Indirect Characterization

Jacob Barnes is not the "cool cat" everybody thinks he is. He is obviously bothered by his wound from the war and is troubled with his relationship with Brett. He says "it is awfully easy to be hard-boiled abut everything in the daytime, but at night it is another thing" (pg 42). Jake seems a little bit depressed about some aspects of his life. He is obviously in love with Brett, but then he says "to hell with Brett" (pg 38). I think he is having a hard time trying to get back into ordinary life after serving in the war. He acts like there is nothing wrong with him, so his friends don't ask. At the beginning of the novel, Jake was the one giving advice to Robert about going to Africa instead of South America and trying to do activities on his own. Jake should be the one getting advice not giving it. His night starts with him sitting alone at a restaurant having a drink. He invited Georgette to sit with him because it had been a while since he had shared the company with another person, one on one. Jake is lonely and not happy with his life. Although he's in love with Brett, it seems like he is still missing something, like he is still empty inside.