Ernest Hemingway: A Farewell to Arms Book One, Chapters 1-12.

Study Questions: Answer based on the details in the novel.

1. In Chapter 3, when Lt. Henry explains what he did and did not do on leave, what does he mean when he says that the priest "had always known what I did not know and what, when I learned it, I was always able to forget"? (Hint: About a page earlier, he had said, "I explained, winefully, how we did not do the things we wanted to do.") 2. In Chapter 4, when Catherine Barkley says to Lt. Frederic Henry, "Do we have to go on and talk this way," what does she mean? Characterize their conversation up to this point AND the change that occurs after her question. 3. When Lt. Henry says that he has never loved anyone, in what sense does he mean that? 4. On approximately the same page, surmise why Catherine didn't marry her young man? What would she have given him if she had known that he would die in the Battle of the Somme on the Western Front? (Hint: No fair just quoting what she says; figure out what she means so you can tell if she later gives it to Lt. Henry.) 5. On the next page or so, can you see an example of foreshadowing? (Hint: Answer this question after someone gets wounded later in the novel.) 6. On the same page, determine if Catherine Barkley still seems to be the romantic who imagined her fianc returning to her with a neat and honorable wound or if she has changed. How can you tell? 7. In Chapters 5-6, as Catherine yields to Frederic, how do they feel about each other? Why does she yield? 8. About Lt. Henry's personality: a. Considering his comments about art, does Lt. Henry seem to have a cultured view of art? b. Why is he in the Italian army? c. How does Lt. Henry feel about guns? (Remember the rifle in his room and the pistol he carries. See chapters 3 and 6 for these references to note his differing attitudes about the two weapons.) d. Why is Frederic Henry in the ambulance service instead of a combat unit like the soldier from Pittsburgh that we see in Chapter 7? e. Tell why you think Lt. Henry could or could not kill someone. f. In summary, what kind of a man is Frederic Henry, as nearly as you can tell at this point? (Hint: Later, in Chapter 10, Rinaldi will accuse Lt. Henry of really being like "an Italian, all fire and smoke and nothing inside." Is that a fair assessment or a misunderstanding of Lt. Henry? Assembling this first impression is important so you can see if Frederic Henry's experiences change him or not.)

9. Toward the end of Chapter 8, why do you think Hemingway has Lt. Henry announce his being wounded just before it happens? List at least 5 of the "absurd" things that happen to Lt. Henry from Chapters 9 through 15, starting with his wounding. How is Hemingway depicting war at this point? 10. According to Passini in Chapter 9 and the priest in Chapter 11, why do wars continue? How are their views different?

Research Questions: Use online sources to help you better understand the text.
The following list of research questions ties in directly with Book One. The list mixes military, historical, geographical, medical, cinematic, and biographical topics as needed to get you information you can use to help you understand this portion of Hemingway's novel a bit more deeply. Books 1-3 are set in the Italian regions of Lombardy and Veneto in northern Italy, although the Abruzzi is another region mentioned (where the priest comes from). Books 4 - 5 are set in southern Switzerland. C. What was the WWI ambulance service like? How did it resemble and differ from, say, today's volunteer rescue squad in personnel, equipment, priority of calls, etc.? D. This novel is based somewhat on the experiences of its author, Ernest Hemingway, on the Italian Front in WWI. What differences were there between Hemingway's own reasons for joining the Italian ambulance corps and those of the character in his novel, Lt. Frederic Henry? E. What differences were there between what Hemingway himself went on to after his wound healed and what Lt. Henry went to? F. What was a V.A.D. and how were Catherine Barkley's duties typical of a V.A.D.'s duties or not? How is the training program different from that for an L.P.N. (Licensed Practical Nurse) or nurse's aid today? G. What impact did the machine gun have on the fighting in WWI?

H. What was the fighting like at the Battle of the Somme on the Western Front and why might Hemingway have chosen this battle to be the one in which Catherine's fianc died? I. Why did Italy have a king in 1918, and what happened to the Italian monarchy? J. What were trench works like in WWI, and how did they include bunkers like the one where the ambulance drivers ate? K. How was Hemingway's own wounding similar to and different from Lt. Henry's? Trace how Lt. Henry is treated as a patient after he is wounded in Chapter 9 through his discharge from the Milan hospital, especially through Chapter 13. For what diseases (such as tetanus or cholera or typhus) is he treated? What are the sources of these diseases in a war zone? What surgical procedures (such as debridement) are debated to

