Anecdotes

I grouped chapters 2 and 3 together for this post because they are very similarly structured. Both mention specific reflections on the war that O'Brien remembers and decides to share. For example, his meeting with Jimmy Cross many years after the war. They share a good conversation about memories from the war. Then in chapter 3, the author shares anecdotes and other experiences. Ted Lavender's puppy, for example, was a short story that was told to explain the fact that although these men were supposed to be tough and hard, they were still only 19- and 20-year-olds; still just kids. These anecdotes shed new light on the lives of the men and their experiences in the war.

Robert Cohn

Robert Cohn is potrayed to be a complex person. All his experiences in life, like Princeton and being a boxing champion to writing a novel, has made him into someone who is hard to figure out. The ancedote at the beginning of the novel gives readers just a glimpse into his life.

Although the book does not directly say it, one can assume that Cohn is a writer. His Princeton background and his work as an editor after his divorce shows that he is passionate about books and writing. I wonder what his motivation was for writing a novel, and what made him decide to publish it in the United States after it recieved such bad reviews in France.

I think Cohn has a few issues and lacks self esteem. After he read a book about South America, he imediatly thought that going there would solve all his problems. Just because the characters in to book ended up happy doesn't mean that will happen in real life. Jake tries to tell Robert that but he has his ideas and opinions already formed in his head. Robert doen't lack money and "book smarts", but I think he lacks "street smarts" and needs to be introduced to reality.