Book Choice: Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms

For my Independent Reading Paper, I chose A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway. Called "the greatest American novel to emerge from World War I," this depressing story centers on an American volunteer in the Italian army and his love affair with a British nurse. The two encounter numerous hardships, either when separated or together, and yet in spite of them all they escape from Italy to Switzerland, which is like a paradise for them. Unfortunately, in the end, they cannot escape the worst part of war: death. Although this novel is a fictional account of a soldier in World War I, it was based on Hemingway's own experiences in the war - the main character is a paramedic like he was, he gets wounded just as Hemingway did, and there are various other sections of the book where Hemingway is clearly speaking from experience, no matter how horrific the subject matter might be. I read this book over Spring Break, and in writing this blog entry I have been re-reading different parts of it again. In my paper, I believe I will either discuss the relationship between Frederic Henry and Catherine Barkley or the theme of imprisonment (that the war caused everyone involved to be trapped in a vicious circle, even though there may be an illusion of freedom). (220)