One thought ... if a generic "first reaction" is hard to get your head around, consider posting the most memorable moment in the book so far, and why you think it's important. Have fun!
The book opened pretty much as expected. Ms Kitsis did a good job of introducing the book; it is very macho and manly. I was surprised to see how much respect lieutenant Henry got from all the superior officers in the mess. I mean, he is only an ambulance driver. Not to mention that he is not even really Italian. It’s hard to imagine that an American would still be so well respected in any modern European army. Lieutenant Henry seemed to be quite the lady’s man after his winter break that seemed to solely consist of wild parties, but he is quick to settle down with Ms. Barkley. He even goes so far as to almost force himself upon her when asking for a kiss. That part of the book made me feel awkward even just reading about it, but I suppose that is only a credit to how well Hemingway wrote the book From reading the back, I learned that the rest of the book will consist of him chasing this woman, and i look forward to reading more. So far, I am very entertained.
I agree with Pat, after reading the first three chapters, it kind of starts short and dull by just describing the small Italian village. But after reading more into it, it becomes more interesting where the main character Henry finds himself in a relationship with an English nurse, Miss Barkley, who lost her fiancée and still grieving about him. But after much time, she becomes much closer to Henry afterwards. Also when reading this book,i felt weird how it was written. They way it was written was like broken English to me, but I thought it was probably written that way because of the setting and how the characters converse. Anyway, because of seeing a plot to it, with the nurse, I might enjoy reading it more further. -Desal
I agree, this book is written on pride and glory. Everyone wants to be recognized and decorated with medals. This is especially true for soldiers and those who work on the front line. They are risking their lives every moment they are out there and yet there is little compensation. The only form of recognition for bravery they could get for being out in the field is the medal. However, in order to receive such award, one must exhibit courage and heroism. There is no room for expression of weakness. When Frederic and other ambulance drivers were talking about the war, Passini said “There is nothing worse than war” (50). Frederic then replied with a strong and spontaneous statement that “Defeat is worse” (50). Everybody understands the condition of the war well. They all know that they cannot have a sandwich without brick dust or sound of shells exploding and people crying for help. No matter if they want to accept it or not, that is the truth; that what war is. Lieutenant Henry is portrayed as a tough man worthy of being decorated with a silver medal. Even when he was hit by a bomb and lost a leg, he was not terrified. When he stood up and tried to grab for his knee and realized that his leg is actually on the ground, if I were the author, I would go ahead and describe how terrified he was in long sentences. Instead the author skipped a line and wrote the lieutenant’s initial feeling in two short words: “very afraid” (56). By doing this, the author has clearly shown how weakness is being disfavored and contained. In addition, the lieutenant did not think of himself first. When he got hit, he realized that he could not move, but instead of focusing his attention on his feet, he looked at Passini and tried to help him. He tried to move closer to Passini so he could make a tourniquet to cover his wound. Sorry that this is a little long, but I got caught in the expectations and qualities of a good soldier suggested by this book.
My first reaction to the book was that it had a lot of well written descriptions. I thought that the first chapter did an awesome job of setting the scenes and letting the reader know where the characters are. For example, "The plain was rich with crops; there were many orchards of fruit trees and beyond the plain the mountains were brown and bare" (1). However, i did think that the the first discussion with the main character Henry, and the priest was a little confusing. I felt that at one point I couldn't tell who was saying each line. I am however, I enjoying the book. I really do like the adorable romance between Ms. Barkley and Henry. Its nice to see the type of romance that a soldier and nurse might have had during World War 2. I also agree with Pat that it was interesting and almost surprising that Henry was accepted in Europe at the time. But, you never know, i guess it makes sense that not all people in the country hated Americans although the government as a whole did. I am interested to see what becomes of the main character and how his romance continues.
Along with most other readers of this book, I too felt the beginning was a little boring. It started out describing the small italian village where it begins and i felt very disinterested. When i read the first chapter i found myself reading back and picking up new details in every sentence that i was unable to capture. Just as Desal said, as i read deeper into the book, i became more interested. I think Paul said a really good point that Hemingway attempts to show as little weakness as he can. Just as Frederic replies "defeat is worse" (50) to Passini's "nothing is worse than war" (50), Hemingway does not show weakness when talking about the cholera outbreak in the beginning of the novel. As permanent rains comes with the winter, cholera follows. When talking about the cholera Hemingway says, "But it was checked and in the end only seven thousand died of it in the army" (4). He makes seven thousand lives sound insignificant and that any amount of deaths for victory is reasonable. Also, Hemingway only mentions that seven thousand soldiers died. There could have been several more thousand citizen deaths but Hemingway does not mention anything, trying not to show weakness or pain.
It’s hard to answer this question because the book starts when the heat of the war has already started, so we don’t have a background on the characters prior to the war. Though, I can talk about how incidences characters encounter during the war change their personalities and inspirations. The narrator, Frederic Henry, was known for his masculinity, female attraction, and strong drinking behavior. At the start of the book he was lively man who has dated countless women yet had never felt in love with anyone. He had a strong companionship with everyone around him including his friend Rinaldi, the major, the captain and the priest. When he was injured however, things began to change. He felt lonely, empty and lack of purpose. He was so lonely that he asked everyone who visited him to stay longer. He also could not hold himself from falling in love with Catherine. Now that Catherine is pregnant, he Frederic is stuck and trapped. His attitude towards the war has changed. Unlike before, now he has to worry more about starting a family and less about serving the war. He has became tired of the war and his inspiration is low.
