The Sun Also Rises · Chapter
The Sun Also Rises explained
The novel opens with an introduction to Robert Cohn, a wealthy Jewish man from New York who attended Princeton and became a mediocre boxer.
What happens
The novel opens with an introduction to Robert Cohn, a wealthy Jewish man from New York who attended Princeton and became a mediocre boxer. After a failed marriage and a stint in California, he returns to Paris where he is involved with Frances Clyne and becomes part of the expatriate community. The narrator, Jake Barnes, describes Cohn's background and his restlessness, setting the stage for the group's eventual journey to Pamplona.
Themes in this chapter
The Lost Generation
Cohn's aimlessness and search for meaning after the war exemplify the Lost Generation's disillusionment.
Expatriation and Alienation
Cohn and the other characters live as expatriates in Paris, feeling disconnected from their American roots.
Characters to notice
- Robert Cohn
Introduced as a wealthy, insecure former boxer from New York, recently returned from America and involved with Frances Clyne.
- Jake Barnes
The narrator who provides background on Cohn and sets the tone for the expatriate life in Paris.
- Frances Clyne
Cohn's companion in Paris, described as controlling and part of the social circle.
Key passages
“Robert Cohn was once middleweight boxing champion of Princeton.”
Cohn had been a boxing champion at Princeton University.
Establishes Cohn's athletic past and his outsider status at an elite school.
“He had a hard, Jewish, stubborn streak.”
Cohn had a stubborn and unyielding personality, stereotyped as Jewish.
Reflects the anti-Semitic attitudes of the time and Cohn's characterization.