Comment on the development of Henry and Catherine's relationship. How do their surroundings (hospital specifically, Milan more generally) contribute to their growing relationship? One theme that is developed in A Farewell to Arms is the relationship between LOVE and PAIN. What are some examples for each character of LOVE and PAIN that each experienced? Use quotes and page numbers to support your responses!
Please respond to the postings of other students by Monday September 17th.
In the book Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway, Henry and Catherine’s relationship develops a lot throughout the story. Since Henry is injured and in the hospital, and since Catherine is a nurse they get to see each other frequently. In the beginning the relationship between them was more “friendly.” Now their relationship is a lot more serious. Catherine is making an effort to have the night shift so she can go and spend time with Henry. Henry is trying to stay in the hospital as long as he can, so he is injuring himself to see Catherine. Henry drank too much in hopes of trying to make it appear that he had jaundice. “I suppose you can’t be blamed for not wanting to go back to the front. But I think you should try something more intelligent than producing jaundice with alcoholism”(144). “With alcoholism. You heard me say it.” I did not say anything. “Unless you find something else I’m afraid you will have to go back to the front when you are through with your jaundice. I don’t believe self-inflicted jaundice entitles you to a convalescent leave”(144). These quotes show the depth of Henry and Catherine’s relationship because Henry faked an illness just to be able to spend time with Catherine. Another example of the development of their relationship is how they will go out on “dates” together in the town and how Catherine will spend the night with Henry. “We have such a fine time,” Catherine said. “I don’t take any interest in anything else any more. I’m so very happy married to you”(154). This quote really shows the development of their relationship because Catherine mentions the word marry, and it really shows how happy they are together. Although their relationship seems to have only good things come out of it, an underlying theme throughout the book is the relationship between pain and love. Catherine experiences this relationship because she is happily in love with Henry she becomes pregnant. Her being pregnant will add much pain to her life because Henry is soon going to go back to the war front, and she is going to be left alone in misery. Henry also experiences this relationship between love and pain because he will eventually have to leave Catherine, and he is going to miss her dearly. Henry also fakes illnesses and injuries I order to stay with Catherine longer which also causes some pain for love. At the departure of Henry going back to the war front it is going to be a depressing moment for both Henry and Catherine. Henry is going to try everything he can to make their last moments before he leaves really count. Hopefully Henry will make it out alive and their developing relationship will prosper, and they will live together happily.
ReplyDeleteI like how your example of pain for Catherine is that she will be left alone with the child while Henry goes back to war- I didn't even think of that!
DeleteI love the details you use! Your quote about Henry's drinking and the way you described the beginning of their relationship as "friendly" really added to your entry!
DeleteIn book two of A Farewell to Arms, Henry and Catherine’s relationship really gets intense. My belief is that being away from each other for so long has made them realize how much they missed each other and truly love each other. You can tell as soon as the reunite that there is real chemistry, like on page 91: “’Hello,’ I said. When I saw her I was in love with her. Everything turned over inside of me”. Since Catherine works at the hospital Henry’s staying at, they are able to see each other often, including nighttime visits when all the other patients are asleep, “Once in the night we went to sleep and when I woke up she was not there but I heard her coming along the hall and they door opened and she came back to the bed” (pg. 101). The hospital is really where their relationship starts to develop more and more. “We said to each other that we were married the first day she had come to the hospital and we counted months from our wedding day. I wanted to be really married…” (pg. 114). In Milan they shared intimate moments in a hotel room, and just talked about life in general. She opened up to Henry that she was pregnant, “’I’m going to have a baby, darling. It’s almost three months along”(page 138).
ReplyDeleteSince spending all this time together, one has to wonder if the next separation between them will be more painful than the last. It is obvious that Catherine has changed because of Henry. All she worries about how Henry is and all that matters to her is that Henry is happy. She frequently asks him how he is and if there’s anything she can do differently to make him happier. She even says “’I want what you want. There isn’t any me anymore. Just what you want”(pg. 106). I don’t think that this is healthy for Catherine because what happens when he goes back to war? She won’t be able to think for herself, and I almost worry for her sanity. But Henry and Catherine’s relationship is without a doubt, getting more serious and more intimate.
An example of love for Catherine could be her falling in love with Henry, or her falling in love with her ex-fiancé. Catherine and her ex were together for over eight years and had wanted to get married. It was her first serious relationship, and I think her mental state was altered when he was killed and she all the sudden had this need to please every man she was with to assure herself that they would not leave her. This relationship also leads Catherine to pain. When he was unexpectedly killed in the Battle at Somme, her world came crashing down. All her future plans to get married and start a family with her boyfriend were shattered. That’s enough to change any person.
