“Brett looked at me. ‘I say,’ she said, ‘is Robert Cohn going on this trip?’
‘Yes. Why?’
‘Don’t you think it will be a bit rough on him?’
‘Why should it?’
‘Who do you think I went down to San Sebastian with….I rather thought it would be good for him.’
‘You might take up social service.’”
-The Sun Also Rises, p 89
To be honest, I am not particularly fond of Brett. It seems as though her actions are at least partially well-intended; they are merely misguided. Perhaps some men would enjoy spending a vacation with a beautiful woman and then having to endure interacting with this same woman—and her fiancé—several times after this. Frankly, though, I fail to find such an experience anything but rather awkward.
Considering Cohn’s emotional instability, Brett’s actions seem even more foolish. While others might be able to move on after being with Brett, Cohn will not. His past relationships have been too damaged and flawed for him to be able to simply move on. It appears that this possible strain between Robert and Brett—or maybe between Robert and Mike—will likely be the conflict that Hemingway has yet to include in this novel. Stay tuned to see if Hemingway actually includes a plot!
I also feel the same way about Brett and I also feel sorry for her too for some reason. Anyway, I was thinking about the relationship between Cohn and Franics. I wonder what caused Cohn to drop Francis just like that. I think it was that even though he spent 2 1/2 years with her, he wasn't really with her because he wanted too. It makes me feel really sorry for Francis and wonder what is wrong with Cohn that makes him settle for women he doesn't love.
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