17. Reversals

Throughout the novel, Robert Cohn is frequently given a hard time over Brett, and he never failed to simply sit back and take it. In Chapter 17, however, it all became too much for him when he wanted to know Brett's whereabouts but Jake would not tell him. Menacingly, he stepped forward and threatened, "I'll make you tell me.." (194). He knocked Jake out and injured Mike as well. Cohn has never looked so pathetic. He still believes he has a chance with Brett, even after all that has happened. I cannot get it through my mind as to why anyone would stick around for Brett after witnessing her careless, promiscuous ways. Later in the chapter though, it was revealed an explanation for why Brett may have acted the way she did. Mike tells Bill and Jake that her ex-husband "always made Brett sleep on the floor. Finally when he got really bad, he used to tell her he'd kill her. Always slept with a loaded service revolver," (207). Brett was in a seriously abusive relationship in which he overwhelmingly dominated over her. After leaving her husband, I can now see why she acts the way she does. She goes from man to man because she never wants to be controlled in that way again. She reversed the dominating roles and now she is the one who has the control in her relationships, leaving all her suitors to keep chasing after her. I am not justifying Brett's lifestyle, but I do understand how she became to live that way. Her past relationship with Ashley would have been extremely damaging.