A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway

A Farewell to Arms takes place in the middle of the First World War between the years of 1916 and 1918.  The novel revolves around an American ambulance driver, Lieutenant Frederic Henry, on the Italian front, and his passion for the beautiful English nurse, Catherine Barkley.  The Lieutenant narrates his experiences at war, but sometimes switches to second person during reflections on more philosophical matters.  Hemingway portrays the brazen love between the Lieutenant and Miss Barkley as they struggle with and attempt to break free of the relentless breadth of war.  In a story of love and loss and loyalty and self-preservation, A Farewell to Arms carries intensity unrivaled in most modern literature.

I would rate Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms a strong 4 on a scale of 5 stars.  Though most people enjoy Hemingway’s work due mainly to his unique style of writing, I enjoyed the novel most because of its subtle humor.  It shows more aspects of war other than the fighting and death.  A Farewell to Arms showcases the region, the industry, and the people who not only inhabit these places, but also continue to live alongside the sweep of war.  I would strongly recommend this book to Hemingway and WWI enthusiasts who love a great tale.

Genre:  Historical Fiction, WWI
Reviewed by:  Antoni Saade
Teacher:  Mara Pufko