Make way for the newest member of this lovely Lost Generation, here's Harvey Stone, the token compulsive gambler. The best thing about Harvey is that he's about as subtle as a tactical nuke. Cohn comes a'rolling up to Jake and Harvey, and Harvey leads straight off, not with a hello or a how ya doing, but with "Hello, Robert, I was just telling Jake here that you're a moron" (p. 50). For whatever reason, I just can't shake the feeling that this Harvey fellow just doesn't much care for Cohn. However, I also get the feeling that Jake isn't too fond of Cohn either. However, the delivery between the two is completely different. Harvey just says he hates Cohn outright, but Jake, though he doesn't care for him, hides his feelings to the point that Cohn thinks they're really great friends. This seems to imply that Jake has trouble communicating his true feelings. Oh, and I think that makes Harvey and Jake foils, right? yeah. The other particularly important part of this chapter is that lovely bundle of awkward that ensues between Frances and Cohn. Frances just rips on him for about three pages straight, and Cohn just sits back and takes it. This really just serves to reinforce that chivalrous nature of Cohn's. It would've been all to easy to just send the little lass straight to the moon (Honeymooners reference, anyone?), but he just accepts it, and takes it all in stride. What a nice fella. I'm starting to feel kinda bad for the guy.
This is just a euphemism for beating your wife.
This is just a euphemism for beating your wife.
I always miss when characters are foils. I remember the Frances/Cohn argument; it was intense, like camping. Also, I don't know if it's quite chivalrous that Cohn doesn't beat his wife, but I like your visual euphemism.
ReplyDeleteIt's chivalrous that he doesn't even say anything or get mad. Obviously, launching his ladyfriend into orbit with an epic backhand is a tad extreme. but still. he did nothing, which is nice of him.
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