A Farewell to Arms
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Ernest Hemingway's masterful 1929 World War I novel, A Farewell to Arms, offers a suitably brutal look at combat and the job of a military ambulance driver. As in other books by this essential author, language is very carefully chosen, showing the way writers can make a greater impact with some restraint than with relentless graphic violence. The violence Hemingway describes is truly shocking, including detailed descriptions of soldiers' wounds and deaths, and the cursory executions of suspected spies. There's also some sexual activity (passionate kissing, non-graphic mentions of sex in a hospital bed, and a man's fevered fantasy). The original edition of A Farewell to Arms included curse words and more detail about the characters' sex lives, but almost all of that was edited to please 1920s censors. Still, the presence of "s-t" and "f--k" with dashes inserted and a character's unmarried pregnancy were enough to get the novel banned in some countries. Characters drink alcohol constantly, including one character drinking during pregnancy, and ther's some cigarette smoking.
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What's the Story?
In Ernest Hemingway's classic World War I novel A FAREWELL TO ARMS, American expatriate Frederic Henry has enlisted with the Italian army as an ambulance driver. His job requires as much waiting as driving, and Henry fills many of those quiet hours with drinking and socializing with other medical personnel. Henry begins a flirtatious involvement with an English nurse named Catherine Barkley, and after Henry is wounded, the couple's relationship deepens. Once Henry has recovered, he's sent back to the battlefront, where it becomes clear that it's time for him to cut his losses and take Catherine out of Italy.
Is It Any Good?
Hemingway's genius rested in his carefully crafted, deceptively simple sentences. A Farewell to Arms, in particular, may be easy to read, but it's not easy to take. The author is unstinting in creating a full-color picture of life during wartime: the waiting, the suffering, the erosion of morals and ethics, and the deep bonds that are formed between comrades in arms. It is simply a brilliant novel, revealing the ravages of war as well as the author's great affection for Italy.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how war is portrayed in Farewell to Arms. What is Hemingway's point of view about war? How is this novel similar to or different from other war books you've read?
Hemingway was known for writing about manly men who drank to excess. How did you feel about the drinking in this novel? Did it seem realistic or over the top?
How do you feel about the end of Farewell to Arms? What's Hemingway saying by ending the book this way?
Book Details
- Author: Ernest Hemingway
- Genre: History
- Topics: History
- Book type: Fiction
- Publisher: Hemingway Library
- Publication date: January 1, 1929
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 15 - 18
- Number of pages: 352
- Available on: Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: June 5, 2022
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For kids who love classics and stories of World War I
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