Find instances of Hemingway using PASSBO, (physical description, action, speech, self-created environment, background information, and other people's thoughts), to characterize Robert Cohn. Cite your finds and discuss what each tells the reader about the character.
“Robert Cohn was once middleweight boxing champion of princeton.”（P3）This is the background and shows that Cohn was in Princeton and good at boxing.
ReplyDelete“I mistrust all frank and simple people, espeically when their stories hold together, and I always had a suspicion that perhaps Robert Cohn had never been middleweight boxing champion, and that perhaps a horse had stepped on his face, or that marby his mother had been frightened or seen something, or that he had, maybe, bumped into something as a youhg child, but I finally had somebody verify the story from Spider Kelly.”(p3)This is other people's opinion and shows that "i" had a suspicion about Cohn was the champion and anything he said.
"Cohn looked relieved."(p5)this is action and shows that Cohn felt better after i changed my words and found another place to go, so that made Frances happy.
"He sat in the outer room and read the papers,and Editor and Publisher and I worked hard for two hours."(P20)This is a action shows that Robert was boring when I was working and he was also waiting for me."His going made an awful row I heard, and I think that was where Frances lost him,because several women were nice to him in New York, and when he came back he was back he was quite changed."(P16)This is the other people's opinion shows that he has changed after he went over to America."Robert Cohn was a member,through his father, of one of the richest Jewish families in New York, and through his mother of one of the oldest."(P12)This is a background shows that Robert is one of the richest Jewish member.
ReplyDelete"It was a nice hotel, and the people at the desk were very cheerful, and we each had a good small room"(p95) (self-created environment) Everything seemed pretty good except Jack, the feelings in Jake's hearts are in stark contrast with the environment.
ReplyDelete"I did not see Brett again until she came back from San Sebastian. One card came from her from there."(P75)(Background) This background shows that Jack still loves Brett deeply and silently.
"Brett looked at me and wrinkled up the corners of her eyes"(P65)(action) Brett's action shows that she concerned Jack a lot and Jack is a nice person who is worth to be loved.
“"Well, I want to go to South America." "Listen, Robert, going to another country doesn't make any difference. I've tried all that. You can't get away from yourself by moving from one place to another. There's nothing to that." "But you've never been to South America." "South America hell! If you went there the way you feel now it would be exactly the same. This is a good town. Why don't you start living your life in Paris?" "I'm sick of Paris, and I'm sick of the Quarter." "Stay away from the Quarter. Cruise around by yourself and see what happens to you." "Nothing happens to me. I walked alone all one night and nothing happened except a bicycle cop stopped me and asked to see my papers."”(Chapter 2)It is speech part between “I” and Robert Cohn. It shows that Robert really wants to travel to other place however I don’t want to. “Robert Cohn was a member, through his father, of one of the richest Jewish families in New York, and through his mother of one of the oldest.”(Chapter 1) It is the description of his background. It shows reader that Robert Cohn comes from a rich family. “During two years and a half I do not believe that Robert Cohn looked at another woman. He was fairly happy, except that, like many people living in Europe, he would rather have been in America, and he had discovered writing.”(Chapter 1) In this part the author show his own opinion of Robert Cohn which should be other people’s opinion of description. It shows that Robert Cohn lived happy during a time and he didn’t crush into any woman except Frances.
ReplyDeleterobert wrote a latter to jake and said he is going out of town but he was with brett at that time so it shows that he is sneaky (chap 8).Brett wrote a note to him so he wont come to the fishing trip but he replied that he cant wait to see her which shows us that he is stubborn and ignorent(pg 90) . probably he thinks that brett cares about him and maybe thay can have something but he is just fooling himself. breet says that she thinks he cant handle seeing her with her fiance which shows as that people tniks that he is weak and couldnt control himself(89).
ReplyDeleteThe book says Robert Cohn was the middleweight champion of Princeton. Therefore he was obviously a very good fighter. "There was a certain inner comfort in knowing he could knock down anybody who was snooty to him, although, being very shy and a thoroughly nice boy, he never fought except in the gym" (11). This tells the reader directly that he is an excellent boxer, but at the same time it tells the reader indirectly that he feels alone at Princeton because of his Jewish heritage, and feels he needs to be able to fight to gain respect. It says later on that he was originally a nice boy and boxing at Princeton made him bitter in the end. I believe all of this constitutes a self-created environment. It's possible he could have decided not to box and done something scholastic, for example, instead.
ReplyDelete"...But it seemed to fit Cohn. He was really very fast. He was so good that Spider [Kelly] promptly overmatched him and got his nosed permanently flattened" (11). I think this is a good physical description of Cohn. Because of this, I see him, throughout the rest of the book, as an (for some reason) English-looking gentleman, in a tan jumpsuit one would see of a hunter in Africa at this time, which is kind of ironic, because later on in the book (page 18) he has a conversation with Jake Barnes about his dislike for hunting in Africa.
J: "Did you ever think about going to British East Africa to shoot?"
R: "No, I wouldn't like that."
J: "I'd go there with you."
R: "No; that doesn't interest me."
J: "That's because you never read a book about it. Go on and read a book all full of love affairs with the beautiful shiny black princesses."
R: "I want to go to South America."
From this, one can see that Cohn is very, very stubborn in his wishes. One cannot change his mind, no matter how hard one tries. I think this constitutes for speech, because it shows the personality of Robert Cohn.
" No. Did We have one? Imust have been blind."
ReplyDelete"You were quite drunk, my dear," said the count.
"Wasn't I, though? And the count's beene a brick, absolutely." "You've got hell's own drag with concierge now." "I ought to have. Gave her two hundred francs." "Don't be a damned fool."
"His," she said, and nodded at the count.
"I thought twe ought to give her a little something for last night. It was very late."
-pg.61 (ACTION) and (SPEECH)
"Come on. Let's dance," Brett said. We dance. It was crowded and clos. "Oh, darling," Brett said, " I'm so miserable." - pg. 70
- (ENVIRONMENT)
Physical description － "took to wearing spectacles. " There are not a lot of physical description, just is basic told that he is shy.
ReplyDeleteAction - "He never fought except in the gym." He is not aggressive, even though he practice boxing.
Speech - "you are not sore, are you? Jake?" He cares about his friend's feeling.
Self-created environment - "Robert Cohn was once middleweight boxing champion of Princeton." "counteract the feeling of inferiority and shyness he had felt on being treated as a Jew in Princeton." He was trying to prove his ability.
Background－"Robert Cohn was a member, through his father, of one of the richest Jewish families in New York." He is really rich, but not a snobbish.
Other people's opinion - "being very shy and throughly nice boy." He is kind-hearted and nice in other people's opinion.