I'm having trouble locating the reason why a character like Robert Cohn is even in the book. Previous posts (mostly snow day posts) have talked about Cohn in a perspective that focused on his Jewish background. However, if this character was removed from the book I have a feeling it would play out exactly the same way. Jake and Brett play out "The Lost Generation" well enough on their own and another guy fawning over Brett doesn't seem like it would change the story.
I was wondering on everyone's input on the topic. Does this character have more a point (other than being a character to show antisemitism) that I'm missing?
"Snow Day Post: Robert Cohn" Link
"Prejudice in Beginning of The Sun Also Rises" Link
"Hemingway's Use of Gender and Racial Stereotypes" Link
I believe that Robert Cohn's purpose is to help us understand Jake. Jake seems to take an interest in Cohn's Jewish background, which may show that Jake is concerned with race. Cohn is also a kind of male stereotype; he is a boxer, he is confused in his love life and cannot much make up his mind. Cohn may also be there to highlight how Jake breaks free of the gender mold a little with his injury. Although I find Cohn to be a well-rounded character, I agree with Danielle that his importance seems to be elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteSo Cohn is in the book to help us understand Jake? That could definitely be a possibility. Jake and Cohn are very different people, but I'm not sure we would notice the differences and faults in Jake's character if we did not have stereotypical Cohn to compare him to. That's pretty insightful Kristi.
DeleteI think the previous two posters have the gist of it. Cohn serves the literary purpose of showing who the other characters are by how they react to him. He is distinctly different, perhaps even alienated from the other characters. For instance, he is Jewish. He does not get intoxicated like the others do, and he did not fight in the war. Perhaps, despite his sobriety, he is less conscious than the others as well. Would you describe him as the antithesis of Jake? I am not sure that I would go that far.
ReplyDeleteIt's really interesting to think what this book would be like without Cohn, so I like this post, Danielle. And I think both Kristi and Charlie are on the right track with why he *is* in the book.
ReplyDeleteCharlie's question about whether Cohn is the antithesis of Jake also interests me. In some ways, I think Jake strikes out at what he doesn't like in Cohn that he also sees in himself.