A Look at the Anti-Semitic Treatment of Robert Cohn in Hemingway's The Sun Also Rises

Ernest Hemingway's treatment of Robert Cohn in his early novel The Sun Also Rises raises the issue of anti-Semitism. Is his treatment of Cohn anti-Semitic? Some argue that Hemingway was part an American culture that commonly employed derogatory terms and as such cannot be considered anti-Semitic speech (McDowell), while other's claim his treatment of Cohn does indeed illustrate anti-Semitic feelings. Whether or not Ernest Hemingway was truly at the core an anti-Semite is still up for debate. Perhaps Hemingway was reflecting the popular 1920s anti-Semitic feelings of his generation onto Cohn, or perhaps his treatment is a result of Hemingway's personal views. Either way, Cohn's treatment can be called nothing other than anti-Semitic. From the language Hemingway uses to describe Cohn, to the interactions Cohn is allowed and receives from other characters in the novel, one can trace a clear theme of anti-Semitism. Jeremy Kaye notes that Cohn is consistently treated as the "whipping boy" of The Sun Also Rises, and that this fact, and the fact that he is Jewish, cannot simply be a coincidence.

Anti-Semitism in the 1920s was not a rare occurrence. In fact, many novelists of the time asserted ideas that were anti-Semitic. Character such as F. Scott Fitzgerald's criminal Jewish financier and Edith Wharton's socially awkward Rosedale, are among the roster of other notorious Jews that play the whipping boys in their respective novels (Kaye). Cohn, of course, fits into this category as well, and he is seen as weak, whiney, and annoying by the other men of The Sun Also Rises. His affair with Lady Brett Ashley is viewed as outrageous because not only is he Jewish, but he also attaches feelings to the affair that Brett and the other male leads cannot comprehend. Why would Brett fall for Cohn, a Jew? Furthermore, Jake and Mike are both irritated by Cohn's attentions to Brett both because he is a Jew, and because he is a Jew that will not leave her alone. "Tell me, Robert. Why do you follow Brett around like a poor bloody steer? Don't you know you're not wanted? I know when I'm not wanted. Why don't you know when you're not wanted" (Hemingway 146)? Mike relates Cohn to one of the steers used in Spain's bull-fighting, demeaning his feelings and his person. Ironically, it can be argued that Jake is truly the steer in novel as he has been chasing after Brett Ashley for years, comforting her, and dulling the sharp edges of her life (Trogden 304). And, is not Mike also her steer? He stays with her despite all that she does, following her around, and being her sheath when she is ready to come back to comfort and stability. Insultingly enough, Mike cares little for the fact that Jake loves Brett, or that Romero, or any other of her suitors have loved her both emotionally and physically. He only reacts poorly to Cohn. A coincidence? Again, I doubt it.

Our first encounter with Cohn comes early in the novel, Jake, the narrator of The Sun Also Rises takes it upon himself to introduce Cohn before anyone else, as well as the fact that he is a Jew, and that he takes up boxing to counteract the fact that his is treated like one. This first impression of Cohn seems rather innocent. We learn he's a student at Princeton and that he is a boxer. However, we also learn that Cohn must box because he is treated like a Jew. This is the first illustration of the separation between Jews and everyone else, the first separation between Jake Barnes and Robert Cohn. This is also the first of many instances in which there is a clear difference between Cohn and the other male characters for which Cohn is constantly being reminded. When Cohn insists on going to South Africa Jake notes that "He had a hard, Jewish, stubborn streak" (Hemingway 18). Not only is Cohn stubborn, as many people are, but Cohn is a stubborn Jew. One has to wonder whether Jake believes Cohn will not give up the idea of going to South Africa because he is stubborn, or because he is a stubborn Jew.

Another such instance occurs between Bill and Cohn, in which Bill places a bet against Cohn even though he cannot actually win it purely to prevent Cohn from feeling "superior and Jewish" (Hemingway 102). Again, we see one of the characters commenting on Cohn as a Jew instead of merely a man. Bill is obviously upset because Cohn is right and he is Jewish, not merely because he is right. Furthermore, this statement brings about a generalized anti-Semitic characterization of Jews as all having an air of superiority. A similar theme is seen later in the same chapter when Bill asks Jake if he has "some more Jewish friends you could bring along" (Hemingway 107)? Of course, he is referring to the fact that Cohn is being rather irritating, and inferring that this is a generalized trait of all Jews, not only Robert Cohn. This comment is a rather interesting one because Bill actually likes Cohn, however, even Bill cannot let go of the fact that Cohn is Jewish, and he seems to insist that the annoying things Cohn does are because he is a Jew.

Furthermore, there is a theme of emasculating Cohn, as Mike does in continually telling him to go away and that he doesn't know when he's not wanted. Were we discussing a character only then perhaps the theme of anti-Semitism would slide by. However, in there is a traceable line of instances in which Cohn is continually given the short end of the stick. As Wilentz points out Cohn is "none to bright...usually taking his ideas from others...he asks too many questions and is too intellectual in his responses. He's sad and suffering...and he isn't even politic enough to realize that he is the perennial outsider in this expatriate in-group" (4). Hemingway creates Cohn to mock and mimic the general idea of Jews. Cohn, and all Jews are portrayed as being sad and suffering. In chapter 16, Mike yells to Cohn "Take that sad Jewish face away" (Hemingway 181) reinforcing the stereotype.

