Free Essays - The Excellent Tale of Ernest Hemingways A Farewell to Arms :: Farewell Arms Essays

A Farewell to Arms InspiringErnest Hemingways A Farewell to Arms captures the inspiringtrials and tribulations of a disillusioned creation caught betweenlove and fight. Driving an ambulance on the Italian front ofWorld War One Frederick Henry discovers his values as herealizes his love for Catherine Barkley, a innocent EnglishNurse.An American Second Lieutenant in the Italian Armys AmbulanceCorps, Frederick Henry is depicted as an average man in searchof a set of values. Initially Frederick is lonely, lustful,confused and restless, but as he becomes involved withCatherine Barkley he finds his niche, and a meaning to life.Frederick can be considered undismayed in that he is honorable, notinterested in material commodities, and puts his fellow soldierbefore himself. When the entire mess hall teases the priestFrederick defends him and is his only truthful friend. Also, whenoffered an award, Frederick refuses. Additionally, when he andthe other drivers were bombed, he ignores his own injuries toassist the others and insists that the doctors treat othersbefore himself. Catherine Barkley is a young English nurse whohas already lost a fianc to the war and is introduced aspartially crazy. She begins her relationship with Frederickpretending, he is her lost fianc who has returned, but soonfalls in love with him and regains her sanity. Throughoutthe story Catherine remains static, and represents the ideal Hemingway disposition that Frederick is to become as the novel comes to an end.The basic plot of the novel revolves around Fredericksrelationship with Catherine. Frederick experiences the war inthe Italian Alps and sustains a stage injury that hospitalizeshim for several months. Although he knew Catherine before hishospitalization, their relationship blossoms during this periodwhen he is away from the front. Soon after his return to thefront, there is a huge pull away and he takes his ambulance crewon a back road to get around traffic. When he finally doesmake it back to the army he is laboured to desert in fear ofexecution. He finds Catherine and they begin a new lifetogether in Switzerland. Ultimately, Frederick learns hisbasic values through Catherine in their adventures of love,war, and oddment during World War One. The theme shown is thatlove can come from even the strangest places, also there is abasic good versus evil shown by the spectacular tragedy at theend.A Farewell to Arms is a very emotional and understandingstory. Throughout the book Frederick acted as a confused protagonist