Just a warning: I dodge a lot of your questions only because it's been quite a while since I read this book. Parts of Ben Jonson and George Eliot are extremely boring at this point these have nothing to do with the techniques that make other parts interesting, no matter how much historicism scuffling will try to fix that. If parts of the book are outdated, they have failed, and very few works survive as perfectly interesting. If we truly believe in art as part of experience, it should at least keep our interest. Third, whatever you do, avoid the "boredom as aesthetic" answer. On the other hand, I've felt it was very useful in sorting out my own tastes and issues with my own writing later. This is usually my feeling with Arms, and while there are some strong scenes and dialogue, a lot of it doesn't do what it seems to be trying to accomplish. Second, some of the most significant reading experience people have is when they perceive the novel differently than the original author intended. This might sound odd, but keep that feeling of negativity in mind. Part of having a mature reading ability is to honestly admit what moves you, and a fundamental part of that is realizing what arouses bad feelings. There's other stuff, but it's been months since that class and I can't recall it all right now.įirst of all, don't feel bad about not liking it. We never hear much of anything about his family (or Catherine's, for that matter), save for the apparently wealthy grandfather (/uncle? can't remember at the moment) who writes his sight loans.Īlthough Hemingway did not openly associate with the Existentialist movement, there are clear similarities which can be drawn between that and at least some of his stories. He leaves the apparent safety of a foxhole/dugout while under mortar fire just to get some cheese for his macaroni, in clear disregard for his own personal well-being. Something that must be understood about Frederic Henry is that he is a dejected and detached man he is one of Hemingway's idealized representations of the Lost Generation. I know Hemingway was known for having a bit of a hollow leg, but this particular work is almost extreme even by his standards. One interesting thing that was noted the last time I went through this book in an English class was how much alcohol utterly permeates this story. Rather everyone is held hostage to the war. War determines what's available to them and at what time so they were never each other's to have despite their claims of otherwise and Catherine even saying " I am you" to Henry. Even though at the forefront we see all of the planning and swearing of fidelity, war alters the course of everything. I think the book ends abruptly because it's meant to leave you feeling a bit "wow I can't believe that was all for nothing". The stress of their secret trip, the lack of proper and timely care, and it all taking place in a war torn, resources starved environment means that she wasn't likely to survive.
It may seem like punishment because it seems significant to the lives of the protagonists, but it's also statistically insignificant. She died because that's just as likely an outcome as not. I can't answer to how you feel but I wanted to try and address this. I didn't understand why he let Catherine die, I understand now the importance of the novel drawing attention to the boredom that can be experienced even during times of war, the awful things that happen during war, and even the style of writing itself. There were a lot of really important quotes, and I even chuckled at a few parts. I really enjoyed this book, though a lot of it left me confused. I wish he gave us a little bit more there. The ending fit the rest of the book, though vague or unexcited description of a pretty damn significant event. The ending- why?! I didn't understand why he let Catherine die, then ended so abruptly. Was he trying to show their struggle to be happy? Was he just proving how life isn't as grand as we think it is? What was he trying to do, exactly? Or what do you think he was trying to do?Īnd one last thing. Hemingway made so many significant events seem mundane the war, the explosion that caused his wound, his son's stillbirth, and his entire relationship with Catherine. I didn't think she was extraordinary, even for the time period. Maybe it's because I'm 17, and I'm comparing her to what I know to be a strong woman, but she just seemed dull and easily influenced to me. In my opinion, Catherine was not the strong, independent woman so many people described her as. I've read a few essays about it since finishing, and a lot of what others said made sense (I wish I'd reached those conclusions myself, though).
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