treat his knee and other wounds? If possible, find out how this depiction corresponds with the actual procedures and conditions faced by WWI wounded? L. What anesthesias (such as cocaine, ether, and chloroform) might have been used in 1918 on Lt. Henry during his surgery and later on Catherine? What antiseptics were available (such as carbolic acid, bichloride of mercury, iodine, ethyl alcohol, boric acid, and hydrogen peroxide)? M. What surgical techniques were there in 1918 to operate on a wound like Lt. Henry's? N. What was the medical basis for the treatment of Lt. Henry's shrapnel wounds and fractured leg? O. Was Lt. Henry in danger of typhus? P. What was the treatment for tetanus in the WWI era? What is it now? Q. What were some differences between Hemingway's nurse and Catherine Barkley, and how did Hemingway lose Agnes von Kurowsky?

Book Two, Chapters 13-24.

11. In the middle of Chapter 14, when Frederic says he loves Catherine, do you believe him? Why or why not? 12. Toward the end of Chapter 16, why does Catherine want to be lied to? Is Frederic's lie wrong? Are Catherine and Frederic in love? (Hint: Consider the priest's definition of love about a page from the end of Chapter 11.) If not, what sort of relationship are they involved in at this point of the story? How can you tell? 13. What are Catherine and Frederic's reasons for not getting married? (Hints: See their discussion about marriage and children about a page or so from the end of Chapter 18. Later, see Catherine's stated reason in Chapter 38.) In view of your answer to the previous question, are their stated motives all there is to it? 14. In Chapter 19, after meeting him, what do you think of Ettore Moretti? What does Catherine think of him? How does Frederic seem to feel about him? Why might Hemingway introduce such a character at this point?

15. IMPORTANT: At the end of Chapter 19, a. Why is Catherine afraid of rain? b. Catherine says she can keep Frederic safe, but "nobody can help themselves." In view of her St. Anthony medal, is she right about her ability to keep Frederic safe? c. Is she right about her inability to help herself stay safe? (You'll need to revisit this question after you've finished the novel and found out what happens to them.) d. What might the rain symbolize? (Hint: In view of its importance to Catherine and its

pervasiveness in the story, the rain affects the mood of the story and it may mean something about life.) (Reading Strategy: You could do yourself a real favor by keeping a list of what's happening in the story each time it rains. If you can see a pattern in such a list, you can figure out a very effective answer to this question about what rain symbolizes in this story.) 16. Near the middle of Chapter 21, Catherine says, "Life isn't hard to manage when you've nothing to lose." In view of her news less than a page later, what could she mean? 17. Is Catherine brave? (Hint: For starters, see her ideas near the end of Chapter 21 about brave deaths. Consider her pointing gesture near the end of Chapter 24. Contrast her yielding to Lt. Henry, her fear of rain, and her wanting to be lied to.) What causes or prevents bravery? 18. Contrast Frederic's dream of taking Catherine to a Milan hotel in the middle of Chapter 7 with the reality in Chapter 23. How are the motives and circumstances in his dream different from the motives for their real visit? How has his attitude toward Catherine changed in the intervening chapters?

Research Questions
The following list of research questions ties in directly with Book Two. The list mixes military, historical, geographical, medical, cinematic, and biographical topics as needed to get you information you can use to help you understand this portion of Hemingway's novel a bit more deeply. The lettering continues the run started with Book One's research questions. (Click photos to access original, larger image.) R. Concerning Lt. Henry's relationship with his family, are there hints in Ernest Hemingway's familial relations that might explain Lt. Henry's estrangement as a biographical parallel? (Hints: The novel mentions quarrelling, sight drafts [bank drafts], and a postcard.) T. Could Lt. Henry's jaundice have been caused by drinking? How does drinking cause jaundice of the liver? How much drinking does it take? Trace Lt. Henry's drinking through the novel; does he deliberately try to induce jaundice, do you think? Besides drinking, what causes jaundice? Does Lt. Henry's drinking diminish after he loves Catherine? Does it decrease after he's in Switzerland? Secondarily, review the kinds of drinks the characters imbibe in the story; what are they and what do they taste like, such as Kimmel? U. Was Hemingway himself a heavy drinker? Why or why not? Consider especially Hemingway's drinking during his World War I experience and his drinking habits over a decade later when he was writing the novel, although his drinking later in life might be relevant, too. Secondarily, did Hemingway himself ever have jaundice or even sclerosis of the liver?

Book Three, Chapters 25-32.

