The Beautiful Bromance of Jake and Bill

 One of the main themes throughout The Sun Also Rises is Jake and his struggle with masculinity. Due to his injury and "situationship" with Brett, Jake often questions his masculinity and is afraid to open up about his insecurities. However, one of the only parts in the book where Jake opens up and is genuinely happy is when he visits the Basque country with just Bill. No girl problems, just two bros hanging out and enjoying the beauties of nature. This scene is one of my favorites as it is one of the few areas in the novel that Jake is able to embrace his masculinity in a positive manner.

The portrayal of a masculine friendship like this is a really wholesome part of the novel in a novel that is otherwise very depressing from Jake's point of view. Bill is the one person in the novel that Jake truly feels comfortable with, much more than his love interest in Brett. While we see the group putting on a sort of facade and using constant irony to deflect when around each other in Paris, Bill and Jake are comfortable enough to drop this and engage in true male bonding when in the Basque country together.

Throughout the novel most of the male characters all fight and compete over courting Brett. In Spain, Jake and Bill also have a competition when fishing, comparing sizes (ironic), but this competition is a much more pleasant and lighthearted interaction for the two. Hemingway is often described as the "masculine man" author or something like that, and in this scene you can really see that. There is nothing quite more masculine than two men comparing sizes in a friendly competition. 

The biggest indicator of Jake's comfort with Bill is when he is able to openly talk about his wound. In other situations we've seen Jake avoid talking about it at all costs, for example his encounter with the prostitute. He questions his masculinity due to his injury, but after he opens up to Bill, he is able to come to terms with his injury much better. When Jake first loses his injury, somebody said that Jake had given more than his life in the war, implying that he might as well be dead after his injury. However Bill reacts as if it is nothing more than just another injury and doesn't view him any less of a man. I think this shows just how beneficial and crucial a male friendship can be.

Although life returns to a depressing normality when the two meet back up with the rest of the group, I think that the two's bond on this trip shouldn't be overlooked. Jake finally feels free to be himself and stops questioning his masculinity when he is with Bill, and that's when he is most happy. The way Hemingway depicts this male friendship is very enjoyable to read and shows people the value in healthy masculinity.