In Hemingway’s semi-autobiographical classic A Farwell to Arms, Lieutenant Fredrick Henry labors through the first world war, then referred to as .”.. the war to end all wars.” Henry is an American ambulance driver enlisted in the Italian army stationed in Austria. When a mortar explodes in Henry’s field post and nearly blows off his knee, he’s sent to an American-run hospital in Milan, Italy. There he re-unites with his lover, Catherine Barkley, an English Nurse he had a previous relationship on his days in a peaceful Austrian city; which consisted of playing a game of sorts, she asking him to declare his love until finally, to her dissent, Henry does declare legitimate affection with the utmost sincerity. The two then begin a torrent love affair inside the military hospital. During his six-month furlough, Henry’s attitude about the war drastically changes.
When having an intimate conversation with Barkley one night he says “If people bring so much courage to this world the world has to break them, so of course it kills them. The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong in the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the brave impartially.” This quote illustrates a very cynical point of view after Henry has lost his faith in human nature. Soon, he wishes to be completely isolated from all current international proceedings. The German army soon invades Italy, and Fredrick ultimately decides to run off to Switzerland with Nurse Barkley and escape the horrors of the war, rather than fight the invasion.
During the retreat, the Italian Army was executing the officers considered traitors for not leading their men during a time of impending doom on the Austrian front. It took a lot of prowess to endure what Henry went through to. Henry and Barkley realize that the life of their child is takes precedence over a merciless war that means nothing to them and manage to escape, but it’s too late, Catherine and her child are declared dead at birth.