A Farewell to Arms

7 Pages 1866 Words

in Gorizia. It is autumn 1915 and the war is well under way. It is here where the reader gets their first glimpse at the most obvious conflict in this novel, the external conflict of man versus man. The Italians had just joined the war and Frederic was positioned near the battle lines: “There was fighting in the mountains and at night we could see the flashes from the artillery” (3). In the fall of 1916 the snow comes early and the Italians put off any more attacks until next year. On leave, Henry goes to Rome and Naples, where he drinks and chases women. He returns from leave dissatisfied and guilty over squandering his time and money.
When spring rolls back around Frederic returns to the front. Henry learns from his roommate, Rinaldi, that British nurses are now stationed in the area hospital and that Rinaldi has his eye on one, an English woman named Catherine Barkely. Rinaldi drags Henry along to visit the nurses. Catherine and Henry are instantly attracted to each other. On the way home Rinaldi says, “Miss Barkley prefers you to me. That is sure” (21). Rinaldi is mildly hurt, but he recovers. At the front...