A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
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Transcript of A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest
HemingwayRevision Seminar 2010
Presented by:Terri Crisafi & Judy Eastman
Hemingway’s Life & Reputation
War service Journalism ‘Lost Generation’ Writing Fishing / hunting Women
Language & Style Reportage and journalese – facts, details. Foreshadowing
Catherine’s fear of the rain Symbolism:
The rain/mud Bats – usually a symbol of evil, darkness; welcomed by
FH & CB into their room – man in harmony with the natural world.
Catherine’s hair – long femininity; cut-off independence.
Hemingway & Women
AFTA Themes
The evolution of Fredric Henry Catherine inspires love and teaches him to
love – thereby leading him to becoming a more honest and genuine character.
Escape down the river – baptism symbolism, spiritual awakening, love chosen over duty and service.
Count Greffi’s influence – love a religious feeling; attempt to develop devotion to faith.
War / Anti-War Details of war – World War One 1914–1918; ‘The Great
War’ or ‘The War to End All Wars’. Glimpses of other theatres of conflict through Catherine’s ‘boy’ fighting on the Somme (part of the Western Front, in France); Battle of / retreat from Caporetto.
Equipment, marching, attacks, weapons. Effect of war on the environment (see early chapters). Idealism attached to war – traditional values of courage,
honour, bravery, etc. are disregarded or rejected (eg. Henry’s medal).
Love Catherine’s previous love affair and grief over
losing ‘boy’ who was ‘blown to bits’. Henry has never been in love and lies about loving
Catherine early on. Henry treats love as a game – ‘like bridge’ – and is
known as a womaniser, admired by the men of the mess and the drivers. Rinaldi is his brother in arms when it comes to love affairs.
Catherine teaches Henry to love and to give it importance above other pursuits/obligations.
Love and Faith The Priest’s important role in Henry’s
education about love. ‘When you love you wish to do things for. You
wish to sacrifice for. You wish to serve.’ p. 66 Count Greffi – love a religious feeling.
Faith: ‘I had expected to become devout myself but it has not come.’ p. 233
Man v. Nature Life as a challenge – survival, struggle, finding
one’s place and path. War as a destructive force – the men fighting as
much with the weather and environment as the enemy.
Fighting against their own – Carabinieri. The symbolism of the mud, the rain, contrasted
with the beautiful spring of Chapter Three.
Masculinity Tested in the face of adversity Loyalty Strength Resilience A healthy sexual appetite Men behaving as men – role, norm, primal
instincts & behaviour Men who live large, live boldly & are true to their
nature and instincts.
Faith in a Godless World How does one entertain belief in God in the face
of the horrors of war? The role of the Priest – Henry’s intellectual equal
and an aid to serious conversation. Mockery of the priest by the men in the mess,
including the idea that life is sacred, the priest’s innate pacifism – in war, life is sacrificed.
Henry’s spiritual quest – lives for superficial pleasures, performs the duties required of him, lacks a spiritual side in the first half of the novel
Existentialism
Frederic Henry an existentialist – believes in personal responsibility takes action struggles with life and the nature of existence rejects a ‘fatalistic’ view of life.
Some things in the universe do not make sense, are not rational; it is how the individual responds that matters consider the end of the novel.
AFTA Characters
Frederic Henry: boy transformed American serving in
the Italian Ambulance Service.
Duty & service. Shuns praise. Abstract notions of
faith, honour & patriotism mean nothing.
Frederic Henry (cont.) Virile – “Did you have
any beautiful adventures?”
Plays the game of love.
Capable of violence & moral about face – helps deserter/later shoots others for same crime.
Leaves his post love over duty and service.
Learns to love Grieves Prays…
Frederic Henry (cont.) Chapter 34: ‘I had made a separate
peace’. Chapter 41: ‘…I went out and left the
hospital and walked back to the hotel in the rain.’
The novel’s title A Farewell to Arms resonates in both of these incidents.
Rinaldi: brother in arms Faithful friend Virile Competent Good natured Womaniser Protector of FH –
regards him as a child. Succumbs to syphilis.
The Priest: humanity, spirituality Gentle Patient Serious Intelligent/intellectual A man of honour ‘Love makes a man want
to give of himself, to make sacrifices for the sake of another…’
Count Greffi: mentor Companion to FH Talks with FH about
love, devotion and faith.
Admired and respected by FH.
Father figure?
Hemingway’s Men Passini, Gordini, Gavuzzi & Manera Philosophical ‘There is no finish to a war’;
‘even the peasants know better than to believe in a war’, Passini, p. 48
Despondent ‘There is a class that controls a country…’ p. 48
Camaraderie ‘Don’t be a bloody hero’ p. 55
Hemingway’s Men (cont.) Dr. Valentini – virile, competent Bonello – brutal, decisive Ettore Moretti – boastful, ambitious, quick
to insult. Emilio Simmons
Females in AFTA ‘He should have fine girls…Beautiful young
girls – accompanied by their mothers..’ Captain
‘We have beautiful English girls…’ Rinaldi Helen Ferguson –a ‘very nice nurse’ Catherine
Miss Gage – sympathetic to FH, not CB Miss Van Campen – ‘she did not like me
and I did not like her…’ Henry
Catherine Barkley: the inspiration British nursing
assistant. Victim of war – lost
love, lost future, mourns dead fiancé.
Ready to play the game of seduction.
Knows love game with FH is a lie.
Catherine Barkley (cont.) Submissive Stereotype? Sceptical Capable of drawing
the line. A victim of tragedy. Dedicated to having
FH’s child.
Loves FH but refuses to marry independent.
Believes that dreadful things await them.
Premonitions of death are haunting.
Miss van Campen: superintendent In charge of hospital in
Milan where FH is sent after mortar attack.
‘She did not like me and I did not like her…’
AFTA: Some ideas – that… love is to be valued
and pursued. war is not about
courage and honour and patriotism.
war is a form of insanity.
an individual should take their fate in their own hands.
there are forces in the universe that man cannot control.
war is inevitable amongst men.
war makes casualties of all.
Chaos comes when man is not in harmony with nature.
AFTA ideas (cont.): that… abandonment is
unacceptable. great love may not
last. humans are capable
of creating chaos. humans have the
capacity to love and be loved.
humans have destructive potential.
the world is cruel and senseless.
war is the dark extension of a world that refuses to acknowledge, protect or preserve true love.
loyalty is important.
AFTA ideas (cont.): that… humans loathe loss
and ugliness. war strips the world of
certainties humans are capable
of setting their own moral compass.
there is an unidentifiable malevolence in the world.
shelter from this malevolence is only temporary.
The Text in the Examination characters/relationships setting/narrative viewpoint themes, ideas and values the text’s structure – contributes to its
meaning…. Examine each part’s focus. autobiographical elements respond to topic!
Interpreting Questions Explore the theme of courage in Hemingway’s A
Farewell to Arms.
‘Catherine Barkley is the most courageous character in the novel.’ Significance of ‘most’ to answering the topic
In what ways is she courageous? Is she the most courageous? Who else is courageous? In what ways are they
courageous?
Interpreting Questions What does Hemingway suggest about
courage in war-time in A Farewell to Arms? Narrative voice