Although the book begins with the war already in full force, we are able to see how the characters develop as the book progresses. Whether or not these developments are due to the ongoing war is debatable, but the changes are visible nevertheless.
As Paul said, Lt. Henry displays a change in his desire for the types of relationships he is looking for with the opposite sex; however, I must respectfully disagree. In the beginning of the book where he develops his reputation for enjoying bouncing around between women, that is his only real option. He was on a military break where he had no opportunity to settle down. Also, he was traveling from town to town visiting friends, so there was no place in his life for a long term relationship. Even further into with his relationship with Ms. Barkley, he does not hesitate to leave her after he gets what he wants from her, which is usually some short-term companionship. I doubt his sincerity when he tells her that he really loves her. Instead, I think his view on women has yet to evolve. He is obviously very capable of finding female companionship and does so wherever he goes. The only reason Ms. Barkley has remained in his life –up until she is found to be pregnant- is because they are both involved with the war and are capable of remaining in touch. I very much agree with Paul’s final point that Lt. Henry has changed as a result of Catherine’s pregnancy, but the war simply became part of his life.
I think that the war significantly affects the characters in Farewell to Arms. The main character Henry is affected greatly in both his social life with his soldier friends and his love life with Catherine. Henry’s friends were killed by bombs in the first part of the book and in the second part his friend Rinaldi is getting very depressed by the war and may even have syphilis. At the beginning of the book, Rinaldi was a very optimistic surgeon but now that the war is getting more difficult, you can tell that he is becoming more quiet and is being affected negatively by the war. Henry himself is worried about Catherine and what might happen to their unborn child if the war continues. He wants the war to end quickly so he can marry her and be the man he should be. Henry’s characteristics are that of someone who wants adventure and to have fun drinking with friends but also to be serious and get married. It is only the war that is holding him back from marrying Catherine. I agree with Pat that the war is the one thing that brought Catherine and Henry together and is the only keeping them connected. However, as we all know, they become separated and no one knows when they will meet again. It will be interesting to see what becomes of their unborn child and their relationship.
As Paul and Pat already state, the war was already started and we don’t know the characters well enough before the war, I believe that war did change Hemingway’s character as Lt. Henry hospitalized from the blast of the mortar shell. After receiving those injuries, Lt. Henry couldn’t stand being hospitalized for a six months to wait to be operated, so he decides to go for Doctor Valentini, who decides he is healthy enough to be operated sooner. The war changed how Lt. Henry wants to be back on his feet quickly and back to the front. Also, during his time at the Cova where he meets a couple of singers and an officer, from the Italian army Ettore. There they talk about the rewards they got from the war and how it make them rich by getting paid a lot, when Ettore goes of saying “ I wish to God I could. Oh boy, how much does a captain get, Mac?” (122). This actually shows how the war shapes the characters that killing their enemies and getting war awards will help higher their status and bring their check higher. Which makes complete sense how people like to receive more pay for their awards and wound stripes.
For one thing, the war shapes the characters characteristics, other than personality, in a negative way. Lt. Henry is hurt physically from the blast of a shell. War causes death itself and people are dying all the time. Also, just as almost everyone else that posted above me has already mentioned, the war had started before the book had started. I feel like there are changes that happened directly because of the war but at the same time i feel like emotions or feelings of a character may just be coming out later in the book. Lt. Henry gets around and acts like a "man whore". I think most every man, such as Lt. Henry, doesn't want to be alone and Lt. Henry fills the void in his life with whores. I think at the same time he might not be fully satisfied while he is moving around unable to have real feelings for a woman. Whether or not his love for Catherine is fully caused because of the war, I do not know, but i can tell that he's changed or his feelings/needs have become more apparent as the war goes on. The war may have been a catalyst to his inevitable change in needs from woman or it could have directly changed his thought process on this matter.
I think Catherine and Frederic will maintain their relationship by always thinking about each other. Catherine knows that it will be dangerous for Frederic in the front but she also knows that he can't stay with her forever. Frederic on the other hand, knows that while being on the front he won't have time to think about Catherine. But once he does escape the front, and goes through many obstacles to get out of the war, he thinks about her constantly. So, i didn't find it surprising when Frederic ended up deserting the army and searching for Catherine. Taking her to Switzerland to escape his arrest and attempting to start a new life also wasn't surprising. It was hard to believe that Hemingway would separate the two characters and kill one of them. The love story is too intimate to break up.
Up to page 202, my opinion about the relationship between Catherine and Frederic was rather different from Sandhya’s. Even though they share love for one another and Frederic even dreams about Catherine while at the front: “You’re so lovely and sweet. You wouldn’t go away in the night, would you?” it is difficult for them to retain their relationship when Frederic has to serve in the front and lives on the edge of a cliff. I do belief that Frederic is committed to Catherine; he even thinks of marrying her while in the war. I like the fact that he takes the responsibility and rises up the issue of getting married. They are awfully nice to each other. Catherine tries to do whatever Frederic wants and tries to “be the way [he] wanted” (139). I think it is great to be kind to each other in a relationship, but I think that their over expression of kindness is blocking their true feelings. This is especially for Catherine who tries so hard to be the perfect woman for Frederic. She wants to make him happy by being with him, but I don’t think she truly likes that. When they get a room at a hotel across the station, Catherine accidentally but truthfully said “I never felt like a whore before” (152). Catherine doesn’t really feel comfortable sharing such intimacy with Frederic; she still has her fear from the past relationship. So I think that their relationship is forced and I predict that this will come back and haunt them later.
