Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell To Arms
In Ernest Hemingway's novel, A Farewell to Arms, rain is used to symbolize and represent, principally, war, death, and love. After establishing the significance of rain in the first chapter, the reader instantly takes note. At the mention of rain in other scenes, the reader is wrought with strong feelings, usually of war, death, or love. Throughout the novel, Hemingway places rain in with many of the most important scenes, which the reader then connects by means of relating one scene to another, by the similarity of the presence of rain. One of the primary associated feelings with rain is war and disease. The first time that rain is mentioned regarding war and disease is at the end of the first chapter, after Frederic gives a brief description
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Catherine's fear of the rain is revealed in one of the novel's most important scenes. The mood is already set when its stated that "Outside the rain was falling steadily"(126). A dark mood is set and Catherine states "I'm afraid of the rain because sometimes I see me dead in it" then later states "And sometimes I see you dead in it"(126). Although Frederic comforts Catherine, a heavy, somber feeling blankets to mood and creates strong feelings of gloom. The final scene in the book, and also the final scene in which rain is related to feelings of death is after Catherine and the baby both die. One of the scenes most heavily laid with sadness, misery, and depression ends with Frederic saying "After a while I went out and left the hospital and walked back to the hotel in the rain"(332). Again, rain is used to symbolize loss, tragedy, failure, and death and how they are connected to Frederic's …show more content…
In a light tone, Hemingway describes the village of Abruzzi, where "it was clear cold and dry"(13). The mood is much lighter then if Hemingway had mentioned that of rain. Instead, he contrasts it to create a lighter, more joyful atmosphere. The same morning that Catherine and Frederic meet, Frederic describes the day as being "a lovely spring morning and "a feeling of dryness in the nose that meant the day would be hot later on"(16). On the day when Frederic meets Catherine, and it is inevitable (and foreshadowed) that they will fall in love, a complete lack of rain is displayed. By contrasting heavy, dark scenes with rain, to scenes filled with happiness, joy, and delight, the strong contrast between love and war and death is
Catherine's fear of the rain is revealed in one of the novel's most important scenes. The mood is already set when its stated that "Outside the rain was falling steadily"(126). A dark mood is set and Catherine states "I'm afraid of the rain because sometimes I see me dead in it" then later states "And sometimes I see you dead in it"(126). Although Frederic comforts Catherine, a heavy, somber feeling blankets to mood and creates strong feelings of gloom. The final scene in the book, and also the final scene in which rain is related to feelings of death is after Catherine and the baby both die. One of the scenes most heavily laid with sadness, misery, and depression ends with Frederic saying "After a while I went out and left the hospital and walked back to the hotel in the rain"(332). Again, rain is used to symbolize loss, tragedy, failure, and death and how they are connected to Frederic's …show more content…
In a light tone, Hemingway describes the village of Abruzzi, where "it was clear cold and dry"(13). The mood is much lighter then if Hemingway had mentioned that of rain. Instead, he contrasts it to create a lighter, more joyful atmosphere. The same morning that Catherine and Frederic meet, Frederic describes the day as being "a lovely spring morning and "a feeling of dryness in the nose that meant the day would be hot later on"(16). On the day when Frederic meets Catherine, and it is inevitable (and foreshadowed) that they will fall in love, a complete lack of rain is displayed. By contrasting heavy, dark scenes with rain, to scenes filled with happiness, joy, and delight, the strong contrast between love and war and death is