Cigars

In the two scenes in the novel where Juan Pablo smokes cigars, Phil Klay reveals important information about his character's essential nature and motivation. For the refined, aristocratic Juan Pablo, his scrupulous attention to the quality and price of the cigars and minutiae of the smoking ritual, mirror his exactitude and perfectionist's uncompromising temperament. These are the same characteristics that make Juan Pablo such an effective tactical commander, but also reflect his arrogance and sense of superiority. When Mason joins his host for an after-dinner cigar and talk of politics, Juan Pablo thinks his guest's inexperience with a cigar is "odd"(116) and a waste of a good cigar. Similarly, when Colonel Carlosama shares one of his with Juan Pablo to encourage his resignation, Juan Pablo notes the cheapness of the brand and dismisses his boss's technique as "amateur"(345). His petty judgments associated with this symbolic act...