As I continue to read The
Sun Also Rises the one character that keeps sticking out to me is Robert
Cohn. Undeniably, Cohn is the social outcast of the book. In class we talked
about how he is portrayed as a character and we came up with something along
the lines of: masculine, Jewish, and generally disliked by his group of “friends.”
In all, Cohn is everything that Jake is not. I truly think that is where Jake’s
dislike for Cohn stems from. So far we have learned that Cohn hooks up with
Brett, is untainted by the tragedy of war, and extremely masculine. For these
qualities and facts I think Jake is envious of Cohn, and so naturally he is
portrayed as the bad guy of the novel. Although he may be a bit full of
himself, I do not see Cohn as an idiot. He knows he is disliked and generally
made fun of for his race and actions so WHY does he stick around? Is it his
love for Brett that keeps him from abandoning his “friends” and moving on, or
does he relish in being disliked because it means he is at least getting
attention? Personally I do not see how Cohn’s pride allows him to be ridiculed
by not only his “friends” but by Francis as well. I cannot help but wonder what
is going through his mind. My question for you guys is this: How would you perceive
the novel if there was a character role reversal and Cohn was made the narrator
instead of Jake? In short, what would Cohn have to say?
You have posed an interesting question, Nicky. I do not believe that there are a great many uncontested facts in The Sun Also Rises; there is the reader's interpretation based upon incomplete information. That is one of the things that makes Hemingway's literary technique so effective. Hemingway's writing style--short, precise sentences and concrete descriptions of places-- is an accurate portrayal of real life. If the story were told from Cohn's perspective it would not be the same story as the one we have been reading.
ReplyDeleteThe question of why Cohn sticks around fascinates me, too.
ReplyDelete