HE3

Irony

A Farewell to Arms
Chapters 17-20 Discussion Notes

For our discussion today, you will need to complete this document. While you will work in groups for
portions of the day, EVERYONE needs to take notes and upload their document to Canvas.

STEP 1: Thinking and Journaling

You have now read through Ch. 20 of this text.

Think and write as a way to process:

What is your opinion of our two main characters, Frederic and Catherine, so far?

Response:

STEP 2: Chapter Titles

CHAPTER TITLES: Share your chapter titles from your reading.

Chapter titles

Chapter 17 Trouble, I’m your friend

Chapter 18 I am you, A private marriage

Chapter 19 Dear Boys, Rain

Chapter 20 Back the Right Horse, Horse Race

STEP 3: Small Group Discussion

QUOTES:
In your groups, reflect on your assigned quotes. Jot down who the speaker is and explain the context
(where, when, to whom and why it was said) of the quote. What do you believe is the significance or
meaning of this quote to the book as a whole? (What does it show us of Hemingway’s beliefs? What light
does it cast on the character?). Designate one person to share out your thoughts when we reconvene.. As
we share these responses as a class, jot down the comments of other groups.
1. GROUP 1: Chapter 17, page 94 -
“You’ll fight before you’ll marry.”
“We never fight.”
“You’ve time yet.”
“We don’t fight.”
“You’ll die then. Fight or die. That’s what people do. They don’t marry.”
- Ferguson - Catherines friend
- Honeymoon phase will end - jaded
- There’s a lot going on (war) but they are blinded by love - their relationship escalated quickly
2. GROUP 2: Chapter 18, page 99 - ‘There isn’t any me. I’m you. Don’t make a separate me.”
- Catherine talking to Fred
- She doesn’t want to live w/out fred, only the two of them
- She views them as one
3. GROUP 3: Chapter 18, page 100 - “You’re my religion. You’re all I’ve got…Don’t talk as though you had to
make an honest woman of me, darling. I’m a very honest woman. You can’t be ashamed of something
if you’re only happy and proud of it. Aren’t you happy?”
- Catherine talking to Frederic
- Fred wants to get married under law
- Catherine is happy with where they are, she feels they are already married/she has faith in Fred
- Hemmingway believes that marriage doesn’t have to be a document
4. GROUP 4: Chapter 19, page 108 - “We have heroes too…But usually, darling, they’re much quieter.”
- Catherine talking to Fred
- Catherine talking about how real heroes should be humble rather than bragging about all they’ve
done
5. GROUP 5: Chapter 19, page 110 - “I’m afraid of the rain because sometimes I see myself dead in it…”
a. Catherine
b. Fred and Catherine are standing in and looking at the rain, Catherine says this following Fred’s
inquiry on why she dislikes the rain.
c. Rain, snow, hail, etc. represents Winter qualities and the rain represents an inevitable loss of
happiness. In the past, it happened with Catherine’s fiance and now she is afraid of it happening
with Fred
d. Rain represents baptism and wiping away happiness. She is afraid of losing her happiness again.
e. Frederic is trying to comfort her, but outside it is still raining so she still has the fear

6. GROUP 6: Chapter 20, page 115 - “I felt very lonely when they were all there.”
- Catherine and Fred find a secluded area during the horse race
- She didn’t like other people because they were cheating - she is disgusted by them
- She didn’t value them as moral and good - she is trying to teach Frederic who is good and not
- Catherine is trying to help Frederic by focusing on the important people

Discussion Questions: After you’ve completed your quote analysis, answer the following
questions in your small group.

1. 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?
2. 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?

3. 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?

4. 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.)

STEP 4: Whole group quote share

Take down notes as the other groups share their responses to the assigned quotes.

STEP 5: Writing Task

Copy down an important quote/passage you chose from anywhere in Ch. 17-20. Do NOT use one of the
quotes listed above.

Quote:
Who is the speaker and what is the context (where,
when, to whom and why it was said) of the quote?

What do you believe is the significance or meaning

of this quote to the book as a whole? (What does it
show us of Hemingway’s beliefs? What light does it
cast on the character?).

STEP 6: Submit your completed Doc to the Canvas assignment by midnight tonight