A Farewell to Arms
The setting of A Farewell to Arms is Italy, where they were fighting Austria, during World War I. The story is about Frederick Henry, an American, who served as a lieutenant in the Italian army to a group of ambulance drivers. At the start of the novel, Frederick was a drunk who traveled from one house of prostitution to the next. Yet he was discontent with his unsettled lifestyle. Frederick meets Catherine Barkley an English volunteer nurse, who serves in Italy, at a near by hospital. In the first few chapters, Frederick's life is seeing Miss Barkley, drinking with the others at his barracks, and driving the ambulance. Frederick is in a bunker, preparing to drive the ambulance when, the bunker is shelled. One of his drivers is killed, two are wounded, and Frederick is hit in the knee. Frederick is forced to go to a hospital. Frederick transfers to the hospital where Catherine is stationed. Catherine was very experienced with love and loss. She lost a fiance in the war. Frederick slowly fell in love with her and in his love for her he found commitment. Catherine volunteers to work nights so they can spend time together. Frederick recuperates and returns to the front line after spending a week traveling with Catheri
Catherine isn't as well developed as Frederick. It goes deeper into Frederick's feelings. But both of the characters are well developed. The rest of the characters in the book are flat. It never goes into depth about them. Both of the characters are very believable. Catherine might be a little naive, but I believe I could see both of them walking down the street next to me. I sympathize with Frederick a lot. He lost his wife (practically) and his child. He couldn't understand why God took Catherine. Just like some people who can't understand why their husband or wife was killed. In the end everyone must die, and that is what Frederick believed. Character Analysis: There were really only two main characters in this book, Frederick and Catherine. I will describe them, and how they changed through the book. ne. But Catherine tells him that she is pregnant. Frederick admits to feeling trapped. Symbolism is really used a lot in this book. I believe that rain is a symbol of disaster. When things went very badly in the war, the start of winter came with permanent rain. Miss Barkley is afraid of the rain, she often sees herself dead in it, or she sees Frederick dead in it. It is raining the entire time that Catherine is in childbirth and when both she and her baby die. A metaphor is used when Frederick jumps in the river to save himself. "Anger was washed away in the river along with any obligation." (pg. 232) There is foreshadowing when Catherine dies; she predicts that she will die. Its ironic that Catherine and the baby die, you think that everything will be all right.
Some common words found in the essay are:
Catherine Catherine, Miss Barkley, Arms Hopelessness-no, Barkley English, World War, Oh God, Ernest Hemingway, Frederick Catherine, Henry American, Catherine Frederick, fell love, don't die, farewell arms, frederick henry, world war, baby die, love story, catherine barkley, catherine baby die, lost fiance, death comes, love loss lost, lost fiance war, slowly fell love, loss lost fiance,
Approximate Word count = 1897
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)
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