CHAPTER QUESTIONS Book 1 and 2

Chapter 7 Page 35 “Generale Condorna is described as ‘fat and prosperous. The king is described as a “Tiny man with [a] long, thin neck.”

Chapter 9 Page 48. “Everybody hates this war.” “There is a class that controls a country…and they make money out of it,” “The drops fell very slowly, as they fall from an icicle after the sun has gone.” Hemingway continually uses rain symbolically to indicate the relentless destruction of the war. Here he combines it with imagery of an icicle, suggesting the coldness of a human body when life is dripping away.

Chapter 11 and 12 Henry expresses an emptiness and fear that haunts him, “in the night sometimes.” Later, the presence of Catherine beside him helps him quell this fear and uncertainty. The priest is increasingly dismayed by the war and by a humanity that ‘would make war.” (pg 65) He wants to guide others but knows that he is “still a great joke.” He speaks about love being about the “wish to serve.” This is presented in contrast to ‘lust and diversions’ and also to the desire to “be an officer” and to “make war.” He wishes Henry loved god but they discuss the possibility of loving a woman in this way.

BOOK 2 Chapter 13/14 Emphasis on physical world – long descriptive passages of Henry’s pain. Increasing desire for alcohol. Henry and Catherine start to have a sexual relationship. Page 85 he starts to talk more seriously about love but there is an element of dependence and desperation.

15,16, 17 Helen Ferguson is morally offended by the fact that Catherine and Henry have a sexual relationship despite not being married. She also shows sign of cynicism and despair. All her notions of romantic love have been destroyed by the war.

Chapters ‘War is not won by victory.’ (Passini, Chapter 9. p.48) Wars go on forever in the way they weaken people, even once they have escaped. Example? Wars go on forever in the way that there will always be people who don’t ‘realise what [war] is like.” and want to keep wars going for a variety of reasons. What reasons? “‘Nobody is like us” “They can go to the cathedral.” 133 Analyse what Catherine means by this

To what extent do you agree with the following statements… Hemingway shows us that nothing good ever comes out of war. Frederic does not feel guilty about deserting the army. Catherine and Henry’s love isolates them from others. Hemingway celebrates all forms of bravery.

coy.htm coy.htm ‘To Coy his Mistress’ By Andrew Marvell “But at my back I always hear, Times winged chariot hurrying near.’

Passage C, pages 109 to 110 ‘I hear you are going to get the silver medal,’ Ettore said to me. ‘What kind of citation you going to get?’ … … ‘You can’t be a captain because you don’t know the Italian language well enough,’ Ettore said. Why does Ettore take an interest in Frederic? How does Frederic’s attitude to medals contrast with Ettore’s? What values do you think motivate Ettore? What evidence can you find to support a reading that Ettore regards Frederic as a rival? Compare Frederic and Catherine’s attitude to Ettore. Support your answer by further reading of Chapter 19. How does Frederic’s attitude change on his return to the front? (See p.165.)

Notions of heroism What does Hemingway seem to present as ‘heroic’ behaviour? What is not considered heroic?