Robert Cohn is one of the most discussed characters in The Sun Also Rises, and one of the most uncomfortable. He is repeatedly identified by his Jewish background, and the narration and other characters treat him with contempt that is hard to read past. Teachers who take on this dimension of the book need to plan carefully, both for discussion and for the writing that follows.

Students may have very different reactions. Some are shocked, some try to explain the prejudice away as a product of its time, and some hesitate to say anything at all. A writing assignment can give them space to think through the issue more slowly than a live discussion allows.

The central question for an essay is usually about the author's stance. Does the novel endorse the prejudice of its characters, examine it, or do something more complicated? Reasonable readers have argued about this for decades, which makes it a legitimate subject for analysis.

Grading these essays requires clear criteria, since the temptation is to reward the opinion you agree with. The standard should be the quality of the argument and its use of the text.

Framing the Assignment

Give students a question that focuses on the text. A prompt like "How does the novel portray Robert Cohn, and what does that portrayal suggest about the attitudes of its characters and narrator?" keeps the work analytical. Provide some ground rules about respectful language and about distinguishing a character's views from the author's.

• Distinguish between what characters say and what the novel as a whole suggests
• Consider Jake's role as narrator and how his reactions to Cohn shift
• Look at how other characters treat Cohn and what motivates them
• Acknowledge historical context without using it to dismiss the problem
• Support every claim with specific passages from the text

What to Reward

Reward essays that engage with complexity. A student who notices that Cohn is both mistreated and genuinely irritating, and asks what Hemingway gains from that ambiguity, is doing sophisticated work. So is a student who argues that the novel reproduces its characters' prejudice without sufficient critical distance.

Be alert to essays that dodge the subject. Some students write around the issue, discussing Cohn's romantic obsession without mentioning how he is labeled by others. A note asking them to address how the text characterizes him can push them to engage more directly.

Handling Difficult Language

The novel contains slurs and stereotyped language, and students will need to refer to them. Set a policy in advance for how to quote such language in writing, such as using the citation and describing the term instead of repeating it. Consistency prevents confusion and awkwardness.

Be prepared for essays that include the student's own strong feelings. Acknowledge them, and guide students back to textual evidence. The aim is to build analytical habits that can hold up when the topic is emotionally charged.

Grading With Fairness and Consistency

Because this topic is sensitive, consistency is especially important. A skills-based rubric that scores argument, evidence, and analysis regardless of the position taken protects both students and teachers. It also makes any grade discussion easier, since the criteria are clear.

AI grading tools such as GraideMind can apply a rubric evenly across every essay, which helps prevent your reaction to a viewpoint from affecting the score. You still review the results and add the human perspective that this subject requires. Together, they support careful and fair assessment of a difficult topic.