I do agree with you Paul, that Catherine may fear her current relationship with Henry because of her past experiences. We all know that her ex fiance was also a soldier and was killed on the field in battle. But i have to respectfully disagree that her fear is keeping her from loving Henry to the best of her ability. She has such devotion to Henry and wants to make him happy all the time. I doubt that she would do this unless she loved him with all her heart. Catherine is so dedicated to Henry that while they are rowing in the boat to Switzerland, she constantly asks him to let her row. " Let me row awhile. Rowing in moderation is very good for the pregnant lady" (275) Also, the only reason why Catherine may feel like a whore may be because she knows that Henry has been with many girls. She may just feel that he might leave her because he can't stay with one girl for too long.
Well, I agree on Paul, on how Catherine is a little a afraid of this relationship, considering how “she looked toward the door, saw there was no one, then she got on the side of the bed and leaned over and kissed [him]”(91). However, after reading up to page 290, I respectively disagree with you about how her relationship with Frederic will be haunted by her past relationship. Considering how Catherine has changed so much and puts all her love to Frederic to point where “her face [lights] up” and “[looks] too happy to believe it”(246) in front of others. Furthermore, when Frederic assumed that he will get arrested, Catherine was so willing to follow him anywhere, and start a new life; “We will, darling. I’ll go any place any time you wish”(252). Considering how she wants to be with him so much, and how Frederic can’t stand to be away from her leaves me to believe that somehow it will be a great life but at the end, I am guessing something might happen.
The relationship between Lt. Henry and Catherine is very different most modern day relationships. They both try very hard to maintain a healthy and loving relationship even though they are in the middle of a war that could take Henry’s life at almost any moment, which must be a very real and terrifying thought for Catherine.
In response to Paul’s quote from page 152, I think Catherine is made to feel uncomfortable by the thought that she may have just been impregnated by a man who’s feeling she is unsure of. Certainly, he was not planning on or trying to get her pregnant, and now, she is forced to have the child of a man who she was afraid to even make aware of the pregnancy. I think these feelings will not stop her from giving Lt. Henry a chance to be a good partner and father, but she definitely has some major worries about the whole situation.
Lt. Henry seems to really love Catherine, especially since he learned about her being pregnant. I think he now feels he has a true and permanent connect to Catherine and an obligation to stay alive through the war so he can be a father. Even as the Italians retreat, Lt. Henry dreams about Catherine; he cannot get the thought of her out of his mind, which I think is a sign of true affection.
I think Lt. Henry will go to great lengths to keep his relationship with Catherine. Henry thinks to himself about Catherine, "never going away again except together... I lay and thought where would we go." (233) In times of stress, Henry thinks of Catherine. His relationship with her is clearly important since he doesn't want to go anywhere else without her from now on. Henry finds Catherine in Stresa where Catherine says, "I'll get you some place where they can't arrest you and then we'll have a lovely time." (252). Catherine saying this shows that she really cares for Henry, that she will risk everything she has for him. Henry replies, "Let's go there right away."(252) Henry's desire to go "right away" shows that all he really cares about is being with her. He ran away from the army to attempt to stay with her. It shows that the only thing that really makes him happy is her presence and I think he'd do almost anything for that special connection.
DISCUSSION PROMPT #4: What do you predict Frederic will do next? Cite specific evidence for your answer. What underlying message do you think Hemingway is trying to convey with this novel?
The ending is so depressing! It's hard to believe that Henry did everything he could to be together with Catherine. He deserted from the army, migrated to Switzerland and lived a very quiet life so they could act like a married couple. It was so sad when the baby died but I never expected Catherine to pass away too. At the end of the novel, Hemingway leaves us with one final action that Henry does, "After a while I went out and left the hospital and walked back to the hotel in the rain (332)". From this last statement, there are many things that Henry could do. One thing that might be the most logical for him to do would be to get drunk. This makes the most sense because throughout the book, Henry always managed to get drunk or at least have a lot to drink simply because he could. Henry's personality was of the type of person who wasn't very emotionally attached to anybody. For example, when Henry's friend Aymo was shot and killed Henry said, "I had liked him as well as anyone I ever knew. I had his papers in my pocket and would write to his family" (214). Now, I understand that being emotional would not have been the best thing to do but Henry always seemed to brush off a death. However, things were different with Catherine so I can only imagine what Henry would have done after he went back to the hotel. Something that I doubt he might have done after Catherine's death would have been to go back to the U.S and be with his family. He never mentioned his family much except for the fact that they sent him care packages and they fought a lot. He didn't even send them letters while he was in Switzerland to let them know that he was safe. As for an underlying message that Hemingway was trying to convey with this novel is that soldiers don't always die in the war. They may survive but lose others while witnessing awful things. Henry was seriously hurt during a battle but he never died but instead saw his closest friends pass away. In the end, it was the love of his life that passed away along with his unborn child. Hemingway wanted to convey that other terrible things happened during World War 1 besides the war itself.
