Love as Only Wishful Thinking
Throughout Ernest Hemingway's novel, "The Sun Also Rises", the theme of escaping reality by engaging in excessive drinking and casual sex occurs repeatedly. The new attitudes of The Lost Generation manifested in Lady Brett Ashley, who goes through many meaningless relations with several male characters throughout the novel. Indirectly, Brett managed to reject all those with whom she engaged in a relationship. Her rejection to Robert Cohn plays an important role in the novel as a result of the relationship involving a direct rejection, which contrasts that of any other character.
Cohn displays a heavily obsessive attraction with Brett all throughout the novel, although he fails to realize his problem. All of the main characters often emotionally abused Cohn, categorizing him as the scapegoat. Although most of the abuse came directly from Jake, Bill, and Mike, the only verbal abuse that actually affected Cohn came from Brett.
Ernest Hemingway in Milan, 1918
Ernest Hemingway's house- Key West, FL
Ernest Hemingway, Paris, circa 1924.Cohn continually stalked Brett throughout her other relationships. Mike and Brett did not want Cohn's presence in San Sebastian. At one point, Mike displays his position towards the situation, describing Cohn's actions similar to "follow[ing] Brett around like a steer...," (146, ch.13). Cohn's obsession ends when he intrudes upon Brett and Pedro's affair at the hotel. After catching Brett and Pedro engaged in intercourse, Cohn proceeded to beat Pedro senseless. The beating ceased when Brett verbally told Cohn off, inevitably resulting in Cohn leaving Brett alone for good.
The relationship between Brett and Cohn differs from any other because Brett avoided confrontation with the situation until later in the novel. Brett actually portrayed thoughtful feelings towards Cohn, even protecting him during verbal abuse from other characters; however she eventually becomes sick of Cohn's antics, and shares her problem with hope for advice from the other characters. Due...