Existentialism in Hemingway's A Farewell To Arms

Hemingway's A Farewell To Arms is a tragic WWI story that deals with love and brings up philosophical questions. In Hemingway's A Farewell To Arms, there are three primary messages he wants to convey to his audience: the horrors of war, our chaotic and senseless world, and the need to escape the cruel reality of war and a senseless world. The messages are conveyed through the character of Henry, who must face the traumatic effects of war, and who on his life journey is faced with several philosophical problems. The character of Catherine becomes Henry's shield, his protection from the outside world; she is his respite from reality.

In A Farewell To Arms, Hemingway essentially shows the cruelty of war and it's psychologically and physically harmful effects on people. In the novel, there are many people who are horribly affected by the war; soldiers are maimed, traumatized, and hurt in every possible way. The lives of the soldiers are depreciated, and their deaths are viewed as insignificant. "At the start of the winter came the permanent rain and with the rain came the cholera. But it was checked and in the end only seven thousand died of it in the army." (Hemingway ).Human existence is depreciated in war, soldiers are not humans, but bodies fighting for a cause that may never be attained. Henry is unstable due to the war, he's unhappy and is constantly battling painful memories of war in his mind. The more horrors he witnesses in the war, the more his aversion of the war grows, he even describes the war as "rotten". When Catherine mentions the topic of war, Henry suddenly wants to change the subject, he cannot bear to even think about war, it is way too painful for him. Ultimately, Henry's goal is to leave the war, both physically and psychologically, the latter becomes more difficult for him.

Hemingway also wants to show how life is chaotic and senseless. Henry is an atheist, who fails to give philosophy much importance until he is struck by the possibility of Catherine's death. Catherine is Henry's sole source of faith, she is everything to him, she is his God. When Catherine is dying, Henry's entire life changes. He begins to talk to God, to beg him not to take Catherine from him. He is most vulnerable at this moment, since his faith, his love Catherine is going to leave. He needs to believe that there is still purpose in life, something to look forward to. He becomes uncertain about life, and cannot fathom life without Catherine. "But what if she should die? She wont. She's all right. But what if she should die? She can't die." (Hemingway 321). His mind continues to tell him Catherine will die, but he continually brushes the thought off his mind, because it is extremely painful for him to conceive. If Catherine dies, Henry is left without a reason to live, she is his refuge from reality, and reality is too painful for him to live with.

More importantly, through Henry and Catherine's relationship Hemingway shows the power of love. It seems like reality is painful for Henry, so painful he cannot bear it. Henry is only satisfied when he is by Catherine's side. Their lovemaking helps him to remain oblivious to the outside world. Under Catherine's embrace Henry is able to forget about the disorder in the world and about the war he fought. Thinking is hurtful for Henry; by remaining in an oblivious state next to Catherine, he is able to escape reality. During a conversation with Catherine, Henry asks that they not think about anything, he doesn't want to think about the outside world, because reality is torturous. "Let's not think about anything." (Hemingway 252). He refuses to accept reality.

Hemingway's A Farewell To Arms is a tragic WWI story that deals with love and brings up philosophical questions. In Hemingway's A Farewell To Arms, there are three primary messages he wants to convey to his audience: the horrors of war, our chaotic and senseless world, and the need to escape the cruel reality of war and a senseless world. Hemingway's messages are poignantly related to the reader through the unforgettable tragic experiences of a soldier and his lover.