Inactive Tutor answered • 10/01/22
Biblical Allusions in "Farewell TO Arms"
Ernest Hemingway's -"A Farewell TO Arms" is ingeniously written in an artistic style/design in such a manner that allusions (even religion allusions) are meticulously embedded in the intriguing plot.
Artful indirect communication between author and reader is one of the most astute stylistic technique exceptional writers employ to intersperse deeper themes within the storyline.
Many writers use religious principles to creatively/indirectly address critical discussion issues in their works.
Church ideas can appear in characters, in topics and even in discussions in books.
Some authors express their own religious views in their story illustrations.
Particularly in "Farewell To Arms" the conversations, the interactions between Frederic Henry, an American Soldier and ambulance driver for the Italian Armed Forces with the good priest ALLUDE to Biblical interactions such as between Jesus Christ and the apostles?
Upon literary analysis - some quotes are classified as ALLUSION.
In one quote in the book, the good young priest says to Henry, "You understand but You do not understand. And Henry responds "It is only in defeat that we become Christian".
It has been stated that this implied that only those who don't have the power to disobey the church will abide by its rules.
Then Henry also says "We are all gentler now because we are beaten. How would Our Lord have been if Peter had rescued him in the Garden?"
Henry seems to be saying/implying that the Christian God is No God at all, just the product of circumstance.
(Such statements have been suggested to show strong opposition to church and a total lack of FAITH?)
And yet, toward the end of the story, when Henry feels utterly helpless and sees no other way--He PRAYS!
"God, please, please, please,,,"
There are other instances of Prayer as well throughout the novel. Prayers which go unanswered.
To some literary critics this seems a critical clue to Hemingway's view to unanswered prayer.
And that God at least in the story has no love for man and does not exist.
Critics have specified theological, geographical and historical allusions in this particular story.
In this story the character Henry does not see evidence of God in the happenings of the war.
In this book many of the allusions are made through similes and metaphors.
One such simile is "I am the snake. I am the snake of reason. You're getting it mixed. The apple was reason. No it was the snake." (serpent in the Garden of Eden?)