Sandhya made a really nice point that there are many more terrible things that happen behind a war besides the war itself. Soldiers don’t only get wounded physically they also hurt emotionally as well. But I would like to add on how Lt. Henry references the word “trap.” I believe this by itself is a strong word and I would like to expand on it a little bit. Throughout the book, Lt. Henry was given many suggestions about places he can go during leave. At a conversation over the table, he was told: “You should go to Rome, Naples, Sicily” and other added “Amalfi,” “Palermo” and “Capri” (8). He was given a leave, but he blew the opportunity with his drinking habits (144). It seems that Lt. Henry cannot ever escape from the war. I believe this is a message Ernest Hemingway is trying to tell us. Once you have entered the war, you’re trapped in it forever. No matter how miserable the war is, you cannot get away from it. You may run away to escape the war, but you will be struck by misfortune. For instance, Lt. Henry and Catherine fled to Switzerland in the hope of establishing a happy family. Unfortunately, their goal was deteriorated by the death of Catherine and their son. The war is a trap, it is meant to take away lives. When one is trapped, one will eventually die. However, if one fights to get out of the trap, one will die faster and of a restless death. Imagine a mouse got hit by a mouse trap, it can either take its time to breathe its last breath of air or vigorously fight for the life it cannot have.
The ending was so ironic. The whole time we predicted that he would die since he was a soldier, but instead Catherine dies from a random hemorage.It is hard to say what Lt. Henry will do now that the life he has created has fallen apart. Like Sandhya said, I think he will do quite a bit of drinking no matter where he goes or what he does. After all, he did not even feel the need to stay sober to see his child born; he had quite a bit of wine for breakfast. There is a great quote on page 310 where Catherine asks Lt Henry, “What are you thinking darling?” He replies, “About whiskey.”
There really isn’t much textual evidence that could imply what Frederick might do now with his life. He really was very committed to a life with Catherine but not so much the baby. Talking about the baby on page 311 Lt. Henry says, “…it gave us both a feeling as though soething were hurrying us and we could not lose any time together.” If only he knew that their time together really was so very limited. I don’t think Lt. Henry will be able to recover quickly from the loss of his family. I think he may try to fill the void of Catherine with cheap meaningless women, which will just make him even more happy. I would not be surprised if his drinking escalated and he became nothing more than a depressed drunk who cared nothing for life.
As everyone has already stated before, I agree the ending was really ironic and tragic, how Lt. Henry loses his son, who died during the pregnancy, and Catherine who died from hemorrhage. Although it was really surprising I realized that there was a foreshadowing to this ending, where Catherine states, “All right. I’m afraid of the rain because sometimes I see me dead in it.’ ‘No.’ ‘And sometimes I see you dead in it”(126). Catherine first says how she sees herself dead but then says that she also sees Frederic dead too. Well in the ending, “[Frederic] went out and left the hospital and walked back to the hotel in the rain, ” this clearly states how Catherine foreshadowed how dead Frederic looked when experienced loss of Catherine and his son. (332) And considering how Frederic loves to drink not for the joy but as a way to get through the hardships of the war, I believe after leaves to the hotel he will feel emotionally broken and get drunk. Also, in the past event, Frederic deserts the army for Catherine, and he can no longer go back to Italy unless he pays for his crimes. But as a person, who no longer has anything to look towards for and also an alcoholic, I believe he will drink himself to death considering he had jaundice from drinking too much during his stay at the hospital. I know it sounds horrible, but as how the story progress with him drinking and leaving the army, there was probably no other prediction clearly as this one.
I think Frederic will just be more unhappy. I don't think he would risk getting in trouble going back to the army but I don't think he would stay where he was, a place that is firmly attached with the death of Catherine. The narrator says, "He handed me a package. 'everything there was in the bar... a bottle of brandy and a bottle of wine"(268). He lives his life off of alcohol so I think he'll move on to somewhere else to persevere through his life with his drinking habits. He may also die from being a depressed alcoholic just like Desal mentioned.
I think Hemingway may be trying to convey that War may be an awful time, but not everything awful that occurs in it is directly because of the fighting itself. Obviously he showed that a lot of nasty things can happen, but the one that affected Henry the most was the loss of his love Catherine.
I was born and raised in Saint Louis, Missouri and first moved to Massachusetts to attend Amherst College, where I majored in both English and Russian literature. After graduation, I accepted a Fulbright Scholarship to the University of Tartu in Estonia, where I studied children's literature and semiotics ("the study of signs and symbols"). I returned to the United States to spend a few years exploring the wide world of business, but the classroom kept calling. It was high time to earn my Masters in Education from Tufts University and join the staff at Arlington High School.
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This book is wicked good lawlz
ReplyDeleteDISCUSSION PROMPT #1: What was your first reaction to the book?
ReplyDeleteOne thought ... if a generic "first reaction" is hard to get your head around, consider posting the most memorable moment in the book so far, and why you think it's important. Have fun!
ReplyDeleteIs this book on sparknotes?
ReplyDeleteYeah lawlz! I read it all on sparknotes! It was so good!
