In the first chapter I learn that Cohn faced rampant Anti-Semitism. I also learn that he's a really good boxer. There is a definite connection between those points. Cohn boxed to cover up his feelings of not being good enough. If people made fun of me for my race, i would want to punch somebody too.
I was confused at the beginning because I thought that Cohn was talking about himself in 3rd person. I find out later that there is a different narrator. His name is Jacob Barnes. Barnes is Cohn's tennis friend. "Robert Cohn had two friends, Braddocks and myself. Braddocks was his literary friend. I was his tennis friend" (pg 13). Not much information has been revealed about the tennis friend. All we really know so far is that he was in WWII. It seems like Jake watches over Cohn. He sees how Frances is desperately trying to marry Cohn before Cohn even picks it up. I cannot decide what to think about Barnes yet.
MOTIF- In this novel, i saw a motif of women controlling men. Frances controls Cohn incredibly. For example, when Cohn wants to go to Strasbourg, he refuses because he knows that Frances will disprove.
PROTAGONIST- Barnes. He plays the part of the good guy/ hero.
Brett sort of controls everyone!
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