The Hero of the Code Hemingway is almost always male, but in The Sun Also Rises the true hero of the Code is the female lead Brett Ashley. From her cropped hair to her penchant for partying, Lady Brett Ashley seems more like a coded hero than any of her fellow expats, including leading men Jake Barnes and Robert Cohn. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on 'Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned'?Get an Original EssayAside from his boyish ways – from his 'man hat' to his habit of calling himself a 'guy' -- Ashley is, as a woman, ironically one of the most virile characters. Who is Hemingway's ideal man? He has the stiff upper lip of a Brit and can handle women, alcohol and life's misfortunes just as well. He lives his life to the fullest. Brett is all of that and more. Contrary to her carefree and cheerful personality, she did not have an easy life. Her first (and perhaps true) love died in the war, and her second husband (Lord Ashley) was an intimidating, paranoid man who slept with a loaded gun under his pillow and forced Brett to sleep on the floor. Yet Brett does not flaunt these events; instead, when confronted by others, she uses her catchphrase: "Let's not talk about it." » Another common trait of the hero of the code – proving his “manliness” – is his numerous romantic adventures. Lady Ashley certainly behaves like a man in this regard. She moves through men quickly and unemotionally, often maintaining two or even three loose relationships at once. (At one point, she is engaged to Mike Campbell, travels with Count Mippipopolous as well as Cohn, and teases Barnes. Later, she pursues Pedro Romero while still engaged and fends off a heartbroken and desperate Cohn.) More importantly, the Code Hero likes but doesn't need women, and Lady Ashley can certainly hold her own. If Brett Ashley were a man, she'd be the playboy who leaves behind a string of women in love. Like Hemingway, a code hero should have an affinity and ability to handle alcohol well. Brett is one of the best, if not the best, drunks in the novel. She, like her friends, drinks constantly, but there is never a scene in which the spirits loosen her lips or cause her to lose her composure, as the drunken Cohn often does. In fact, Hemingway writes a drunk Lady Ashley the same way he writes a (rarely) sober Lady Ashley. In keeping with the code hero archetype, Brett is always somewhat reticent, even under the influence of brandy. Perhaps the common thread among all the Code Hero's characteristics is the desire for an exciting life. Lady Brett Ashley is what we might call today a “jet-setter”. She parties, always drinks, and travels often – usually surrounded by a group of men ("pigs", as Cohn calls them). Brett lives the glamorous life of a 1920s expat, but instead of living it as a woman, she lives it as a man. Compare Lady Ashley with two of the other prominent men in the novel. Robert Cohn often complains to Jake Barnes about his boredom with Paris. He complains about the tyranny of his fiancée Frances and Brett's disinterest. Robert is easily provoked (an acquaintance Harvey Stone half-jokingly calls him a "moron" and Robert throws a fit) and has almost feminine mood swings. Cohn is the only character who wears his heart on his sleeve: he is a “romantic”. In this category, Jake Barnes does better. He appears to be a calm and thoughtful man. He's a stoic. However, Barnes fails in the romance category. He shows no signs.