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Hannah Ramcharan
Professor Colombo
5, May 2015

Is the Farewell Conclusive?

After indulging in the last few pages of A Farewell to Arms, many readers may be angry,
confused or disappointed. However, when reflecting on the main themes of the story, one can
understand the importance of the sudden tragic events in the final pages. Hemingway uses
such an abrupt stop characterized by little but expressive words to summarize the profound
themes of A Farewell to Arms: lack of religion, indulgent love, and grueling war. Frederics
dubious attitude towards Catherine's survival expresses lack of hope in God; superficial feelings
of love are revealed by his reaction to Catherines death; and the novels abrupt conclusion
parallels the tragedy of war.
Frederics religious point of view is obscure. He is surrounded by most men who do not
have a strong faith and with the very few who do show a stronger relationship with God. The
Priest is a good example of a religious person whom Frederic observes. The priest stays true to
his beliefs no matter what the circumstance. In the beginning of the book, the soldiers were
teasing him for never sleeping with any women. The captain suggests that the Priest is not
happy without any girls (14). His false oblivion prevents him from being affected by these
hurtful comments. In contrast, Rinaldi is a man who blatantly doesnt have a religion. He is
Frederics best friend and treats him kindly. However, during the grueling stages of the war he
seems to have no real hope that things would ever change for the better. He conforms to the
monotonous daily routine which changes his mental aspect of life. In the light of these two
contrasting characters, Frederic chooses to reject many certainties and comes to doubt that
there is any effective help to prevent impending doom(Unrue). In the last chapter, during
Catherines final moments, Frederic starts to pray, Please, please God dont let her die(330).

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Some may call him religious because of this but Frederic hasty words imply that he is acting it
on a whim of desperation rather on true belief that whatever the outcome, it happens for the
best. Not only did Frederics disbelief in a supreme being remain undeveloped, but most
aspects of his life stays the same.
Throughout the duration of the story, Frederic is a static character; he never develops a
true relationship with Catherine. In the beginning he starts out with no possessions and leaves
the hospital -- where Catherine and the baby dies-- without anyone. Frederic usually goes to the
brothels and doesnt seem to care about having a close and intimate relationship with just one
girl. After he is introduced to Catherine they seem to have a connection but the relationship is
rather weak. When Catherine asks Frederic
You did say you loved me didnt you?
He replies, yes. I lied ( 30 ).
It is clear that Frederic doesnt love her. This pattern of a bland feelings are revealed in the end
when Frederic describes Catherine as a statue(332), as if she were just a possession; losing
her left no legacy that impacts him significantly. Catherine's death doesn't seem to deeply affect
Frederic because he just leaves and walks out of the hospital. The relationship begins and ends
unexpectedly, which also reflects the times of war.
The lieutenant finds himself in wars life threatening situations so he is tempting to live
life to the fullest by engaging in any opportunity. This attitude toward life causes a sense of
hurried carelessness and he doesn't commit to anything. The portrayal of war in which there are
long periods of normalcy but short burst of chaos is characterized by Hemingways writing style;
short abrupt sentences that usually describe important aspects and long loquacious paragraphs
that over explain a topic but can easily be surpassed. For example, when Frederic and the other
ambulance drivers find themselves in the dugout, their main concern is food. It is ironic how as
a big shell came burst outside(54), their main concern was what is there to eat?(54). The
mood of this passage changes from blissful apathy in the face of danger to attentive shock of

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the detrimental casualties that affect the ambulance drivers . The author starts to use more
imagery details to convey the reckless actions like when Passini was biting his arm and
screaming (55). Additionally, when Frederic and his crew were traveling to Udine, Aymo got
shot Crossing the train tracks, lurched tripped and fell face down (213). The shot seems to
have come out of nowhere and no one is expecting it. The crew does not show any emotional
reaction to losing someone because it is common for people to die. Showing no emotional
response, Piani laid his head down, wipe at his face, with a piece of the emergency dressing,
then let it alone(213). The author is direct when describing ones death. The quick wording
doesn't allow the reader to take in what has happens without reading it over again. The
characters are ruthlessly cut out of the story. The conclusion of A Farewell to Arms is
appropriate because it mimics Hemingways style of writing. Frederic describes the death of
Catherine and the baby as if another soldier dies; there is no real closing. The tone of the last
scene in the hospital is depressing when Frederic left the hospital and went back to the hotel in
the rain (332). The broad ending allows room for multiple interpretations. Hemingway chooses
to end this way because reflects the instantaneous, irresolute effects of war.
At first read, the last pages of this novel are depressing. However, the beauty is how
Hemingway uses such an impetuous conclusion to relate the main ideas back to the entire
story. Frederics religious weakness is revealed when everything is ultimately taken from him;
the superficial love for Catherine is expressed by his reaction to her death; and the authors
use of blunt descriptions of the conclusion relate to the impulsive nature of war.

Works Cited
Hemingway, Ernest. A Farewell to Arms. New York, NY: Scribner, 2003. Print.
Unrue, John C. A Farewell to Arms: Discussion Questions> In Anderson, George Parker,
ed. Research Guide to American Literature: American Modernism, 1914-1945, vol. 5. New York:
Facts On File, Inc., 2010. Blooms Literature. Facts on file, inc.

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