19. On War: Near the middle of Chapter 25, Dr. Rinaldi observes, "We never learn." a. What do you think he means? (Hint: See question and answer #1 again for comparison or contrast.) b. What events have made Rinaldi more cynical? (Hint: Consider his revelation in the last two pages of Chapter 25.) c. About a third of the way into Chapter 27, what does Lt. Henry mean when he comments on the meaninglessness of abstractions and the dignity of place names? (Hint: Ask a veteran of any war, if you can't guess for yourself.) d. In summary, then, how is Hemingway depicting war at this point? (Contrast your answer here with your answer for study question 39.) 20. Early in Chapter 29, how does Lt. Henry treat the three soldiers who don't want to help him get the ambulance out of the mud? How does he seem to feel about his action? (Contrast your answer here with your answer to study question #8.) 21. List several ironic occurrences during the Italian retreat that spans Book 2 and Book 3. (Hint: Events are ironic if the unexpected happens or the expected doesn't happen.)

Research Questions
The following list of research questions ties in directly with Book Three. The list mixes military, historical, geographical, medical, cinematic, and biographical topics as needed to get you information you can use to help you understand this portion of Hemingway's novel a bit more deeply. The lettering continues the run started with Book Two's research questions.

X. What made World War I the first "modern war"? Note casualties (and other statistics), the number of nations at war, dismemberment and disease during and as a result of the war, weapons (in the air, on the ground, at sea), strategies, if possible emphasizing the Italian front as depicted in Hemingway's novel, such as the battle of the Plava river and the Tagliamento river and action between the cities of Udine and Gorizia in northern Italy, e.g. at Mt. Grappa. Include notes and photos of weapons and equipment. X1. Describe the hazards and horrors of trench warfare that cost so many lives; if possible, mention the Italian front specifically, and how networks allowed troop rotation. X6. Why did Italy switch sides in the war from an alliance with the Central Powers (Germany and Austro-Hungary) to an alliance with the Allies (Britain and France)? What did Italy gain from the switch? Did it lose anything from this switch?

Y. Suddenly, after Feb. 1918, several divisions of experienced German soldiers appeared opposite the Italian lines. Where did they come from, and why weren't they still there? Explain how the Russian Revolution allowed the Austrians and Germans to focus their efforts on the Italian (and Western) front rather than the Eastern front Y1. How does the Russian revolutionary plan compare with the Italian ambulance drivers' and the priest's view of war? How do the revolutionaries' goals fit with the "we" vs. "they" feeling of Catherine and Frederic, if at all? BX. Allusions: An "allusion" is a literary device, specifically, a reference to another literary work or work of art, song, religious belief, myth, historical incident--anything famous--or an echo of it. Allusions work on our emotions, the mood of a work. What do these allusions add to the novel? a. A quotation from Andrew Marvell's "dramatic monolog" of an attempt at seduction, called "To His Coy Mistress" (at the hotel before Lt. Henry's train ride back to the front near the end of Chapter 23: "But at my back I hear/ Time's wingd chariot hurrying near.") b. The bump on Lt. Henry's forehead from a rifle butt is reminiscent of the ironic bump on the head taken by the protagonist of The Red Badge of Courage. (on the last page of Chapter 31) c. At the end of Chapter 32, Lt. Henry claims that "All anger was washed away in the river along with any obligation." Was his escape by water, then, a kind of baptism? d. What thematic importance does the lyric "Western Wind" have for this novel? Start with what the lyric seems to mean to Lt. Henry when he is in the gondola car with the rifles. Find the poem in an anthology of poetry or with the help of a reference librarian so you can set a context for the portion recited by Lt. Henry.

Book Four, Chapters 33-37.

22. At the beginning of Chapter 34, Lt. Henry doesn't bother to pick a fight. How has he changed and why since "the old days"? (Hint: He also accedes to the captain on the train who wants his seat just after he has said goodbye to Catherine at the end of Chapter 24.) 23. Do you agree with Ferguson's harsh assessment of Catherine near the middle of Chapter 34? Why or why not? (Hint: Consider what Catherine says about Frederic's desertion near the end of Chapter 34.) 24. Review the end of Chapter 30 and review Chapter 32. Why did Frederic desert? How does he feel about it afterwards? How do you feel about it? (That is, what do you think