ReplyDeleteThe book opened pretty much as expected. Ms Kitsis did a good job of introducing the book; it is very macho and manly. I was surprised to see how much respect lieutenant Henry got from all the superior officers in the mess. I mean, he is only an ambulance driver. Not to mention that he is not even really Italian. It’s hard to imagine that an American would still be so well respected in any modern European army.
ReplyDeleteLieutenant Henry seemed to be quite the lady’s man after his winter break that seemed to solely consist of wild parties, but he is quick to settle down with Ms. Barkley. He even goes so far as to almost force himself upon her when asking for a kiss. That part of the book made me feel awkward even just reading about it, but I suppose that is only a credit to how well Hemingway wrote the book From reading the back, I learned that the rest of the book will consist of him chasing this woman, and i look forward to reading more. So far, I am very entertained.
I agree with Pat, after reading the first three chapters, it kind of starts short and dull by just describing the small Italian village. But after reading more into it, it becomes more interesting where the main character Henry finds himself in a relationship with an English nurse, Miss Barkley, who lost her fiancée and still grieving about him. But after much time, she becomes much closer to Henry afterwards.
ReplyDeleteAlso when reading this book,i felt weird how it was written. They way it was written was like broken English to me, but I thought it was probably written that way because of the setting and how the characters converse. Anyway, because of seeing a plot to it, with the nurse, I might enjoy reading it more further.
-Desal
I agree, this book is written on pride and glory. Everyone wants to be recognized and decorated with medals. This is especially true for soldiers and those who work on the front line. They are risking their lives every moment they are out there and yet there is little compensation. The only form of recognition for bravery they could get for being out in the field is the medal. However, in order to receive such award, one must exhibit courage and heroism. There is no room for expression of weakness. When Frederic and other ambulance drivers were talking about the war, Passini said “There is nothing worse than war” (50). Frederic then replied with a strong and spontaneous statement that “Defeat is worse” (50). Everybody understands the condition of the war well. They all know that they cannot have a sandwich without brick dust or sound of shells exploding and people crying for help. No matter if they want to accept it or not, that is the truth; that what war is. Lieutenant Henry is portrayed as a tough man worthy of being decorated with a silver medal. Even when he was hit by a bomb and lost a leg, he was not terrified. When he stood up and tried to grab for his knee and realized that his leg is actually on the ground, if I were the author, I would go ahead and describe how terrified he was in long sentences. Instead the author skipped a line and wrote the lieutenant’s initial feeling in two short words: “very afraid” (56). By doing this, the author has clearly shown how weakness is being disfavored and contained. In addition, the lieutenant did not think of himself first. When he got hit, he realized that he could not move, but instead of focusing his attention on his feet, he looked at Passini and tried to help him. He tried to move closer to Passini so he could make a tourniquet to cover his wound. Sorry that this is a little long, but I got caught in the expectations and qualities of a good soldier suggested by this book.
ReplyDeletePaul S.
My first reaction to the book was that it had a lot of well written descriptions. I thought that the first chapter did an awesome job of setting the scenes and letting the reader know where the characters are. For example, "The plain was rich with crops; there were many orchards of fruit trees and beyond the plain the mountains were brown and bare" (1). However, i did think that the the first discussion with the main character Henry, and the priest was a little confusing. I felt that at one point I couldn't tell who was saying each line. I am however, I enjoying the book. I really do like the adorable romance between Ms. Barkley and Henry. Its nice to see the type of romance that a soldier and nurse might have had during World War 2. I also agree with Pat that it was interesting and almost surprising that Henry was accepted in Europe at the time. But, you never know, i guess it makes sense that not all people in the country hated Americans although the government as a whole did. I am interested to see what becomes of the main character and how his romance continues.
ReplyDeleteSandhya
Along with most other readers of this book, I too felt the beginning was a little boring. It started out describing the small italian village where it begins and i felt very disinterested. When i read the first chapter i found myself reading back and picking up new details in every sentence that i was unable to capture. Just as Desal said, as i read deeper into the book, i became more interested.
ReplyDeleteI think Paul said a really good point that Hemingway attempts to show as little weakness as he can. Just as Frederic replies "defeat is worse" (50) to Passini's "nothing is worse than war" (50), Hemingway does not show weakness when talking about the cholera outbreak in the beginning of the novel. As permanent rains comes with the winter, cholera follows. When talking about the cholera Hemingway says, "But it was checked and in the end only seven thousand died of it in the army" (4). He makes seven thousand lives sound insignificant and that any amount of deaths for victory is reasonable. Also, Hemingway only mentions that seven thousand soldiers died. There could have been several more thousand citizen deaths but Hemingway does not mention anything, trying not to show weakness or pain.
DISCUSSION PROMPT #2: How do the effects of the war shape Hemingway's characters' personalities or other characteristics?
