Summary
Sometimes, under the effect of prominent events, people tend to alter their thinking while adapting to new circumstances. An example of such a reinterpretation can be the hero of the book A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway, Frederick Henry. His character is depicted as a pacifist throughout the book until he becomes the opposite of what he has been under the pressure of circumstances. There was a moment when I had to tough it out because of a hardship, which also changed me a lot.
Henry’s Change in Thinking About War
Sometimes, a situation in which a person finds themselves leaves no choice and makes one act quite differently from what is usual or expected. Henry’s change happens when he kills for the first time after spending so much time helping and saving others. At first, he is presented as the one who “would not make war” (Hemingway 69).
However, after a series of events, after seeing so much pain and cruelty, he becomes one of those “who make war” (Hemingway 69). When Henry kills the engineering officer, the author demonstrates his significant change and the war’s meaninglessness (Hemingway 189). Although the killing was unjustified, I tend to understand Henry at this point since it was not his mere desire but the outcome of numerous events that made him do that.
Personal Experience in Connection to Henry
In my life, there was an occasion when I underwent a significant change of perspective as well. I had a part-time job as a shop assistant last summer, and my coworkers used to ask me for small favors from time to time. I used to clean the floor, help with display windows, order the items, and do all sorts of other things. It all started as a favor, but soon, they made me feel as if it was my job to do all those things. When I finally realized I could not stand such treatment any longer, I complained to the manager, who made it clear to everyone that we should take care of our own part of the work.
At first glance, it could seem that I behaved harshly. However, I was merely too tired of being too good, which resulted in a change of behavior. In the case of Henry and me, the shift of perspective was the decisive push to the shift of behavior. So, I cannot blame either him or myself for doing what we did since we both tried really hard to do well until we were forced to adjust to the circumstances.
Work Cited
Hemingway, Ernest. A Farewell to Arms. Scribner, 1997.