An example of love for Henry is meeting Catherine. He had never been in love before and had not expected to fall in love with her, “God knows I had not wanted to fall in love with her. I had not wanted to fall in love with any one” (pg. 93). He is forever changed by her, and he can’t get her out of his mind. Henry, unlike Catherine, has been through more physical pain rather than emotional. He suffered severe injuries to his legs and knees, which left him emotionally drained and physically exhausted. He was upset when the doctors told him he would have to wait at least six months for his surgery.
Many things changed for Henry and Catherine between book one and book two. Their relationship has reached a whole new emotional and physical level. They are finally undeniably in love.
I completely agree with what you said about it not being healthy for Catherine to not think for herself anymore, and that she may go insane with Henry at war!
DeleteI didn't even think about Catherine's wish to do whatever Henry wants and only what he wants, and how it may effect her! I think it was a good point to make.
DeleteI really liked the part that you included about how Henry has gone through more physical pain then emotional pain. I definitly agree. I think its maybe because he has been to gaurded to let anyone hurt him emotionally.
DeleteIn Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway, Henry and Catherine’s relationship has developed immensely further along into the story. Henry is injured badly so he had to spend a while at the hospital, and Miss Barkely just happens to be a nurse there. Their relationship was playful and not so serious in book one, but as the story progressed so did their love. When Henry first arrived at the hospital, he had to wait a few days to see her. The moment she walked in the door he greeted her and right off the bat displayed his affection towards her. “When I saw her I was in love with her.” “I really love you. I’m crazy about you.” (Pg.92) whereas previously in the story he claimed he was not really in love with her. Catherine announces her strong feelings towards him as well as she states on page 106, “I want what you want. There isn’t any me anymore. Just what you want.” She shows real dedication and commitment to Henry. Very soon Catherine is taking all the night shifts at the hospital just to sneak into Henry’s room and spend time with him. The hospital has a major impact on their relationship because while he is still injured and recovering from surgery, he must stay in the hospital and cannot go back into the front. This situation benefits them both by allowing them lots of time to be together. Had Henry not been injured, who knows what their relationship would have turned into? Though his injuries brought upon a negative impact to his health and well-being, it did only good to their relationship.
ReplyDeleteCatherine and Henry already see themselves as “married.” Henry brings up to topic of marriage to her and she responds with, “What good would it do to marry now? We’re really married. I couldn’t be any more married.”(Pg.115) She feels it is not in their best interest to formally get married until perhaps after the war. For Catherine, marriage is a rather touchy subject. She previously had a fiancé who has passed away and it’s hard for her to come to terms with the fact that she is now in love with Henry. Maybe it is tough for her to have her heart set on being married, for her previous dreams of marriage had been crushed in an instant when her man was killed.
**This is continued because it was too long for one post and wouldn't let me comment!**
DeleteThroughout the reading there are countless examples that show love between Catherine and Henry. Whether it be sneaking around and making sacrifices to see each other or just being in each other’s company, opening up about their lives. They make it clear to each other how they feel and never fail to say “I love you” while together. Their love seems forever enduring and they have yet to have an argument. Things for the two are really starting to look up and look positive during Henry’s stay at the hospital.
His stay at the hospital, however, doesn’t last quite as long as he had once thought it would. There was a strict rule against drinking wine unless it was approved by the doctor, and Henry had been drinking bottles after bottles throughout his stay and hiding the bottles in the armouir. Miss Van Campen, the head of the hospital, found these bottles and reported them to the doctor immediately. Henry was accused of “drinking himself jaundice as to not go back to the front.” (pg.145) This would result in his leave being ended.
A little bit before he was told he would have to leave the hospital, Catherine admitted to him that she was pregnant. “I’m going to have a baby, darling. It’s almost three months along. You’re not worried are you? Please please don’t. You musn’t worry.” (pg.138) This is tough to take in along with the fact that Henry will be returning to the front and she will be left to take care of the baby alone. The predicament that they face is a painful one, it will be tough for Catherine to watch Henry leave again. It is painful for Henry to abandon her so close to their child being born, and it is painful for Catherine to let Henry leave for war, not knowing if he shall ever return home. Henry and Catherine’s relationship was severely affected during the time they were together in Milan, for good and for bad. Their love was brought to many new levels and their passion for each other has grown tremendously. Now, what effect will Henry leaving have on the young couple is the next question, and perhaps it shall be answered further along in the reading.
Your response is very well written! I like how you brought up the point about how the hospital has a major impact on their relationship.
DeleteI liked how you mentioned that Catherine being pregnant may not only bring pain to her but to Henry as well.
DeleteI loved that you mentioned how Henry really DIDN'T love Catherine at first. He was just toying around with her feelings. But their relationship really grew past that and you did a great job including that aspect of their relationship.