ReplyDeleteIt’s hard to answer this question because the book starts when the heat of the war has already started, so we don’t have a background on the characters prior to the war. Though, I can talk about how incidences characters encounter during the war change their personalities and inspirations. The narrator, Frederic Henry, was known for his masculinity, female attraction, and strong drinking behavior. At the start of the book he was lively man who has dated countless women yet had never felt in love with anyone. He had a strong companionship with everyone around him including his friend Rinaldi, the major, the captain and the priest. When he was injured however, things began to change. He felt lonely, empty and lack of purpose. He was so lonely that he asked everyone who visited him to stay longer. He also could not hold himself from falling in love with Catherine. Now that Catherine is pregnant, he Frederic is stuck and trapped. His attitude towards the war has changed. Unlike before, now he has to worry more about starting a family and less about serving the war. He has became tired of the war and his inspiration is low.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the book begins with the war already in full force, we are able to see how the characters develop as the book progresses. Whether or not these developments are due to the ongoing war is debatable, but the changes are visible nevertheless.
ReplyDeleteAs Paul said, Lt. Henry displays a change in his desire for the types of relationships he is looking for with the opposite sex; however, I must respectfully disagree. In the beginning of the book where he develops his reputation for enjoying bouncing around between women, that is his only real option. He was on a military break where he had no opportunity to settle down. Also, he was traveling from town to town visiting friends, so there was no place in his life for a long term relationship. Even further into with his relationship with Ms. Barkley, he does not hesitate to leave her after he gets what he wants from her, which is usually some short-term companionship. I doubt his sincerity when he tells her that he really loves her. Instead, I think his view on women has yet to evolve. He is obviously very capable of finding female companionship and does so wherever he goes. The only reason Ms. Barkley has remained in his life –up until she is found to be pregnant- is because they are both involved with the war and are capable of remaining in touch. I very much agree with Paul’s final point that Lt. Henry has changed as a result of Catherine’s pregnancy, but the war simply became part of his life.
I think that the war significantly affects the characters in Farewell to Arms. The main character Henry is affected greatly in both his social life with his soldier friends and his love life with Catherine. Henry’s friends were killed by bombs in the first part of the book and in the second part his friend Rinaldi is getting very depressed by the war and may even have syphilis. At the beginning of the book, Rinaldi was a very optimistic surgeon but now that the war is getting more difficult, you can tell that he is becoming more quiet and is being affected negatively by the war. Henry himself is worried about Catherine and what might happen to their unborn child if the war continues. He wants the war to end quickly so he can marry her and be the man he should be. Henry’s characteristics are that of someone who wants adventure and to have fun drinking with friends but also to be serious and get married. It is only the war that is holding him back from marrying Catherine. I agree with Pat that the war is the one thing that brought Catherine and Henry together and is the only keeping them connected. However, as we all know, they become separated and no one knows when they will meet again. It will be interesting to see what becomes of their unborn child and their relationship.
ReplyDelete-Sandhya
As Paul and Pat already state, the war was already started and we don’t know the characters well enough before the war, I believe that war did change Hemingway’s character as Lt. Henry hospitalized from the blast of the mortar shell. After receiving those injuries, Lt. Henry couldn’t stand being hospitalized for a six months to wait to be operated, so he decides to go for Doctor Valentini, who decides he is healthy enough to be operated sooner. The war changed how Lt. Henry wants to be back on his feet quickly and back to the front. Also, during his time at the Cova where he meets a couple of singers and an officer, from the Italian army Ettore. There they talk about the rewards they got from the war and how it make them rich by getting paid a lot, when Ettore goes of saying “ I wish to God I could. Oh boy, how much does a captain get, Mac?” (122). This actually shows how the war shapes the characters that killing their enemies and getting war awards will help higher their status and bring their check higher. Which makes complete sense how people like to receive more pay for their awards and wound stripes.
ReplyDeleteFor one thing, the war shapes the characters characteristics, other than personality, in a negative way. Lt. Henry is hurt physically from the blast of a shell. War causes death itself and people are dying all the time.
ReplyDeleteAlso, just as almost everyone else that posted above me has already mentioned, the war had started before the book had started. I feel like there are changes that happened directly because of the war but at the same time i feel like emotions or feelings of a character may just be coming out later in the book. Lt. Henry gets around and acts like a "man whore". I think most every man, such as Lt. Henry, doesn't want to be alone and Lt. Henry fills the void in his life with whores. I think at the same time he might not be fully satisfied while he is moving around unable to have real feelings for a woman. Whether or not his love for Catherine is fully caused because of the war, I do not know, but i can tell that he's changed or his feelings/needs have become more apparent as the war goes on. The war may have been a catalyst to his inevitable change in needs from woman or it could have directly changed his thought process on this matter.
DISCUSSION PROMPT #3: How do you think Frederic and Catherine will maintain their relationship? What evidence do you see for this in the novel?
ReplyDeleteI think Catherine and Frederic will maintain their relationship by always thinking about each other. Catherine knows that it will be dangerous for Frederic in the front but she also knows that he can't stay with her forever. Frederic on the other hand, knows that while being on the front he won't have time to think about Catherine. But once he does escape the front, and goes through many obstacles to get out of the war, he thinks about her constantly. So, i didn't find it surprising when Frederic ended up deserting the army and searching for Catherine. Taking her to Switzerland to escape his arrest and attempting to start a new life also wasn't surprising. It was hard to believe that Hemingway would separate the two characters and kill one of them. The love story is too intimate to break up.
