TSAR ch. 12

"Fake European standards have ruined you...You spend all of your time talking, not working." (pg. 120)

Bill is accusing Jake of doing all of these things that he says are the European standard, but Jake is probably the only one in the book so far who doesn't do any of these things. He does drink a lot, but he's not an alcoholic. He's not obsessed with sex because he can't be, and he knows it. And, he is probably the only one in the book who we actually see going to work and getting things done.


"The trees were big, and the foliage was thick but it was not gloomy." (pg. 122)


Up in the mountains, when he is away from Brett, Jake isn't as depressed as he is when she is around. She is not right in front of him flaunting her affairs at him and because of that he can have way more fun than he usually would. Being in the mountains and away from everyone else, except Bill, Jake relaxes and does things that make him happy, like going fishing.