DeleteIn the second book of A Farewell to Arms, the relationship between the two main characters, Henry and Catherine, develops further. What really brought the two together were Henry and Catherine spending time together in the hospital. Catherine, being a nurse, got to see Henry while he was injured in the infirmary. After being in the hospital, the two went to Milan. There, their relationship was taken to the next step. The love between the characters dramatically advanced from the first book.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as the characters saw each other for the first time in a while, the reader could tell there was real love. In the first book, Catherine knew more about love than Henry, because he had never loved anyone before-- whereas Catherine had a fiancé whom she loved that died in war. Before the second book, Henry had lied about his love for Catherine. On page 30, Henry stated, “I love you,” when he knew he didn’t. However, Henry’s feelings for Catherine all changed once he was injured and in the hospital. It was obvious to the reader of their admiration for each other. “When I saw her, I was in love with her” (91). Catherine would often sneak into Henry’s room late at night while other patients were asleep. In order to do so, Catherine acquired the night shift at the hospital.
Once Henry is cleared from the hospital, he and Catherine spend time together in Milan. While there, they act as though they are married; however, Henry states he is glad they’re not. Catherine is opposed to the idea of marriage, stating in chapter 18, “I couldn’t be any more married”. She believes that marriage is beside the point. In chapter 21, Catherine and Henry’s relationship is taken to a new level: Catherine reveals she is three months pregnant. Catherine knows there will be challenges with the pregnancy, but Henry remains positive—informing her that he is happy.
A Farewell to Arms is not only about love; it also has to do with pain. Catherine will experience pain when Henry goes back to war, leaving her with a child without a father. Henry will also experience pain from this, knowing that he will not be able to see his child or Catherine, the only person he has loved.
The relationship between Henry and Catherine turned into love in this section of A Farewell to Arms. If it weren’t for Henry getting injured, he wouldn’t have seen Catherine as a nurse at the hospital. From there, their relationship took off. Even with their love, their relationship will struggle when Henry goes back to war. Both Catherine and Henry will experience immense pain. Henry and Catherine’s relationship developed throughout book two.
I like how you pointed out the way they act in Milan: like a married couple. I also like how you mentioned that they do not really wish to get married.
DeleteI like how you said "the relationship between Henry and Catherine turned into love in this section..." to show that it was not love at first sight but progressed over time.
DeleteIn A Farewell to Arms, Book Two, by Ernest Hemmingway, Henry and Catherine's relationship takes a whole new turn, and they fall in love with each other. Henry says, "When I saw her [Catherine] I was in love with her. Everything turned over inside me" (91). Before he was injured, he did not love her and he thought of her love as an object or a toy. The time they were separated and his talk with the priest about love made him realize how he truly felt about Catherine. When Catherine shows up at the hospital where Henry is stationed, she works night shifts so she can stay up with him through the night. This and her ability to take care of his wounds helps strengthen their growing relationship. They start talking of children and marriage and Catherine talks about herself as if she and he are one person. "There isn't any me [Catherine]. I'm you. Don't make up a separate me" (115). It pains Catherine that Henry has to leave for the front again, and especially so now, because she is 3 months pregnant with his child. This pains Henry as well, but he also feels the pain of jealousy for Catherine's past love. "'You [Henry] know I [Catherine] don't love any one but you. You shouldn't mind because some one else loved me.' 'I do' 'You shouldn't be jealous of some one who's dead when you have everything'" (115). Hopefully, everything works out and Henry and Catherine will be able to live out their fantasies together.
ReplyDeleteI really agree with you about Henry and Catherine. I also lied the quotes you used.
DeleteI liked the quotes you used to display how much they love each other. I also like how you said Henry thought of Catherine as a toy.
DeleteIn Farewell to Arms, by Ernest Hemmingway, when Henry is admitted into the hospital his relationship with Catherine seems to really take off. “’Hello darling,’ she said. She looked fresh, young, and very beautiful. I had never seen any one so beautiful” (Hemmingway 91). This quote is from when Catherine first arrives at the hospital to help care for Henry and his knee injury. It is clear from the way that Henry thinks so fondly of seeing Catherine that his feelings for her have definitely exceeded the simple want for something to do while he was busy on the war front. “Besides all the big times we had many small ways of making love and we tried putting thoughts in the other one’s head while we were in different rooms. It seemed to work sometimes but that was probably just because we were thinking the same thing anyway” (Hemmingway 114). This was passage in Part 2 that really showed to huge steps in the relationship of Catherine and Henry. It shows that there are many more elements to their relationship. That even when they aren’t around each other they are always thinking of each other, and wishing they could be together. It is one of the first times in this book that Henry has shown a true affection for Catherine without her having to force it out of him. Even though in this part of the book it seems that Catherine and Henry have made huge steps forward in the quality of their relationship, there are still many things that show how Catherine is still more committed and interested in the relationship aspect. “’But I will. I’ll say just what you wish and then you will never want any other girls, will you?’ She looked at me very happily. ‘I’ll do what you want and say what you want and then I’ll be a great success, won’t I?’” (Hemmingway 105). In this passage Catherine appears to be almost desperate to keep Henry’s affections and make sure that he never falls for any one else. While at first glance it is nice that she would go through so much trouble to make him happy, it also shows that she isn’t at all confident in her ability to keep or get his love. Doing these things which come off as so desperate could end up hurting her in the long run because she will always have to be fighting and working to keep Henry’s love instead of having it regardless of whether she does everything that he wants of not. Catherine experiences happiness when she gets to spend time with Henry and especially when they go to stay at the hotel together towards the end of Part 2. “’ It’s a fine room,’ Catherine said. ‘The people who go in for it seem to have good taste about it. The red plush is really fine. And the mirrors are very attractive’” (Hemmingway 153). This passage shows how truly happy Catherine is whenever she is around him. However she experiences a lot of pain at the thought that she will have to go and raise their baby while Henry is off at war. For Henry the war is a good way to represent his experiences of both pain and happyness. It seems that Henry is happy to be defending the country of Italy and happy because the war led him to Catherine. But the war also causes him a lot of pain because with his injury all they can really do during his surgery is numb different parts of his body with ice.
