Coping with Loss

As we learned in the very first chapter of the novel, Robert Cohn views himself as inadequate and incomplete. He never found enjoyment in boxing and always settled for women that settled for him. He has never particularly chased after a dream or wooed a lady he desired. However, Lady Brett Ashley transformed Robert Cohn from a self-concious pushover into a passionate lover, and he is having a difficult time dealing with rejection in chapter 17.

"I felt so terribly. I've been through such hell, Jake. Now everything's gone. Everything," (page 198).

There have been numerous times in my life where I have had to deal with loss and change. Whether it be with losing a family member or gaining a family member, losing a house or gaining a house, loss and change tie in perfectly to create the ultimate hardship. I can understand where Robert Cohn is coming from in this chapter. He never liked boxing in the first place; yet, in chapter seventeen he repeatedly beats atleast three people. It is amazing how sadness, anger, and frustration can bring out the worst in someone. We no longer see Cohn as a quiet, sober man and it surprised me how he took initiative with every confrontation he had. Before, I stated that I think Robert Cohn was a round character, but I also would label him as a dynamic character in the story as well. The changes he has made in his personality from the beginning to the end of the story are significant. I find myself more open to Cohn now, than I have been prior to this chapter.

P.S. My predictions were correct! Faces were punched and people were told off! :)