If there is one recurring motif I acknowledged in the novel, The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway is that of alcohol abuse. Excessuve drinking is mainly viewed as a negative aspect, but there is the one instance where it is looked upon as a good thing. When Jake and Bill went on the fishing trip, their drinking portrayed a positive lifestyle by relaxing, friendship enhancing and even male bonding. But getting back to the negative aspects of alcohol abuse in the novel, almost all of Jake's friends are guilty of having a drinking problem, and where ever they appear they drink, not in moderation but in excess. Excessive drinking provides a window of escape for these characters from reality, and to continue living even though they lack purpose and direction. Being intoxicated allows these characters to avoid their problems and allows them to put off thinking about their hardships. It frees their minds and souls from burdens. The author clearly provides the character known as Mike, he tranforms into a nasty, violent individual when he is drunk. However, more importantly, drunkenness mainly intensifies the emotional and mental corruption of Jake and his friends.
by: Cindy Gobin
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