A Farewell To Arms Research Paper

Abandoning a Responsibility Has Consequences

Moral obligation arises from what society deems right and wrong; it gives an individual a sense of structure and purpose. But that is until obligation meets its rival, passion. In A Farewell to Arms, by Ernest Hemingway, Frederic is faced with the choice between his duty to the war, or his passion with his avid lover, Catherine. This conflict causes him to abandon the war effort. Henry jumps in the river to escape from the Italian army, and reunites with Catherine at a hotel in Stresa. Through Frederic Henry’s battle between his duty as a soldier and his passion as a man, Hemingway demonstrates that choosing passion over responsibility will never end desirably.

While on leave in Gorizia, Frederic

Henry’s affiliation with the war made him realize that there is nothing glamorous about the war. Henry shows that the war is not glorious when he says, “I did not say anything. I was always embarrassed by the words sacred, glorious, and sacrifice and the expression in vain…and the sacrifices were like the stockyards at Chicago if nothing was done with the meat except to bury it” (Hemingway 184 - 185). Words like sacred, glorious, and the expression “in vain” are abstractions. Henry believed that these words could not describe the horrors of the war. Instead, he thinks that one should describe war using dates, times, things that are tangible; it is hopeless to honor war with abstract words that patriots fought for and believed in. As Henry leaves the war for Catherine, he still acknowledges the fact that the war is a dark, depressing

Henry serves as a volunteer ambulance driver during World War I. Henry lived in Italy at the start of the war, and since he spoke Italian, he decided to join the army. He enjoyed his life in the army, and really had no one to live for. Henry was proud of being sent to the front. Catherine Barkley altered his perception of war. He wanted to win the war so he could return to Catherine. Unfortunately, Henry soon realizes that war has no end. He no longer viewed war as a moral obligation and decides to run away from it: "They were beaten to start with. They were beaten when they took them from their farms and put them in the army. That is why the peasant has wisdom, because he is defeated from the start. Put him in power and see how wise he is" (Hemingway 179). Henry and the priest are discussing whether or not the war will end. Henry believes that something may happen, but only to the Italians because they are humble from defeat. Victors are not humble and continue to fight because they are too proud and cannot stop themselves from achieving more. Therefore, victory does not signify a war’s end. Fighting is hopeless because if one side wins the battles continue. Henry claims he has isolated himself from the war when he states, “The war was a long way away. Maybe there wasn't any war. There was no war here. Then I realized it was over for me. But I did not have the feeling that it was really over" (Hemingway 245).