"A Farewell to Arms"

Paper Summary:

This paper reviews Ernest Hemingway's novel "A Farewell to Arms." It particularly discusses the issue of love in a world of violence, that of World War I. The paper analyzes the main character, Lieutenant Henry and follows his love affair with a nurse in order to illustrate this point. The paper analyzes his language, as well as the circumstances he finds himself in and concludes that love does not turn out to be a refuge for Henry from violence.

From the Paper:

"Henry's love for Catherine and her love for him did not turn out to be a permanent saving grace for either of them. The violent birth of their stillborn child killed Catherine, and Henry reflects sadly that "it did not take her very long to die" (331). He attempts to find closure in saying goodbye to the dead Catherine, but is unable to because "it was like saying good-by to a statue" (332). Even the love the two had shared cannot be spared the violence, death, and destruction that was happening all around them in the war. Escaping the war turned out to be no escape at all for them. Henry's love made him happy while it lasted, but its end affected him far longer that the time it had actually endured. The future, too, was tainted by the fact that he could feel no affection or love for the tiny stillborn son. There is no suggestion that the love between Catherine and Henry will sustain him against a world of violence."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Hemingway, Ernest. A Farewell to Arms. New York: Scribner, 1986.

More papers on "A Farewell to Arms":

• Analytical Essay # 141424 : "A Farewell To Arms"
• Analytical Essay # 142239 : "A Farewell To Arms": A Review of Criticism"
• Analytical Essay # 16437 : "Hemingway's "A Farewell to Arms"
• Analytical Essay # 59820 : "Destruction of War in "A Farewell to Arms"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: