On DAY 7 of the syllabus you will write an in-class essay based on the novel A Farewell to Arms. The essay prompt will ask you to examine the motif of the rain in the story, the theme of abandonment and the conflict that religion plays in the protagonist’s life.
You will be able to use the book and any notes that you have annotated about the novel. You are encouraged to prepare an outline including notes and passages that you can use for support of your expressed points.
Rain Quotes:
At the start of the winter came the permanent rain and with the rain came the cholera. But it was checked and in the end only seven thousand died of it in the army. (chapter I)
“I’m afraid of the rain because sometimes I see me dead in it.” — Catherine chapter XIX)
I was always embarrassed by the words sacred, glorious and sacrifice and the expression in vain. We had heard them, sometimes standing in the rain almost out of earshot… (chapter XXVII)
But after I had got them out and shut the door and turned off the lights it wasn’t any good. It was like saying good-by to a statue. After a while I went out and left the hospital and walked back to the hotel in the rain. (chapter XL)
When we were out past the tanneries onto the main road the troops, the motor trucks, the horse-drawn carts and the guns were in one wide slow-moving column. We moved slowly but steadily in the rain, the radiator cap of our car almost against the tailboard of a truck that was loaded high, the load covered with wet canvas. Then the truck stopped. The whole column was stopped. It started again and we went a little farther, then stopped. I got out and walked ahead, going between the trucks and carts and under the wet necks of the horses. (chapter XXVIII)
Blow, blow, ye western wind . . . Christ, that my love were in my arms and I in my bed again. That my love Catherine. That my sweet love Catherine down might rain. Blow her again to me. (chapter XL)
Abandonment Quotes:
Anger was washed away in the river along with any obligation. (chapter XXXII)
I had the paper but I did not read it because I did not want to read about the war. I was going to forget the war. I had made a separate peace. (chapter XXXII)
Wine is a grand thing,” I said. “It makes you forget all the bad.
…and the world all unreal in the dark and so exciting that you must resume again unknowing and not caring in the night, sure that this was all and all and all and not caring.
The coward dies a thousand deaths, the brave but one’…. (The man who first said that) was probably a coward…. He knew a great deal about cowards but nothing about the brave. The brave dies perhaps two thousand deaths if he’s intelligent. He simply doesn’t mention them.
Once in camp I put a log on a fire and it was full of ants. As it commenced to burn, the ants swarmed out and went first toward the center where the fire was; then turned back and ran toward the end. When there were enough on the end they fell off into the fire. Some got out, their bodies burnt and flattened, and went off not knowing where they were going. But most of them went toward the fire and then back toward the end and swarmed on the cool end and finally fell off into the fire. I remember thinking at the time that it was the end of the world and a splendid chance to be a messiah and lift the log off the fire and throw it out where the ants could get off onto the ground. But I did not do anything but throw a tin cup of water on the log, so that I would have the cup empty to put whiskey in before I added water to it. I think the cup of water on the burning log only steamed the ants.
The world breaks every one and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry. (chapter XXXII)
But we were never lonely and never afraid when we were together. I know that the night is not the same as the day: that all things are different, that the things of the night cannot be explained in the day, because they do not then exist, and the night can be a dreadful time for lonely people once their loneliness has started. (chapter XXXIV)
Religion/Faith Quotes:
“Then too you are in love. Do not forget that is a religious feeling.” — (Count Greffi chapter XXXV)
All thinking men are atheists.
God please make her not die. I’ll do anything you say if you don’t let her die. You took the baby but don’t let her die. That was all right but don’t let her die. Please, please, dear God, don’t let her die. (chapter XL)
Poor, poor dear Cat. And this was the price you paid for sleeping together. This was the end of the trap. This was what people got for loving each other. Thank God for gas, anyway. What must it have been like before there were anesthetics? (chapter XL)
ESSAY PROMPT:
Hemingway’s terse and direct composition conjures a subtle cloud of symbolism that often directs and influences the mood of the story. In this respect, the author uses rain and the changing seasons to foreshadow events in the story. The astute reader is aware of the influence of nature and how it shapes the mood of Hemingway’s novel.
From the direction provided below, consider the driving theme as expressed by Hemingway himself, that The universe is unordered, there is no God to dictate codes or morality—the universe is indifferent and discuss how the rain, abandonment and Henry’s faith is revealed through the events in the story. Your discussion must include supporting passages and clarification of your points in order to deliver your observed perspective on the novel..