Alcohol and Drunkenness

While reading The Sun Also Rises, I noticed that almost every character is a serious drinker. Whether at a Paris nightclub or at Jake's flat, alcohol always seems to be nearby. However, not many characters seem to actually enjoy alcohol and only drink it at social events. They constantly use alcohol as an excuse during tense social situations as a way to forget about their lives, or as an alibi to avoid life when they are not drunk. This is evident during the scene when Brett and the count make an unannounced visit to Jake's flat. Jake asks Brett why she had stood him up the night before for their dinner at the Crillon, and she confidently claims that she had no memory of agreeing to meet him because she was drunk. Jake, our narrator, doesn't believe this but doesn't object to Brett, and ponders about it later in Jake fashion. Drinking provides a way to escape reality for the characters, something they seem to turn to very often. They are able to escape from the reality of their inner selves and from one another. Drunkenness also allows them to proceed through their lives with minimal affection and purpose. It frequently brings out the worst of everyone in the story, allowing them to avoid confronting their actual problems by making it easier to avoid thinking about them. Hemingway implies throughout the novel that this constant cycle significantly worsens the mental and emotional pain that Jake endures. We are able to observe him at night when he is at his most vulnerable, and Hemingway shows how different this version of Jake is from the version we see at social events. Let me know what you guys think about this.

Septimus' Suicide

In the build-up and in the aftermath of the heart-wrenching scene of Septimus' suicide, I noticed several abnormalities in the way that Woolf depicted what was occurring. The entire scene felt surreal, completely taking me by surprise and leaving in shock as the section concluded. Throughout the entire scene, Woolf portrays Septimus' suicide as a positive act of defiance, one that provided a brave escape from the loneliness and cruelty of society.

After the heartwarming scene where Septimus and Rezia make a hat together, the reader is left with optimism for their futures. We see Rezia feel less alone for the first time in the novel and Septimus almost content with his life. He describes Rezia as a "flowering tree" that would allow him to triumph over the likes of people like Dr. Holmes and Sir Bradshaw. But all joy carried over from this scene is immediately stripped away as Dr. Holmes forces himself into their home, causing Septimus to fling himself from the window, as that was the only escape he could think of. This death, as tragic as it is, has no immediate effect on Rezia. After watching her husband jump to his own death, she seems to finally understand him and is almost happy for him, even after Dr. Holmes claimed Septimus to be a coward. 

This strangely positive perception of Septimus' suicide is also seen through the point of view of Clarissa. After hearing the news of his death at her party from Lady Bradshaw, she goes to another room and ponders his death alone. Although she had never met Septimus, she eventually begins praising his actions, seeing his suicide as a statement of bravery. She is proud of him and claims that because he died at the peak of his happiness, the purity of his soul was preserved, unlike hers. This entire thought process gives Clarissa clarity in her own life, motivating her to experience intimacy with Sally and Peter as they reunite in the final scene.