going and painstakingly honest. Also, Brett isn't the picture of traditional femininity, and I didn't expect someone as insecure as Jake to feel comfortable being attracted to a woman with masculine traits, both physically and personality-wise. Despite all this, he's completely in love with her, and I think it's because Brett represents qualities Jake himself lacks.
Brett is honest. She admits that she'd cheat on Jake if they were together, that she's with the count because of money, and that the ugly hat she's wearing was a gift from a random man at the bar. All of those confessions seemed easy for her. A more descriptive word than honest might be unashamed. Meanwhile, Jake won't even admit that he cares about his injury, which seems like a given. He might seem honest when he's discussing other people, but with himself, that's a different story.
Brett is unrestrained. She drinks till 4:00, dresses and wears her hair however she wants, and says what comes to mind. Meanwhile, even Jake's inner thoughts are carefully monitored. It's rare that he lets any emotions distract from his dry descriptions of the world around him. In another sense of the word, Brett isn't restrained by her body like Jake is. She can be with whoever she wants, while Jake can't be with anyone.
In general, Jake is full of jealousy. Most of the time that manifests as hatred, like with Cohn and the gay men. In Brett's case I think he is jealous of her. When she rejects him (for the third time, I believe?) he gets angry with her after he's gone, and I think that beyond the rejection, that was an expression of his envy. But despite those negative feelings it still comes around to admiration and desire.
I think you are onto something in that she possesses characteristics he misses within himself. In someone ways, despite his shortcomings he is living vicariously through her. Possibly why she seems obsessed with who she dates.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you that it seems like an unlikely match, and especially about that part of how Brett isn't the traditional feminine woman. However, I think part of what brings them together is the fact that as different as they are, they both have a tendency to hide certain parts of themselves or their feelings away from the rest of the world, but not from each other. Brett does it through her unrestrained, devil-may-care attitude, and Jake hides it behind the stoicism you mentioned, but they have each other to confide in and open up around, however little.
ReplyDeleteIt is kind of surprising to see two such conflicting personalities end up in a relationship but there is also a lot we don't know. Because of their past history of Brett helping tend to Jake after his injury in the war, they probably have a special relationship because of that since she is the only person who knows about it. Jake might feel like he can continue to open up and confide in Brett or something. But I still find it surprising that they would be together. Maybe we will get some more insight later in the book.
ReplyDeleteI do think that Jake is definitely jealous of Brett. However, I agree with Maxine's comment that Brett also hides herself from the world. She is always very outgoing and happy in public, but we've seen her tell Jake multiple times in private that she's miserable. Jake also pretends to not really care about what's going on around him, but he does it in a much tamer way than Brett. I think the jealously is more rooted in her ability to move on from him.
ReplyDeleteI agree that it's interesting these two very different people would end up together. I also agree that Jake is usually pretty dishonest and restrained, for example he allows Cohn to believe they're best friends while constantly thinking negatively about him in his head. We don't really know a lot about Brett and Jake's history or how they got together, and something within that shared past could have contributed to their strong connection.
ReplyDeleteI think him seeing qualities he lacks in Brett, and being attracted to her because of them is an interesting theory. I think it's pretty harsh to say Jake can't be with ANYONE, but I guess that sort of injury would be a dealbreaker for a lot of people.
ReplyDeleteYeah lol by not being with anyone I meant physically, I'm sure Jake could still have a happy relationship. I realized how harsh that sounded when I reread it
DeleteI definitely agree that the pairing is strange - wouldn't Jake want someone as submissive as possible to make him feel better/more masculine about himself? I think something about Brett breaks the pattern, and from his descriptions of her I'd like to think that, just as when he is unable to stop loving her despite the impossibility of a further relationship, his macho persona slips away a little when he's with her and his true self and feelings show through, making him unable to dismiss his attraction to someone with more masculine traits.
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