Title
Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms, and Personal War
Document Type
Essay
Annotation
Explores the stages of Hemingway’s deepening disillusionment with World War I, attributing it to his exposure to the postwar era rather than the war itself. Discusses his disgust with politics, loss of faith in progressive reform and leftist mass movements, and fear of women’s sexual liberation. Examines Frederic’s process of disillusionment in A Farewell to Arms, addressing how his social obligations affect his freedom, individualism, and happiness. Briefly analyzes the directional shifts of Catherine’s sexual energy. Concludes with a comparison of World War I literature to Spanish Civil War novels.
Published in
Embattled Home Fronts: Domestic Politics and the American Novel of World War I
Date
2009
Pages
83-105
Citation
Piep, Karsten H. “Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms, and Personal War.” In Embattled Home Fronts: Domestic Politics and the American Novel of World War I, 83-105. New York: Rodopi, 2009.