I have felt bad for Robert Cohn for most of this novel. He always seems to get the short end of the stick. I began to think of him as the human punching bag. However, after the turn of events in San Sebastian with Brett and Robert hooking up, I now feel sorry for Mike. True he said some pretty nasty things to Cohn after the bull fight, but I think he had the right. After all, Cohn did screw around with his woman.
On another note, I like the point that was made in class about how the true emotions came out during drunken stupors. If you ever want to know how someone really feels talk to them when they're drunk. There is no filter what so ever. I liked those moments of drunken rants because the characters were really able to say how they felt. I also thought it was interesting though how Robert never drank. Why didn't he conform to the culture of drinking like everyone else?
Strangely enough, I know that Gene Simmons also does not drink despite the copious amounts of drugs and alcohol that passed through the band Kiss. Simmons was also Jewish.
ReplyDeleteWow...the Gene Simmons connection made me laugh. Now that's a mash-up!
ReplyDeleteI think Cohn doesn't drink to oblivion because he wants to stay in control--he doesn't want to go to the places that the other characters go when they are so drunk. And look at what happens (and how he responds) when he does lose control and goes from being the punching bag (love the metaphor!) to the puncher.