Modernism Approach In A Farewell To Arms
A Farewell to Arms is the sad story of Henry, an American ambulance driver on the Italian war front, and his love for an English nurse, Catherine Barkley. The two lovers are caught in the grasp of war fighting to maintain a sense of purpose in a world of chaos and despair. In the process of fighting for their life, they felt confused, pessimistic, and alienated from society and from themselves. They tried to find their own life but they failed. Hemingway's depiction of the German attack on Caporetto vividly captures the soldiers, tired, hungry, and demoralized. A Farewell to Arms demonstrates so perfectly Hemingway's code hero through many of its characters—the ability to show grace under pressure and the doggedness of the human spirit.
The theme that Hemingway emphasizes throughout the novel is the search for order in a chaotic world. Hemingway delivers this through Frederick's own personal search during the chaos of World War I. Through his relationship with Catherine, he slowly finds his own inner strength. His affair with Catherine prompts him to leave his wild life of prostitutes and drink. He becomes aware of an element of balance in their relationship and realizes that he must desert the army in order to find the peace that he desires to exist in his life. Since this period, his self-awareness is stimulated because he tries to gain his identity in the world. The sense of belonging in the society is really important for Henry. Consequently, he and Catherine make a peaceful life for themselves. Frederick believes that his life is now in order and that his values are in perspective, yet he still seems dissatisfied. He continuously has to convince himself that he has "a fine life." As an individual in the world, he still feels a great sense of self-doubt and fear, unsure of how to define them in this cold modern world.
In A Farewell to Arms, the grim reality of war is expressed to the reader in a variety of ways. Many of these ways...
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