Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms

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Our existence in life is special and unique, but unfortunately war destroys all living things. Ernest Hemingway explores his viewpoints on war and presents those concepts in the novel, A Farewell to Arms. Difficult situations arise during war, because it interferes with many aspects of life and usually has a negative impact overall. Hemingway articulates his beliefs about life during war, through the young character Fredrick Henry, but focuses on his change in values as he experiences it.

Hemingway shares some of his own life experiences about war in the novel. Hemingway conveys his thoughts about fairness, honor, and morals though the characters. The novelist describes man’s struggle with each other, himself and the forces of nature. The narrative entails many subjects including war, love, religion and death as he knows it: “Never think that war, no matter how necessary, nor how justified, is not a crime” (Hemingway). During World War I, Hemingway himself joined a volunteer ambulance unit with the Italian Army. While serving on the front line, Hemingway was wounded in the knee requiring surgery and he shares his knowledge with the same occurrence to some degree in this story (Horst Frenz).

Hemingway shows the significance of the effects of war on nature.Hemingway criticizes war in the novel and it’s obvious by the way uses symbolism with the changes in nature throughout the story. He illustrates his position with the use of symbolism in the landscape and the rain. In the first chapter he describes the plains of fruit trees going bare and the hillsides turning as war grows near. Hemingway’s words transpire the feelings of the geographical changes in the mountains of northern Italy. Bob Corbett explains how his story is unique i...

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...ss it. Most men returning from war lose faith in God because they can’t understand a God that would allow so much killing. Although some war veterans report a closer connection to God, overall most do not. Some doctors relate stress and PTSD as a major factor, (Margaret Nelson-Pechota, Ph.D.).

Hemingway is not afraid to speak his mind, whether in person on on paper. He shares many of his life experiences in his other novels. It’s apparent he enjoys writing about the things he knows. Like most war survivors, war changes his outlook on life . Hemingway’s parents did not understand the psychological impact the war had on him and it’s sad because most parents don’t. Many veteran’s today are still suffering from the negative impacts from war and most of them will continue to suffer like others until death. Unfortunately there are no easy answers when it come to war.

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