Cohn is consistently treated as the "Jew" in The Sun Also Rises, not the foil to Jake (which is argued by Jeremy Kaye in his article "The 'whine' of Jewish manhood: re-reading Hemingway's anti-Semitism, reimagining Robert Cohn"), not the man who wishes to make a lady out of Brett Ashley, not the writer living in Paris, not an expatriate, not one of "them." Even Brett comments on Cohn's behavior saying of Cohn hanging around her, "Nobody else would behave as badly" (Hemingway 185). This is contradictory, because we already know that many men hang around Brett, including the highly admired Jake. Thus, we must assume that Brett is disgusted with Cohn hanging around because he is a Jew, and not due to his behavior, since it is no different than when the Count trailed after her day and night.

Furthermore, Brett later describes her love affair with Romero as being good because "He's wiped out that damned Cohn" (Hemingway 246). Although Brett has had numerous affairs with men all over Europe, she only needs to wipe away the taste of Cohn, as though he were some disease or filth that needed to be sponged away. Just as in the earlier case with Brett's comment of Cohn, the circumstances demand that we assert that Lady Ashley is making a statement about the fact that Cohn is Jew, rather than that Cohn is man whom she'd rather forget. He is a Jewish man she'd rather forget.

Not only does Hemingway characterize Cohn with typical stereotypes for Jewish people, but he also excludes him bonding to any of the other characters. Although Cohn is allowed to get physically close to Brett, he is never admitted any real closeness to her. Moreover, Cohn is never admitted any real closeness to Jake, Bill, or Mike. While Jake seems to know a great deal about Cohn, there is a lack of closeness and willingness to be close, evident at a very early point. During chapter two when Cohn visits Jake at work, Jake thinks up an easy out in which to get rid of him quickly. "I had discovered that (having a drink) was the best way to get rid of friends. Once you had a drink all you had to say was: 'Well, I've got to get back and get off some cables,' and it was done" (Hemingway 19). Although in this scene Cohn ended up sticking around, in Hemingway's concept that is a thing Jewish man would do; and the eagerness of Jake to ditch Cohn is clear.

Additionally, Cohn is conveniently absent during any of the real bonding between male figures in the novel. Wilentz asserts that the only "unhindered, positive moments of the book" are during Jake and Bill's fishing trip in which Cohn was not in attendance (5). Wilentz goes on to state that this was a purely intentional move on Heminway's part because Cohn cannot enjoy the manly act of fishing (6) leaving Bill "damned glad he's staying here so we won't have him fishing with us" (qtd in Wilentz 6). Neither Bill nor Jake want Cohn there, neither feel an attachment to him, and neither want one. It can also be noted that many of the scenes with the most conflict are centered around Cohn. Mike's arguments with Cohn are numerous, Cohn fights Jake and Mike, Cohn beats up Pedro Romero, Cohn sleeps with Brett causing issues with Jake. Cohn is not only an unwanted party, but Hemingway makes him into the villain.

As if Cohn characteristics, and the actions of the other characters wasn't enough to account for the anti-Semitic accusations against Hemingway, the "Lost Generation" author allows certain language into his piece. During chapter fifteen, Bill comes right out and calls Cohn a "kike" (Heminway 168) a blatantly derogatory term for a Jew. Bill's comment comes after Jake inquires whether Cohn seems to be enjoying the bull fight. There is no basis for the use of the term, save for the fact that Cohn had previously commented "I'm only afraid I may be bored" (Hemingway 165). While the other men may have found this comment naïve or uncultured, there seems to be nothing about it that can be chalked up to being Jewish. Surely a man of any race or background could be capable of such a comment. While one may argue that these terms, like those used in Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn or Pudd'nhead Wilson were admissible due to the commonality of them in the time periods being related (McDowell), it still doesn't excuse their use. After all, Huckleberry Finn was a scathing look at slavery, while The Sun Also Rises does nothing to discourage racist remarks and feelings against Jews. And, while Hemingway was writing during the era in which such language was common, one has to wonder why someone who confessed to having many Jewish friends would allow a slur like "kike" to be printed. Is Hemingway making a comment on his generation? Or is the slur straight from the author's lips? Which ever angle you side with, the fact that Cohn is at the opposite end of an anti-Semitic comment is indisputable.

While critics and scholars may continue to argue over whether the famous Ernest Hemingway was truly anti-Semitic or not, there is no doubt that anti-Semitism runs rampant in his early novel The Sun Also Rises. Hemingway makes it perfectly clear through character actions, relationships, and language that "Cohn is a Jew, not an unattractive character who happens to be a Jew but a character who is unattractive because he is a Jew" (Donaldson 288). Cohn is continually separated from the other characters, differentiated from them, and thus cannot ever be considered one of them. Unquestionably, Hemingway's treatment of Cohn in The Sun Also Rises is anti-Semitic.

Works Cited

Donaldson, Scott. The Cambridge Companion to Hemingway. New York: Cambrige University Press, 1996.

Hemingway, Ernest. The Sun Also Rises. New York: Scribner, 1926.

Kaye, Jeremy. "The 'whine' of Jewish Manhood: Re-reading Hemingway's Anti-Semitism, reimagining Robert Cohn." Hemingway Review. 25.2 (2006): 44-60,7.

McDowell, Edwin. "Hemingway's Status Revives Among Scholars and Readers." New York Times Online. 01 July 2009 < http://www.nytimes.com/books/99/07/04/specials/hemingway-revives.html>.

Trogden, Robert, W. Ernest Hemingway. New York: Caroll & Graf Publishers, 1999.

Wilentz, Gay. "Anti-Semitism as a Thematic Device in The Sun Also Rises." College English. 52.2 (1990): 186-193. 01 July 2009 .