Conflict

" 'I say, you were cold,' Mike said.
'Where the hell were you?'
'Oh, I was around.'
'You didn't want to mix in it?'
'He knocked Mike down, too,' Edna said.
'He didn't knock me out,' Mike said. 'I just lay there.'
'Does this happen every night at your fiestas?' Edna asked. 'Wasn't that Mr. Cohn?' " Page 195

Robert is very conflicted. It seems to me that he actually shows both internal and external conflict in the scene that caused the dialogue in this passage. The external conflict is obvious: he punches both Mike and Jake. This surprised me because it is very uncharacteristic of him. Up until this point i saw him as timid and spineless.
His internal conflict however fits him a little bit better. He just can't get over Brett. I think that part of him realizes she's moved on and is in love with Pedro. However, part of him is so in love and naive that he can't accept it. I think this actually explains his violence in this chapter. He is frustrated with the situation but he won't approach Brett. Like Frances, I think she intimidates him a little. So he takes it out on the other guys who, especially Mike, are enjoying his suffering and naivete.