The Sun Also Rises Chapter 1

Here our narrator, Jake Barnes, introduces us to his friend, Robert Cohn. We learn that Robert was a champion boxer in college, although he did not enjoy the sport. However, boxing provided him a defense against the discrimination he experienced there as a man of Jewish descent. His parents were wealthy and had bankrolled his lifestyle for a while, including becoming the editor of a magazine in California. He’d married and had children, but the marriage was not a happy one, and his wife had left him. He eventually published a book and began a somewhat successful literary career. His current girlfriend, Frances, was counting on him to provide money and status for her quest for a comfortable life, and she did so with an overbearing and possessive nature. Her jealousy is an unpleasant trait but keeps Robert submissive and obedient. 

We also learn that Jake, Robert, and Frances are all members of a group of American expatriates living in Paris, France, during the 1920s. 

Analysis

In describing his friend, Robert, the narrator, Jake, reveals things not only about Robert but of himself as well. We learn details about Robert, including that he is insecure, and lacks the masculinity to stand up to the controlling females by that he has always been dominated. At the same time, we learn that Jake is somewhat cynical, has difficulty trusting people, and appears to revel in his friend’s failures and shortcomings. Jake exhibits narcissistic qualities.