Are Robert and Jake friends?

None of the characters in The Sun Also Rises seem to like Robert Cohn. In fact, many of them frequently state their dislike for him. However, I think that if you look past these words, their actions (especially Jake’s) tell a different story. In a way, I think that Jake does consider Robert a pretty good friend.

From the beginning, Jake shows us how important Robert Cohn is to his story. The first sentence of the novel is about Robert (Hemingway 11). Although Jake does not depict Robert’s personality in the best light, the decision to tell the readers about Robert before anything else indicates his significance to Jake. Jake thinks it is important for us to know about Robert and read the whole book with him in mind. Additionally, the first sentence that explicitly tells us a fact about Jake is also about Robert, as Jake says “I was his tennis friend.” (Hemingway 13). The first thing Jake wants us to know about himself is his connection to Robert Cohn and that he considers himself a friend of Robert’s. “Friend” isn’t a word he uses for everyone. Even Bill Gorton is just introduced by name, yet for Robert, Jake chooses to emphasize that they are “friends” (Hemingway 60; Hemingway 13). It’s hard to tell how much this means, however, because after that, most of what Jake explicitly says about Robert is negative.

By the end of the book, after repeated arguments and a fistfight, it seems like whatever friendship there was is gone. However, I think that given the way the characters in the book interact and treat each other, it’s very possible that Jake and Robert would continue their friendship soon after the end of the book. Throughout the book, none of the characters seem to take what they say very seriously. For example, not long after saying “I won’t see you again” and implying that she doesn’t want to spend time with Jake, Brett meets Jake again and then joins him on his trip to Spain (Hemingway 71). Because of this, I think it’s possible that Robert and Jake will forget about their fight and move on. Additionally, there is a sense throughout the book that all the Americans living in Paris live in the same circles and spend their time in the same places. They have the same acquaintances and go to the same cafes where they often run into each other unexpectedly. They’re almost like a family and so as much as they fight at the moment, it’s probable that Robert and Jake will see a lot more of each other and I don’t think they will hold grudges.

After all, the last interaction between the two in the book is Robert begging for forgiveness and Jake eventually agreeing to forgive him (Hemingway 198). It doesn’t seem like Jake really wants to fight with Robert. He is more annoyed than angry. This goes along with his somewhat sarcastic personality. To some extent, the irony he enjoys includes making fun of others. His negative comments towards Robert are because Robert is the easiest person to make fun of, not because of a genuine hatred for Robert. Jake himself sums this up saying to Robert “I’m sorry. I’ve got a nasty tongue. I never mean it when I say nasty things.” (Hemingway 47).

Overall, I think that there is a real friendship between Robert and Jake, although it isn’t the type you normally see. There’s definitely a clash between Robert and the other characters, but that just makes him the friend that’s different, rather than an outsider. His role in the group is to be at odds with the other characters, but he’s still part of the group.


Comments

  1. TaehanNovember 4, 2022 at 6:20 PM

    I agree with the end point you made. I don't think Jake really takes Robert 'seriously,' but rather dismisses him for his overly dramatic ideals and actions. It seems possible they could move on, but I think that is also dependent on what happens between Brett and Jake after the book ends.

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  2. Khadeejah R.November 6, 2022 at 3:02 PM

    I think that Robert and Jake were good friends at some point, but by the beginning of the book they are at a point in their relationship where Jake is almost always annoyed with Cohn. I agree that Cohn was just an easy target, so some of Jake's comments shouldn't be used as evidence of his hatred for Cohn. But, Cohn and Jake are just so different, so I think their friendship was doomed from the beginning. Cohn is just an unlikeable character, and I don't see them continuing their friendship the same as before after the events of the novel.

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  3. WilliamNovember 14, 2022 at 11:04 AM

    Nice post, Maya. Jake and Robert seem to have an analogous relationship to the relationship between Brett and Jake (it's nowhere near a perfect comparison, but hear me out). Both relationships have their ebbs and flows, ups and downs, but ultimately the two are still friends. One gets taken advantage of sometimes by the other, or the first commits some sort of bad act towards the other, but they still get back together in the end. Had the book continued on, I think Jake and Robert would have become friends again. While Robert is annoying at times, he isn't a bad person, and I think that deep down Jake knows so.

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  4. Noreen AdoniNovember 15, 2022 at 4:13 PM

    I agree that Cohn has to be somewhat of an important person in Jake's life. Without the emphasis on Cohn in the first chapter, I do not think his importance would have been conveyed. Jake seems to think about Cohn a lot, and part of the reason why might involve aspects of Cohn's life that Jake lacks. His insecurities affect many of his actions, so it is possible that he frequently compares himself to Cohn.

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  5. KathrynNovember 18, 2022 at 10:15 AM

    I totally agree! I think out of all the characters in the book, Jake seems to have the most history with Cohn and Brett. Even though he comes across very nonchalant and annoyed with Cohn, you can tell that he doesn't want to give up their long-time friendship, even if they don't get along right now.

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  6. MitchellNovember 18, 2022 at 12:12 PM

    Robert, at least, seems to think of Jake as a friend, and even though Jake uses this fact for comedic purposes (commenting "God help you" to US when Cohn calls him his "best friend"), it's clear that for whatever reason Robert keeps showing up at his apartment or meeting him at cafes, and he talks eagerly about planning a fishing trip together. So Jake has given Robert the idea that they are friends, and Robert confides in him some quite personal details and worries.

    It's easy to forget the fact that Jake almost never treats Robert badly in public--he never insults him directly (the way Harvey Stone does, calling him a "moron"), and he never puts him down in front of others. The reader has a particular view of Jake's apparent contempt for Robert, and we see how everyone else reacts once he's in the mix in Spain. But as far as we can tell, Robert has good reason to think of Jake as a friend. God help him.

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