ReplyDelete-Sandhya
Up to page 202, my opinion about the relationship between Catherine and Frederic was rather different from Sandhya’s. Even though they share love for one another and Frederic even dreams about Catherine while at the front: “You’re so lovely and sweet. You wouldn’t go away in the night, would you?” it is difficult for them to retain their relationship when Frederic has to serve in the front and lives on the edge of a cliff. I do belief that Frederic is committed to Catherine; he even thinks of marrying her while in the war. I like the fact that he takes the responsibility and rises up the issue of getting married. They are awfully nice to each other. Catherine tries to do whatever Frederic wants and tries to “be the way [he] wanted” (139). I think it is great to be kind to each other in a relationship, but I think that their over expression of kindness is blocking their true feelings. This is especially for Catherine who tries so hard to be the perfect woman for Frederic. She wants to make him happy by being with him, but I don’t think she truly likes that. When they get a room at a hotel across the station, Catherine accidentally but truthfully said “I never felt like a whore before” (152). Catherine doesn’t really feel comfortable sharing such intimacy with Frederic; she still has her fear from the past relationship. So I think that their relationship is forced and I predict that this will come back and haunt them later.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you Paul, that Catherine may fear her current relationship with Henry because of her past experiences. We all know that her ex fiance was also a soldier and was killed on the field in battle. But i have to respectfully disagree that her fear is keeping her from loving Henry to the best of her ability. She has such devotion to Henry and wants to make him happy all the time. I doubt that she would do this unless she loved him with all her heart. Catherine is so dedicated to Henry that while they are rowing in the boat to Switzerland, she constantly asks him to let her row. " Let me row awhile. Rowing in moderation is very good for the pregnant lady" (275) Also, the only reason why Catherine may feel like a whore may be because she knows that Henry has been with many girls. She may just feel that he might leave her because he can't stay with one girl for too long.
ReplyDelete-Sandhya
Well, I agree on Paul, on how Catherine is a little a afraid of this relationship, considering how “she looked toward the door, saw there was no one, then she got on the side of the bed and leaned over and kissed [him]”(91). However, after reading up to page 290, I respectively disagree with you about how her relationship with Frederic will be haunted by her past relationship. Considering how Catherine has changed so much and puts all her love to Frederic to point where “her face [lights] up” and “[looks] too happy to believe it”(246) in front of others. Furthermore, when Frederic assumed that he will get arrested, Catherine was so willing to follow him anywhere, and start a new life; “We will, darling. I’ll go any place any time you wish”(252). Considering how she wants to be with him so much, and how Frederic can’t stand to be away from her leaves me to believe that somehow it will be a great life but at the end, I am guessing something might happen.
ReplyDeleteThe relationship between Lt. Henry and Catherine is very different most modern day relationships. They both try very hard to maintain a healthy and loving relationship even though they are in the middle of a war that could take Henry’s life at almost any moment, which must be a very real and terrifying thought for Catherine.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Paul’s quote from page 152, I think Catherine is made to feel uncomfortable by the thought that she may have just been impregnated by a man who’s feeling she is unsure of. Certainly, he was not planning on or trying to get her pregnant, and now, she is forced to have the child of a man who she was afraid to even make aware of the pregnancy. I think these feelings will not stop her from giving Lt. Henry a chance to be a good partner and father, but she definitely has some major worries about the whole situation.
Lt. Henry seems to really love Catherine, especially since he learned about her being pregnant. I think he now feels he has a true and permanent connect to Catherine and an obligation to stay alive through the war so he can be a father. Even as the Italians retreat, Lt. Henry dreams about Catherine; he cannot get the thought of her out of his mind, which I think is a sign of true affection.
I think Lt. Henry will go to great lengths to keep his relationship with Catherine. Henry thinks to himself about Catherine, "never going away again except together... I lay and thought where would we go." (233) In times of stress, Henry thinks of Catherine. His relationship with her is clearly important since he doesn't want to go anywhere else without her from now on. Henry finds Catherine in Stresa where Catherine says, "I'll get you some place where they can't arrest you and then we'll have a lovely time." (252). Catherine saying this shows that she really cares for Henry, that she will risk everything she has for him. Henry replies, "Let's go there right away."(252) Henry's desire to go "right away" shows that all he really cares about is being with her. He ran away from the army to attempt to stay with her. It shows that the only thing that really makes him happy is her presence and I think he'd do almost anything for that special connection.
ReplyDeleteDISCUSSION PROMPT #4: What do you predict Frederic will do next? Cite specific evidence for your answer. What underlying message do you think Hemingway is trying to convey with this novel?
ReplyDeleteDon't forget to quote the novel and respond directly to each other. It's okay to disagree, too; it keeps things interesting!
ReplyDeleteThe ending is so depressing! It's hard to believe that Henry did everything he could to be together with Catherine. He deserted from the army, migrated to Switzerland and lived a very quiet life so they could act like a married couple. It was so sad when the baby died but I never expected Catherine to pass away too. At the end of the novel, Hemingway leaves us with one final action that Henry does, "After a while I went out and left the hospital and walked back to the hotel in the rain (332)". From this last statement, there are many things that Henry could do. One thing that might be the most logical for him to do would be to get drunk. This makes the most sense because throughout the book, Henry always managed to get drunk or at least have a lot to drink simply because he could. Henry's personality was of the type of person who wasn't very emotionally attached to anybody. For example, when Henry's friend Aymo was shot and killed Henry said, "I had liked him as well as anyone I ever knew. I had his papers in my pocket and would write to his family" (214). Now, I understand that being emotional would not have been the best thing to do but Henry always seemed to brush off a death. However, things were different with Catherine so I can only imagine what Henry would have done after he went back to the hotel. Something that I doubt he might have done after Catherine's death would have been to go back to the U.S and be with his family. He never mentioned his family much except for the fact that they sent him care packages and they fought a lot. He didn't even send them letters while he was in Switzerland to let them know that he was safe.
