Throughout our discussions in class we’ve never really asked if Brett truly loves Jake, we just accept that she does because she says so. Originally, I decided early on that there was no way she loved him because she was so dishonest and manipulative, and Jake seemed to be somewhat irritated by her presence. His devotion to her just wasn’t reciprocated and it made me a lil sad to see Jake put himself through a relationship that was one sided. However, over time, as I saw her interact with other characters I determined that instead of there being an absence of love, the love is simply different than Jakes kind of love, and therefore partially overlooked by the character and perhaps the reader.
Jake’s definition of love is the “most relatable” in the sense that he wants to please Brett and through her happiness, he is happy (lets put aside his temper tantrums when she’s with a guy she doesn’t think is cool). He actively attempts to set her up with guys and he helps her out of situations that have gotten out of control, which are both enormously supportive actions that set aside his pride for a moment and allow him to show that he is her friend. He wants her to feel like she has someone to lean on, which she may or may not use to her advantage. Some people take this form of taking what Jake is giving and not giving back as manipulation.
Perhaps Brett expresses love differently than Jake and she has trouble forming the deep emotional connections that Jake craves. We know she was abused by her soon to be former husband. Abuse can lead to psychological developments that prevent an individual from connecting with others as they used to. Could her expression of love to men be based on physical appearance and ability now that her trust for them has been broken by her husband?
Jake and Brett’s relationship began before the climax of her husband’s aggressive behavior, so they may have developed a close emotional bond. This could explain how Lady Brett and Jake’s relationship has persevered through the dramatic uproars of the novel between other characters who Brett seems to feel are not as important and just used for fun such as Cohn. Do you think that Brett is incapable of effectively expressing her love for Jake, or is she not in love with him at all? Do you think Jake understands that Brett loves him? Does Jake feel loved?
(Also I feel like this song really emphasizes the complexity of Jake and Brett's relationship throughout the novel take a listen if you'd like c: )
I definitely think Brett is in love with Jake. Over time, because of her experience with the men she's been with and how Jake has acted accordingly (accepting and helpful), she has become more and more in love with Jake. But, Brett is also aware of what she does to men who truly care about her. I don't think she wants to jeopardize her friendship with Jake by starting a romantic relationship because she knows, from past relationships, that it will end badly. (Or so she assumes). So I think Brett loves Jake, and because of her love, she is protecting him by keeping their relationship in the friendzone.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think that the abuse of her soon-to-be former husband must have had some serious psychological damage on Brett. And then on top of this, her restrictions of being with Jake must also frustrate and cause even more fractures to her psychological health. I think Brett does not want to be capable of expressing her love fully to Jake. If she did, it might make everything worse for her. She already says things to Jake like, "Don't touch me. I simply turn to jelly when you do." These things point to the fact that Brett loves him. But because there is nothing she can do about it, she simply is forced to use Jake's help to find other suitable men to be with. Jake must feel loved in some way though because he continues to take care of Brett and help her. He knows that she loves him (even if she expresses it in a very different way) but is equally as aware of their incapability to be together.
ReplyDeleteI really like how you make the distinction between the type of "love" that Jake has for Brett and the other types of love that men have for Brett throughout the novel. Since Jake isn't able fulfill Brett's needs himself, he resorts to expressing his love for her by simply trying to make her happy, which often takes form as hooking her up with other men.
ReplyDeleteOh and "what is love" is now stuck in my head. Thanks.
I think it's very important that you brought up how someone could be psychologically changed by abuse. In a sense, Brett did try settling down with one man, and it didn't end up well for her. Mike basically rescued her from that scenario. This is why it totally doesn't surprise me that she really can't make a decision at all, though Jake is different. We all know that Jake has his issue that's too much to overlook, and as a result, they've settled into some sort of relationship, though after having read the novel I see it as kind of a friendship love from Jake's end (which is where your distinct of love comes in).
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree that Brett has a certain special love for Jake. She's been through a lot, with her first love dead from dysentery, Jake emasculated, and this Lord Ashley who submitted her to abuse. Her idea of love and opinions on it must have changed over this tumultuous period. And Jake still holds a special place in her heart even though she has memories of the "hell" that an assumed attempted relationship with Jake was, because he has stood with her for all these years. Towards the end of the novel she definitely opens up when she sort of falls for Romero, and Jake goes along with it like a sick wingman.
ReplyDeleteI think Brett thinks of Jake as more of a friend than anything as she clearly uses Jake for her own personal goals at times and because she refuses to have a relationship with him that is beyond the friend-zone. However I think Jake does still love Brett but is aware of how Brett thinks of him as he's still protective and supporting of her but he just hangs out with her for the most part and isn't always happy with the guys she chooses to go out with. To me these all seem like more like a situation friends would be in rather than lovers.
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