Monday, March 28, 2005
A Farewell to Arms - Ernest Hemingway
Its a very moving book. But at the same time it gives a sense of being aloof that prevents the author from letting go totally. Its a book based in the Italy of World War (I) but it is about love.
Fredric Henry is injured in the war. Recovery from his injury is a long, arduous process which consists of surgery, rebuilding and lots of therapy for his knee. A lot of his recovery is also aided by his love Catherine (Barkley) who is with him. A bout of jaundice later - though not fully recovered, he is back at war. Halfway through an attack he decides to come back to his love Catherine who is going to have his baby.
Henry is serving in the Italian troops though he is an American. Abandoning the war is of course a punishable offence. Both of them manage to escape into Switzerland ina very Enid Blyton like adventure. Here they live together untill she comes to term with her pregnancy. She goes into labour, loses her baby and he loses her.
There is a certain despondent air about the entire book, like from the first mention of the their love, you know it is doomed. Nothing in the author's explanations or descriptions ever conveys Henry's depth of feelings for Catherine. Some lines though express a lot of the anguish felt by the protagonist for his love, because of his love.
"I guess we're both conceited," I said. "But you are brave."
"No. But I hope to be."
"We're both brave," I said. "And I'm very brave when I've had a drink."
[...]
"And maybe I'd look lovely, darling, and be so thin and exciting to you and you'll fall in love with me all over again."
"Hell," I said, "I love you enough now. What do you want to do? Ruin me?"
"Yes. I want to ruin you."
"Good," I said, "That's what I want too."
[...]
Its vivid, its touching and at the same time it feels like a third person account, despite being a first person account.
Fredric Henry is injured in the war. Recovery from his injury is a long, arduous process which consists of surgery, rebuilding and lots of therapy for his knee. A lot of his recovery is also aided by his love Catherine (Barkley) who is with him. A bout of jaundice later - though not fully recovered, he is back at war. Halfway through an attack he decides to come back to his love Catherine who is going to have his baby.
Henry is serving in the Italian troops though he is an American. Abandoning the war is of course a punishable offence. Both of them manage to escape into Switzerland ina very Enid Blyton like adventure. Here they live together untill she comes to term with her pregnancy. She goes into labour, loses her baby and he loses her.
There is a certain despondent air about the entire book, like from the first mention of the their love, you know it is doomed. Nothing in the author's explanations or descriptions ever conveys Henry's depth of feelings for Catherine. Some lines though express a lot of the anguish felt by the protagonist for his love, because of his love.
"I guess we're both conceited," I said. "But you are brave."
"No. But I hope to be."
"We're both brave," I said. "And I'm very brave when I've had a drink."
[...]
"And maybe I'd look lovely, darling, and be so thin and exciting to you and you'll fall in love with me all over again."
"Hell," I said, "I love you enough now. What do you want to do? Ruin me?"
"Yes. I want to ruin you."
"Good," I said, "That's what I want too."
[...]
Its vivid, its touching and at the same time it feels like a third person account, despite being a first person account.
# posted by Janaki @ 11:14 am 