Hemingway wants us to be feeling about his protagonist at this point? After all, this novel started out by echoing his own war experiences, though that echo ended in Book Two.) 25. Lt. Henry's comment about Othello (almost to the middle of Chapter 35) seems designed (by Hemingway) to diminish our sympathy for this protagonist. Why would Hemingway do this diminishing of Frederic Henry. (Frederic also calls himself, on the previous page, a "fool" for going to war.) 26. Consider Count Greffi's comments on religion in the last few pages of Chapter 35. a. What do Catherine and Frederic have as their religion? (Hint: What is Frederic claiming is the focus of his life right before he is invited to play billiards with Count Greffi? Consider Catherine's claim on the last page of Chapter 18 that she has no religion.) b. Could Frederic ever be devout? (Consider his friendship with the priest and his outof-body experience when he was wounded [just past the middle of Chapter 9]; contrast these with his view of the forces that control the world near the middle of Chapter 34, the killer world.) 27. What does Frederic mean, near the middle of Chapter 37, when he says, "I've never realized anything before." Is he realizing anything at this point? 28. Near the end of Chapter 37, what does Frederic mean when he says, "There's no hole in my side"? (Hint: Who did have a hole in his side? See allusion defined in research topic BX of the Book Three study guide.) Why would Hemingway have Frederic say such a thing? In what way are Catherine and Frederic "lost" on the last page of Book Four? Why would Hemingway have each of his two protagonists mention "God" on the last two pages of Book Four?)

Research Questions
The following list of research questions ties in directly with Book Four. The list mixes military, historical, geographical, medical, cinematic, and biographical topics as needed to get you information you can use to help you understand this portion of Hemingway's novel a bit more deeply. The lettering continues the run started with Book Three's research questions. (Click photos to go to the larger original image.) CX. How did Switzerland come to be a neutral nation, and how did this neutrality affect refugees from WWI? Did Switzerland return deserters in 1918? Did it ever? Was the opera singer's account and what happened to Catherine and Frederic accurate regarding arrest, detention, and surrender of passports? EX1. What was the "Lost Generation"? Why were they lost? Specifically, who were the expatriate writers, especially those like Hemingway, who lived in Paris and knew Gertrude Stein between WWI and WWII?

Book Five, Chapters 38-41.

Study Questions: Craft answers based on the details in the novel.
29. What kind of family life does Frederic hint he has had (near the last page of Chapter 39)? In what sense does Catherine want to "ruin" Frederic at the end of Chapter 39? Does she succeed? (Hint: Revisit this question after you finish the novel and know what happens to them.) 30. What rushes Frederic and Catherine in the Milan hotel? What rushes them at the very end of Chapter 40? 31. Even today, labor may last up to 20 hours or longer. As you read about the baby's birth, list what things seem believable and what things seem far-fetched about the delivery. Why would Hemingway have Frederic administering "gas" to Catherine about a third of the way into the last chapter, for instance, and in the middle of the chapter? 32. Was Frederic right about the world killing everyone (near the middle of Chapter 34) or when he compares the world to the ants on a fiery log in his campfire one time, about twothirds of the way through the last chapter? 33. In the end, is what happens to Catherine "ironic" or a "dirty trick"? Who or what, according to the world view in this novel, is playing this dirty trick on her? How is her attitude at the end different from Frederic's? 34. In summary, what meaning(s) does the title of the novel have? (List as many as you can think of, then rank them with the most likely on top.)

Research Questions
The following list of research questions ties in directly with Book Five. The list mixes military, historical, geographical, medical, cinematic, and biographical topics as needed to get you information you can use to help you understand this portion of Hemingway's novel a bit more deeply. The lettering continues the run started with Book Four's research questions. IX. Why and how did Hemingway himself die in 1961, and what connection might there be between his death and the theme of the novel? (NOTE: You have to suggest an appropriate theme, weighing the circumstances of the author's death and the ideas of this novel.) (Hint: Were "they" out to get him?) JX. What endings did Hemingway consider for the novel, and why is the ending he designed as we see it in the novel the most appropriate? KX. What titles did Hemingway consider for this novel, and why is A Farewell to Arms an appropriate title. (Hint: Consider answers you have or heard for study question #34.)

LX.

What beginnings did Hemingway consider for his novel, and how is the first chapter of A Farewell to Arms an "overture" or preview of the major themes of the book?

PX. What did Hemingway do in the Spanish Civil War of the 1930s? Do his actions suggest that he condones or condemns war? QX. Was Hemingway an irresponsible womanizer? How many wives did he have? Why did his marriages break up? Can you draw any conclusions about the transformation of Lt. Frederic Henry (or lack of one) based on Hemingway's early experiences with women?