In The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway (1926), Jake Barnes lends money to Robert Cohn, a wealthy but insecure man who uses charm and persuasion to get what he wants. Jake negotiates the terms of repayment, maintaining a transactional, businesslike tone despite their friendship.
Jake’s refusal to let the transaction become personal and his insistence on clear repayment terms reflect a pragmatic, results-oriented approach. The emphasis on keeping business and personal matters separate, along with the insistence on specific, enforceable terms, reflects the American approach to negotiation as a clear-cut, business-first interaction.