Theme in A Farewell to Arms
War Weariness and Disillusionment
Directions: The long list of passages below points to places where
characters or Lt. Henry, the narrator, comment directly on the war and show
their attitude. Review each of the passages in order to find the best evidence
to support this theme and to state what the novel says about (against?) war.
Look up each reference, confirm or change the note on the content of the
instance, and make notes about which instances suggest similar connotations.
page
instance
your notes
4 "6 months gone with child" (tone=?);
"only" 7,000 died of cholera (tone=?)
5 destroying Gorizia "only a little": why?
6 the war is changed: how?
sudden snow; the war stops in the snow
11 sniper's rifle described (tone=?)
12 winter health hazards vs. real wounds
14 powerlessness of religion in war
15 a comfort that the guns were no
bigger: why?
16 doesn't matter if Lt. H. is present
or not (contrast w. "floorwalker"
image on 232)
17 false feeling of soldiering
18-19 the Somme vs. the Italian-Austrian
front: how are they different?
20 silly front vs. "blew him to bits";
worrying about where it will "crack"
22 You can't change an army once you're
in one (contrast with 227-233, his
desertion and his reaction to it)
23 Italian salute: why does it seem
phoney?
23-24 the Plava site: aftermath of battle
& anticipation
28-29 English gas mask, automatic pistol,
& steel helmet (tone?)
33-36 the Pittsburg soldier
37 Maybe F.H. would be killed in the
British ambulance corps; war is not
dangerous to him; cracking
48 the mechanics hate the war
48-49 rumor of execution of every tenth
man for not attacking & ostracism
of their families, with loss of
civil rights—Who makes war?
50-51 Passini on war: Who makes war?
53 silent shell and shrapnel
55 Passini begging to be shot
59-60 details of F.H.'s wound and treatment
63 medal for "eating cheese"
65 the "girls" = like "old war comrades"
70-71 the tired priest: Who runs
wars? (contrast 71 & 178 on "realizing":
what do those in war realize?)
100 (vs. 232) stars on uniform
118 Napoleon: no winners anymore
120-125 Ettore Moretti: "He's the boy
they're running the war for."
133-134 "cooked" = ?
141 3 Christmases vs. son as lt.
commander
165 Major = fed up with the war.
166-168 Rinaldi's fatigue (what are the
contributing causes?)
170 2 things both disappoint
171 "We never learn."
174 dry & empty Rinaldi
177-178 gentle people, who have
"realized" the war
179 wisdom in defeat
182 the Austrian artillery
184-185 "sacred, glorious,...sacrifice
and...in vain"
187ff. the retreat from Caporetto
210 brains
212 an officer's duty
217 Bonello goes off to become a POW
219 attitudes toward retreat
222ff. field tribunal & firing squad
232 "floorwalker"; anger & obligation =
"washed away"
238ff. number of people who offer to
help F.H. as a deserter
249 the killer world
251 "only the Italian army"
256 "I was a fool."
252 F.H. tries to keep from thinking.
& 256 "
262 Italy will win the stupid war.
327 ants in the fire: saving others
Assembling a thesis: What attitude links most of these passages:
Is war glorious or tragic, heroic or pathetic? This book is considered one of
the best statements about the WWI generation's disillusionment. What is that
statement?
Copyright
and Permission:
This web on Ernest Hemingway's early novel was begun under a small grant from the
VCCS, which holds copyright. © 2001 by the