ReplyDeleteAs for an underlying message that Hemingway was trying to convey with this novel is that soldiers don't always die in the war. They may survive but lose others while witnessing awful things. Henry was seriously hurt during a battle but he never died but instead saw his closest friends pass away. In the end, it was the love of his life that passed away along with his unborn child. Hemingway wanted to convey that other terrible things happened during World War 1 besides the war itself.
-Sandhya
Sandhya made a really nice point that there are many more terrible things that happen behind a war besides the war itself. Soldiers don’t only get wounded physically they also hurt emotionally as well. But I would like to add on how Lt. Henry references the word “trap.” I believe this by itself is a strong word and I would like to expand on it a little bit. Throughout the book, Lt. Henry was given many suggestions about places he can go during leave. At a conversation over the table, he was told: “You should go to Rome, Naples, Sicily” and other added “Amalfi,” “Palermo” and “Capri” (8). He was given a leave, but he blew the opportunity with his drinking habits (144). It seems that Lt. Henry cannot ever escape from the war. I believe this is a message Ernest Hemingway is trying to tell us. Once you have entered the war, you’re trapped in it forever. No matter how miserable the war is, you cannot get away from it. You may run away to escape the war, but you will be struck by misfortune. For instance, Lt. Henry and Catherine fled to Switzerland in the hope of establishing a happy family. Unfortunately, their goal was deteriorated by the death of Catherine and their son. The war is a trap, it is meant to take away lives. When one is trapped, one will eventually die. However, if one fights to get out of the trap, one will die faster and of a restless death. Imagine a mouse got hit by a mouse trap, it can either take its time to breathe its last breath of air or vigorously fight for the life it cannot have.
ReplyDeleteThe ending was so ironic. The whole time we predicted that he would die since he was a soldier, but instead Catherine dies from a random hemorage.It is hard to say what Lt. Henry will do now that the life he has created has fallen apart. Like Sandhya said, I think he will do quite a bit of drinking no matter where he goes or what he does. After all, he did not even feel the need to stay sober to see his child born; he had quite a bit of wine for breakfast. There is a great quote on page 310 where Catherine asks Lt Henry, “What are you thinking darling?” He replies, “About whiskey.”
ReplyDeleteThere really isn’t much textual evidence that could imply what Frederick might do now with his life. He really was very committed to a life with Catherine but not so much the baby. Talking about the baby on page 311 Lt. Henry says, “…it gave us both a feeling as though soething were hurrying us and we could not lose any time together.” If only he knew that their time together really was so very limited. I don’t think Lt. Henry will be able to recover quickly from the loss of his family. I think he may try to fill the void of Catherine with cheap meaningless women, which will just make him even more happy. I would not be surprised if his drinking escalated and he became nothing more than a depressed drunk who cared nothing for life.
... make him even more unhappy*
ReplyDeletesorry
As everyone has already stated before, I agree the ending was really ironic and tragic, how Lt. Henry loses his son, who died during the pregnancy, and Catherine who died from hemorrhage. Although it was really surprising I realized that there was a foreshadowing to this ending, where Catherine states, “All right. I’m afraid of the rain because sometimes I see me dead in it.’ ‘No.’ ‘And sometimes I see you dead in it”(126). Catherine first says how she sees herself dead but then says that she also sees Frederic dead too. Well in the ending, “[Frederic] went out and left the hospital and walked back to the hotel in the rain, ” this clearly states how Catherine foreshadowed how dead Frederic looked when experienced loss of Catherine and his son. (332) And considering how Frederic loves to drink not for the joy but as a way to get through the hardships of the war, I believe after leaves to the hotel he will feel emotionally broken and get drunk. Also, in the past event, Frederic deserts the army for Catherine, and he can no longer go back to Italy unless he pays for his crimes. But as a person, who no longer has anything to look towards for and also an alcoholic, I believe he will drink himself to death considering he had jaundice from drinking too much during his stay at the hospital. I know it sounds horrible, but as how the story progress with him drinking and leaving the army, there was probably no other prediction clearly as this one.
ReplyDeleteI think Frederic will just be more unhappy. I don't think he would risk getting in trouble going back to the army but I don't think he would stay where he was, a place that is firmly attached with the death of Catherine. The narrator says, "He handed me a package. 'everything there was in the bar... a bottle of brandy and a bottle of wine"(268). He lives his life off of alcohol so I think he'll move on to somewhere else to persevere through his life with his drinking habits. He may also die from being a depressed alcoholic just like Desal mentioned.
ReplyDeleteI think Hemingway may be trying to convey that War may be an awful time, but not everything awful that occurs in it is directly because of the fighting itself. Obviously he showed that a lot of nasty things can happen, but the one that affected Henry the most was the loss of his love Catherine.