they do not escape the tragic fate --- Catherine dystocia, in critical condition. Although Henry does not have religious belief, he turns to God for help for 12 times. But the world even takes Catherine’s life as well as Henry’s soul. After saying farewell to war, Henry has to say farewell to his lover. Although Henry’s experience of war and love is a tragedy, he does not loose all the hopes. No matter what setback he will face, he keeps a spirit of grace under pressure from beginning to end.
Suffered by war, Henry escapes war decisively and turns to love. It is a place that gives him a shelter to live both mentally and physically. But life is a tragedy. Henry goes forward to achieve goals again and again. However he fails when goals are in front of his eyes. He suffers the rough of dream and love. Henry’s personal tragedy reflects the 20th century generation’s psychology. They encounter the same misfortune and do not know how to settle it as Henry. Henry’s failing to yearn for happy life reflects Hemingway anti-war sense.
In a word, Henry can not escape the bound of destiny in the most dangerous situation----war, as well as in the most romantic situation----love, and finally heads to destruction.
B. Analysis of the Heroine — Catherine Barkley
The heroine Catherine Barclay is a British nurse working in Italy. Like Hemingway's other female characters, Catherine is a beautiful, gentle woman. She loves Henry and takes good care of him, helps him recover quickly. From feminist criticism point of view, Catherine is Hemingway's \
As for war, Catherine is a wise woman. Catherine volunteers to join the ambulance team because of her fiancé. But with the progress of the war, she comes to recognize that the world is like a huge trap that mankind will sooner or later fall into it. For war, Catherine acts more rational than Henry. Henry thinks that the war will be end in summer. However, Catherine thinks that Italy will be defeated some day sooner or later. The war’s development goes on just as Catherine expected. However, As long
9
as war exists, life cannot be happy. For life, Catherine is a brave woman. As Hemingway's tough guy, she will never be beaten by the dangerous situations. War destroyed her former love, but she did not be defeat; war took away her fiancé, but she did not loose the courage to love again.
In the beginning of the story, Henry is a playboy. Although he is fascinated by Catherine’s beauty, he does not fall in love with her. He only looks her as some enjoyment which is similar to drinking and playing card. It is Catherine that teaches him what is love and how to love. For Henry, Catherine is half of the lover, half of the mother.
Catherine and Henry's attitude towards love is different. She had lost her lover once. When she decides to get along with Henry, she is serious to him. In Milan, Henry was injured and stayed in hospital. Catherine trys her best to transfer duty with other nurse at night, so that there will be more time to spend with Henry and take care of him. For Henry to win Catherine's love is like to win an oasis. Her obedience, depending upon Henry, in love with Henry, cure Henry not only physically but also mentally. When Catherine is pregnant unexpectedly, she does not shrink back. Even at the time they are at the risk and have to escape to Switzerland in heavy rain, Catherine acts bravely and optimistically. At last Catherine died of giving birth to the child. Before dying, she even tells Henry: \worry, darling…..I'm not a bit afraid. It's just a dirty trick.\
She spends her whole life to love Henry. Catherine is an unforgettable woman image.
As a \Catherine gave Henry a feeling of home in the foreign country. Henry feels where Catherine is, where home lies. Catherine is not only gentle, loyal and resolute, but also like a lighthouse that guides Henry. Catherine uses her great love, soothes the injury of Henry. She teaches Henry how to face death, and all the confusion caused by war. However, beautiful things cannot exist peacefully in the world. The perfect angel is difficult to find a place to stand in the world.
Catherine is beautiful, gentle, strong, and brave. And for the strong, the world always seems to give more jealousy rather than preference. As Henry said, “The
10
world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially.”(90) Catherine did not die of a specific battle, but she also lost the game, lost the battle of life. Before dying, on the surface everything is happy, but the hidden disaster exists. It seems that life is a tragedy that cannot be avoided. War breaks the angel’s wings.
The tragic love between Heavy and Catherine promulgate the hurt that the crucial war brings to the young, both spiritually and mentally. However, the fate of Catherine is doomed to be a tragedy. There are three reasons to support the argumentation.
First, the social background contributes to the tragedy. Hemingway’s own experience of joining the First World War effects A Farewell to Arms a lot. Hemingway hates war, but he is at a loss what to do with it. War takes thousands of people’s life. Soldiers are killed or survive. All the people that are caught in the war cannot escape the hand of the tragic fate. Catherine is no exception. Her death is not herself tragedy, but the world’s tragedy. In the end of the novel, Catherine dead because of dystocia, which represents Hemingway’s view that death cannot be avoid by war. As long as there is war, life will not be happiness. Life itself is a tragedy. The world is a tragedy. No one can escape. Death is the only choice. And Catherine is one of the victims.
Second, Hemingway considers that the man who brings courage to the world will be destroyed by the world. Catherine is a perfect woman. Because of her, Henry finds the true essence of love and the value of life. Henry grows up. However, when Henry is ready to face the world with a new heart, the world takes his lover away. Catherine knows the essence of the war. She is so clear minded and she helps Henry to understand too. In Hemingway’s creation, such a perfect and brave character is destined to die.
The third reason relates to Hemingway’s own love affairs with women. The prototype of Catherine Barkley is Agnes von Kurowsky. She is a real American nurse
11
who took good care of Hemingway in a hospital in Milan when he was injured. He had planned to marry her. But when he came back to America, Agnes broke up with and married with a rich Englishman. This was a big strike on Hemingway which made him despair and depressed. About ten years later, Hemingway creates the image of Catherine. Maybe this is one of the reasons that Hemingway organizes Catherine’s death.
In a word, Catherine is the most attractive and perfect character in Hemingway’s creation that enjoys enduring discussion. She is an angel figure standing behind the typical tough guy figure. She plays an important role in Henry’s growth even she is suffering. She has the real heroic spirit. However, without Catherine, the story will not be that moving. Such a beautiful and perfect woman finally dies of dystocia. The death of Catherine reflects Hemingway’s tragic view of life.
12
Chapter II. Skill of Writing in A Farewell to Arms
A. Language Style
Every mature writer has his own unique writing skill. Hemingway is well-known for his simplicity. Many writers used to show the environment, organize the plot, depict the characteristic and clarify the theme. The dialogues have less influence in their works. But in Hemingway’s work, dialogues act the leading figure. When he was writing A Farewell to Arms he altered the language for many times. He cut the narrative part and changed that part to dialogues. He uses few adjectives, adverbs and other adjunct words. He depends on nouns and verbs. The accuracy of noun and the vividness of verb can depict the real face of the subject. He purifys American oral language and puts them in his writing. Colloquial speech is easy to understand. It can express the nature and mentality of the character.
Regarding Hemingway’s works as paintings, they are more like sketch. Hemingway does not paint the social kaleidoscope. He only depicts the simple life of the character. Hemingway usually uses simple description of scenery to promulgate character’s mental activity. Symbolism is a typical Hemingway writing technique. It is used in the following parts: weather, terrain and character. The ending of the novel shows Hemingway’s carefully organization. It is a typical example of iceberg theory.
To write the novel, Hemingway spent much effort. It is successfully created the image of a pair of young lovers dare to resist the pursuit of free love in the flames of war. Except for the lifelike creation of the characters and compact and strong plot, Hemingway showed his attention on giving a name to such a touching love story with the war as the background. The title of the novel is taken from a poem written by16th-century English poet Gorge Peele who is a figure of the “University Wits”. The word “arms” in A Farewell to Arms is a pun. It has two meanings: one means
13