Cohn seems to be really clueless towards social ques in Spain, which might just be the way he is, but I think that sometimes it's easy to forget how much alcohol the characters are drinking. This was definitely a factor in Paris, but in Spain, they seem to take it to a whole new level. There are several references to them drinking absinthe in Spain, which was never mentioned in Paris. ("I took a drink. It tasted of licorice and warmed all the way. I could feel it warming in my stomach." (Hemingway 162) "Bill got Mike started on something else than Cohn. The waiter brought the absinthe glasses." (Hemingway 170))
Most of the characters seem to handle alcohol well. But, I feel like it's worth pointing out that Cohn was described in the very first chapter of the book as a middle-weight. While in that passage the description was referring to boxing, I thought it was interesting that it could be considered applicable in other situations.
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It's certainly true that the others all consider Cohn a "lightweight" when it comes to drinking--his ultimate offense being when he passes out amid the fiesta. And the absinthe is maybe notable, too, in light of the fact that in Paris they drink Pernod--*imitation* absinthe. As if it's being ratcheted to a new level in Spain. But Cohn's obliviousness toward social cues doesn't seem connected to this--he always seems quite sober, which seems to depress everyone else. He's blinded by love for Brett--what she calls "behaving badly" (making scenes, starting fights, etc.), he calls being romantic. He gets that they don't want him around; he just doesn't care.
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