A classic literary work has been defined as a work “that lasts through generations because of its universality of theme, ageless symbolism, word choice and the ordering of detail.” A Farewell to Arms, by Ernest Hemingway should be considered a classic literary work due to the universal themes, ageless symbolism, word choice, and story detail.
Although there were several themes in this book, a major theme seemed to dominate the story. This theme is the importance of love and loss in a male emale relationship. These two lovers were so absorbed in each other that they needed no one else in their life.
‘Wouldn’t you like to go on a trip somewhere by yourself, darling, and be with men and ski?’
‘No. Why should I?’
‘I should think sometimes you would want to see other people besides me.’
‘Do you want to see other people?’
‘No.’
‘Neither do I’ (Hemingway 297).
This conversation shows that Catherine loves him so much that she is willing to be alone just so he can be happy. At the same time, Mr. Henry would probably like to go skiing but would never dream of leaving Catherine alone. Death wins out over love. TO CLARIFY WHO IS SPEAKING, PUT THE QUOTE INTO YOUR PAPER JUST AS IT IS WRITTEN IN THE NOVEL. WHEN THE SPEAKER CHANGES BEGIN A NEW LINE. . THE PUNCTUATION SHOULD APPEAR AFTER THE PARENTHESES ONLY, NOT AFTER THE INSIDE THE QUOTE AND AFTER THE PAGE NUMBER.
‘It is very dangerous.’ The nurse went into the room and shut the door. I sat outside in the hall.
Everything was gone inside of me. I did not think. I could not think. I knew she was going to
die and I prayed that she would …
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…d dialogue and story line makes this an easy to read and understandable ageless story.
Works Cited and Consulted
Bloom, Harold. Introduction. Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea, 1987.
Hemingway, Ernest. A Farewell to Arms. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1957.
Lewis, Wyndham. Twentieth Century Interpretations of A Farewell to Arms. Ed. Jay Gellens. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice, 1970. 56-64.
Young, Philip. Ernest Hemingway. New York: Rinehart, 1952.
Internet Sources
Ernest Hemingway in His Time. July, 1999. Universtiy of Delaware Library, Special Collections Department. 29 Dec. 2000
Flashback. July, 1999. The Atlantic Monthly. 29 Dec. 2000
Hemingway Campfire. February, 2000. Hemingway Nantucket Campfire. 5 Jan. 2001 http://hatteraslight.com/navy/Hemingwayhall/cas/448.html.
heroarms The Code Hero in A Farewell to Arms
The Hemingway Code Hero in A Farewell to Arms
Ernest Hemingway is a renowned American author of the Twentieth century who centers his novels around personal experiences and affections. He is one of the authors named “The Lost Generation.” He could not cope with post-war America, and therefore he introduced a new type of character in writing called the “code hero”. Hemingway is known to focus his novels around code heroes who struggle with the mixture of their tragic faults and the surrounding environment. Traits of a typical Hemingway Code Hero are a love of good times, stimulating surroundings, and strict moral rules, including honesty. The Code Hero always exhibits some form of a physical wound that serves as his tragic flaw and the weakness of his character.
In this novel A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway, Hemingway brings about the evolution of Frederick Henry into a code hero in realistic ways. Frederick Henry achieved code hero characteristics by the end of the novel with the help of Catherine. All the characteristics seem to follow the path of a manly person who is continuously striving to live his/her life to the fullest. Throughout this novel, Frederick Henry’s behavior matures into the code hero who Hemingway desires to be through Henry’s discovery of love, bravery and death.
In the start of the novel, Frederick Henry was into over-sensual pleasures and could not control himself until he had spent much time with Catherine and learned how to discipline himself. Henry “had drunk much wine” and roamed from whorehouse to whorehouse near the beginning of the novel. He had no control over himself nor could hold his liquor or contain himself from e…
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…ny on the way back to his home but he declines. He goes off to his house by himself and sorts things out with what death actually is. He asked God to save his greatest love after taking his child and does not receive an answer. He concludes that death is the end and when it gets you, there is no where to go. Henry never becomes a code hero until the end when he accepts death as the end of existence.
Hemingway’s code hero, Frederick Henry, evolves into a man whom the reader could identify with and understand. Henry unknowingly becomes a code hero and a better person with the help of Catherine. Henry becomes a code hero in the end due to the help of many incidents. On the last few pages, the reader realizes he has become a code hero because he responded to the serious situation on his hands calmly and orderly as Catherine did.