Motif

As I am nearing the end of the book, I think it is safe to say that a major motif of the book is alcohol and intoxication. There is a huge emphasis placed on alcohol and drinking throughout the entire novel. Jake mentions some aspect of drinking in the following parts of the story: "I saw she was quite drunk" pg. 40, "Have a drink" pg.50, "You're pie-eyed" pg.78, "I went back to the hotel to get a couple bottles of wine" pg. 109, "they bought a drink, then we bought a drink" pg.112, "you're cock-eyed" pg.128, "I was just a little tight" pg.141, "hurray for wine" pg.158, "oh, you'll get drink" pg.173, "I'm drunk now" pg.197, "He took a long drink of beer" pg.205, "I began to feel drunk" pg.226, "let's have another drink" pg.233, "let's have another bottle" pg.250. I began to think the entire novel was written about drinking, the different expressions about drinking, and the different types of alcohol. My aunt (who made her students read the novel once) says it almost drives one to drinking themselves, to get through the novel. It honestly seemed to me as if the characters had to drink to have a good time; they would probably be considered alcoholics. Even though it was customary in this time period to be drinking, the amount that Jake & his friends do is completely excessive. It showed to me that alcohol can bring out the worst in people (such as Mike). I believe Hemingway focused so much on alcohol because of his problems with it. I mean, doesn't it make complete sense that Hemingway, who was a crazy alcoholic, would write a novel that involves some aspect of drinking on every page?