After World War I, the "Lost Generation" commiserated with one another about the struggles of finding their identity. Throughout The Sun Also Rises, author Ernest Hemingway depicts his characters as lost souls not in search of where they want to go and who they want to be. Even though this generation is perceived as one that has no values or concerns in their life, Jake Barnes, along with the other characters in the novel, does have the constant urge to fit the male stereotype. Even if Jake does not care to ameliorate his life, he feels as if he needs to assert and come to terms with his masculinity. Hemingway presents a concept of male stereotype through Jake's personal struggle with insecurity, feelings of inadequacy, and a lack of masculinity.
The stereotype of the qualities of a real man are constantly running through Jake's mind and he finds himself trying to belong to this set of characteristics that he thinks defines a true man. Although the reader can contemplate the severity of Jake's emotions towards Brett, the characters he interacts with do not realize the pain he is going through because he internalizes his feelings. Jake never cries in public view and he does not feel that it is possible to express his emotions to others without coming off weak or girlie. The only time the reader sees Jake openly cry is when he is alone in his apartment after seeing Brett that night. "I was thinking about Brett and my mind stopped jumping around and started to go in sort of smooth waves. Then all of a sudden I started to cry. Then after a while it was better and I lay in bed- (Hemingway, The Sun Also Rises, 39). Even in the company of only himself, Jake feels the need for justifying his reasons for crying and feels as if he is overreacting. Another stereotype that Jake feels he needs to fill in order to appear masculine is being interested in sports. Jake plays tennis with Robert Cohn and goes fishing with Bill Gorton in the wilderness as a display of his liking for manly things.
