In The End

In the end, we come full circle. There's more Brett, more anti-Semitism, and more sunburnt hair.

Also, "Life was so simple in France," is a quote of Jake's that I'd like to contest. He begins by saying he mistrusts frank and simple people, by which I concluded that he mistrusts simplicity, and therefore his feeling foolish for leaving France's simplicity in favor of unpredictable Spain puzzled me. It tempts me to call him a dynamic character.

Then, I remember that in the end, he's still following Brett around like a lost puppy. Jake must be a static character.

Although Jake seems like an idiot to me for remaining so loyal to the fickle Brett, the last words of the novel seem to imply that he recognizes his foolishness and is helpless against it. "Yes, isn't it pretty to think so?" He seems to live with an insatiable optimism about his situation with Brett, but the optimism is not blind.

Also, when I finally titled this post, it reminded me of this song, and I realized the song really does relate to the book.