Frederick Henry in “A Farewell to Arms” by Hemingway Essay

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Introduction

War is a devastating event that affects countries and people’s lives and changes the way they perceive reality. In Ernest Hemingway’s novel A Farewell to Arms, Frederick Henry is presented as an American medic who served in the Italian Army during World War I. He is a person with no background, religion, culture, or life principles; however, he is ready to help Italy in tough times. Frederick Henry’s attitude in Ernest Hemingway’s book A Farewell to Arms to the war and sacrificing for Italy changes drastically due to the incident with the Italian military police, which affects his further behavior.

Frederick Henry in Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms

Initially, the main character is represented as a hedonist and a careless man. He is shown as a liar and a reckless man who finds pleasure in wine and women (Shmoop). However, Henry was passionate about helping Italy and its people and executed his duties properly and efficiently (Sarkar). Once, a nurse asked him about the reason for such an attitude, and he answered: “I was in Italy, and I spoke Italian” (Hemingway 22). Thus, he saw sense in his work and felt a strong desire for commitment to the country.

Even though the reason may not be that strong for the ordinary person, it is for Henry. However, he drastically changed his attitude because of the incident when he was almost executed by military police because “he speaks Italian with an accent” (Hemingway 238). The man was discouraged by such an attitude and realized that his sacrifices were in vain, and he got no benefit from them.

I had a situation when my perspective drastically changed in my personal life. For a long time, I was biased against Asian people. I was 16 when I met an incredible, kind, and warm-hearted young lady from Japan who changed my attitude and perception. We became good friends, and I was astonished that they are the same people as we are. This situation was highly beneficial for my life: it showed that people are the same despite their race.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Frederick Henry is a controversial character with different traits and perspectives. The man is a hedonist who strives to gain pleasure and benefit from everything. Initially, he had a strong desire to help the country during World War I. His attitude and behavior then changed after the military police attempted to execute him. This incident discouraged him from helping Italy and its people.

Works Cited

Shmoop, 2022.

Hemingway, Ernest. A Farewell to Arms. New York: Scribner, 1957. Print.

Sarkar, Somnath. Eng-Literature, 2022.

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IvyPanda. "Frederick Henry in "A Farewell to Arms" by Hemingway." May 18, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/frederick-henry-in-a-farewell-to-arms-by-hemingway/.

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