Robert Cohn and Drinking in The Sun Also Rises

Cohn

Robert Cohn is a central figure in the story for Jake Barnes, but to begin the story with him is a strange choice. He begins with a recount of Cohn's history: boxing, college, writing, women, etc. This is unusual in the story because no other characters are given such a thorough description and analysis. In fact, the entire book contains very little analysis, and most scenes are described directly by dramatic modes (either dialogue or actions). The fact that Jake takes time at the beginning to go into this depth of analysis suggests something about Jake's mind: he is fixated on Robert. It makes sense in later context why this might be. Jake is in love with Brett and that Brett will be married by someone with money, but none of that bothers Jake as much as the fact that Robert is infatuated with Brett. Robert is weak in Jake's eyes (and the eyes of most characters around him) and his indecisions are frustrating to others, especially to Mike when the five of them are in Spain. Why is Robert fascinated with Brett? Why is he feel the need to travel to South America? Why can't he let go of Frances? Many reasons are given for Robert's actions (his "Jewish superiority," his insecurity from college, his experiences reading Mecken), but none of these are ultimately satisfying. This is perhaps the main reason why Jake feels the need to begin the novel with a recount of Robert Cohn, the central mystery of the story. In this sense, Robert is the most important character and his indecisions drive the tension and mystery of the story.

Drinks

In Paris, Hemmingway's story is constantly interrupted by bar tabs and descriptions of who ordered what, what each drink is like, etc. The detailed catalogue of drinks ordered might seem like useless information to the greater purpose of the story (i.e. developing character or plot), but it has a separate function. While the picturesque avenues and street cafes of Paris are most likely familiar images in the minds of the readers, the kind of drinks that cafe-goers drink is perhaps another layer of detail beyond the familiar. It gives us a glimpse into the alcoholic lives of the characters, the lives that one only sees after work and behind closed doors. In the context of certain drinks, character's define themselves in the moment by what they drink, and other characters respond to these drinks as if they were responding directly to the character. When Georgette orders a pernod, Jake highlights how the pernod will have just as large a crash later on as it has a uplift, as if her evening's crash were already predicted by the drink order at that moment. Later on, the count, Brett and Jake are talking in his apartment when Brett mentions the count's love of getting champagne. This comment, serves to flatten the count as a character whose desires lie solely in an appreciation of the expensive and high-class. This is the same night that the count orders the most expensive brandy in a restaurant and constantly mentions what class Brett has. Brett responds to his love of champagne as if this were the most defining quality of the count.