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A Farewell to Arms

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A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway is a semi-autobiographical novel set during World War I, following the story of American Lieutenant Frederic Henry and English nurse Catherine Barkley as they fall in love amidst the chaos of war. The book showcases Hemingway's spare writing style, depicting the struggles and courage of the characters in the face of great loss and uncertainty.

Characters:

The characters exhibit complexity, though the protagonists are often seen as emotionally distant, particularly Catherine, whose portrayal can feel stereotypical.

Writing/Prose:

Hemingway employs a minimalist writing style featuring short, repetitive sentences and straightforward dialogue, creating a stark portrayal of both love and war.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative follows an American ambulance driver during World War I who develops a complex romance with a British nurse, illustrating the intertwining of love and the harsh realities of war.

Setting:

The novel is set in Italy during World War I, contrasting the serene beauty of the landscapes with the harsh realities of the war.

Pacing:

The pacing transitions from slow and character-driven to more urgent and intense as the realities of war unfold.
In the late summer of that year we lived in a house in a village that looked across the river and the plain to the mountains. In the bed of the river there were pebbles and boulders, dry and white in ...

Notes:

A Farewell to Arms was published in 1929, during the rise of Modernism in literature.
The novel is semi-autobiographical, reflecting Hemingway's own experiences as an ambulance driver in WWI.
The main character, Lieutenant Frederic Henry, serves in the Italian Army during World War I, which is not commonly depicted in war literature.
Hemingway's writing style is characterized by simplicity and minimalism, often using short declarative sentences.
The book tackles themes of love amidst the harsh realities of war, highlighting the absurdity and futility of conflict.
The narrative captures both the brutality of war and the tenderness of a love story.
It has been banned in several countries, including Italy during the fascist regime, due to its anti-war sentiments and portrayal of the military.
The ending is often described as tragic, leaving a lasting emotional impact on readers.
Characters often engage in repetitive dialogue, which some readers find annoying but others see as a reflection of the monotony of war.
The novel emphasizes the importance of personal connections and human experiences during chaotic times.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include depictions of war violence, injury, death, disillusionment, and themes of loss and tragedy.

Has Romance?

The novel prominently features a love story between Frederic Henry and Catherine Barkley, making romance a central element.

From The Publisher:

By turns romantic and harshly realistic, Hemingway's story of a tragic romance set against the brutality and confusion of World War I cemented his fame as a stylist and as a writer of extraordinary literary power. A volunteer ambulance driver and a beautiful English nurse fall in love when he is wounded on the Italian front.

Ratings (69)

Incredible (8)
Loved It (24)
Liked It (17)
It Was OK (11)
Did Not Like (5)
Hated It (4)

Reader Stats (108):

Read It (70)
Want To Read (30)
Not Interested (8)

5 comment(s)

Loved It
1 week

Out of the three novels I've read by Ernest Hemingway previously the highest rated one only got 3 stars. The other one got 2 and one stars. So safe to say that Ernest Hemingway wasn't an author I thought was all that great and I've been staying away from his books thinking I would never enjoy a work from his. But for some reason I was compelled to try this one and I'm so glad I have him a fourth try. The writing is still very much his way of writing and so are the characters yet somehow I ended up really enjoying this story. Not very full on a lot of happening story but captivating in it's own way. Might need to try some other books by him in the future

 
Incredible
1 month

Heartbreaking.

 
Did Not Like
1 month

I just never was able to get into Hemingway. I felt like it was always pages and pages describing the visual stuff, strung together with occasional nuggets of story...

 
Incredible
1 month

Terse and masculine. Upbeat tone with a depressing end. Surreal love arc. Overall a really great story.

 
Hated It
7 months

It was so boring and slow. Only read it because I had to in high school

 

About the Author:

Ernest Hemingway did more to change the style of English prose than any other writer of his time. Publication of The Sun Also Rises and A Farewell to Arms immediately established Hemingway as one of the greatest literary lights of the twentieth century. His classic novel The Old Man and the Sea won the Pulitzer Prize in 1953. Hemingway was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954. His life and accomplishments are explored in-depth in the PBS documentary film from Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, Hemingway. Known for his larger-than-life personality and his passions for bullfighting, fishing, and big-game hunting, he died in Ketchum, Idaho on July 2, 1961.

 
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