ReplyDeleteI like the quote from page 105- Catherine does seem desperate to keep Henry all to herself!
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ReplyDeleteIn Ernest Hemingway's WWI novel A Farewell to Arms, Henry and Catherine have a sparkling relationship. When Henry is injured and moved to Milan Catherine moves as well. Once Henry sees Catherine he realizes that instead of just an object of affection, Catherine is someone that he wants too become romantically involved with. "'Hello,' I said. When I saw her I was in love with her. Everything turned over inside me"(91 Hemingway). He talk as though he hadn't loved her before and he was just beginning to realize how wonderful she was. On the next page they prove that they are in love. Catherine fell in love with Henry very early on but it wasn't until then that Henry fell in love with her. When Henry and Catherine go to the races they enjoy themselves in the company of the other but are still longing to be together. "'I [Catherine] felt so lonely when they were all there'"(132 Hemingway). Later on when Henry gets his notice he realizes that he won't be with Catherine much longer. Then on page 137 she reveals some big things. "'I'm going to have a baby, darling.'"
ReplyDeleteIf anything this just makes Henry in more pain that he has to leave, and most likely die. This is also hard on Catherine because she knows Henry is probably going to die. They try to make the best of it and have dinner together before Henry leaves but they both understand that it is not going to be the same.
Jack I really enjoyed how matter of fact you were in saying that Henry was probably going to die. Now a lot of people come back alive from war but you are right, back then a lot of the soldiers didn't survive. I didn't even think about that until I read your post.
DeleteHenry's relationship with Catherine developed greatly from the first book to the second book of A Farewell to Arms. In the beginning of the book it was obvious that Henry's feelings for Catherine were far less serious than her's for him. "'Oh, darling,' she said. 'You will be good to me, won't you?' What the hell, I thought. I stroked her hair and patted her shoulder. She was crying. 'You will won't you? Because we're going to have a strange life'"(27) As this point in the story he didn't even consider their relationship important enough to be talked to his friends about. "Back at the villa I went upstairs to the room. Rinaldi was lying on his bed. He looked at me. 'So have you made progress with Miss Barkley?' 'We are friends'"(27) Yet after Henry goes to war and gets injured his feelings for Catherine change. Maybe it was because of their time apart or because his injury made him realize life does not last forever so you need to live it while it lasts but for whatever reason his feelings changed very much very quick. For the first time he actually admitted to himself that he loved her. And not the kind of love he had faked previously but a true, pure love he'd never experienced before. “’Hello,’ I said. When I saw her I was in love with her. Everything turned over inside of me”(91) Although Henry's injury seemed to be a bad thing at first it actually ended up to be something good because it allowed Catherine and him to spend much needed time together which they proved they would do anything for. For example Catherine took the night shift so that she could sneak into Henry's room and spend time with him, and Henry sneaked alcohol to try and fake illness so they wouldn't put him back on the front and away from Catherine. As time progressed it was evident that the relationship was much more healthy for Henry than Catherine. With the increasing intensity of the relationship Catherine seemed to become desperate to keep Henry's affection. "'You see,' she said. 'I do anything you want... I want what you want. There isn't me any more. Just what you want.'"(106) Catherine also gets very jealous which is evident on page 104. "'Tell me. How many people have you ever loved?' 'Nobody.' 'Not even me?' 'Yes, you.' 'How many others really?' 'None' 'How many have you-how do you say it-stayed with?' 'None.' 'You're lying to me.'" (104) Though her actions may seem crazy it kind of makes sense when you consider her past. After losing her ex fiance in the war, the fear of losing another lover in any way must be terrifying. She just wants to make sure he loves her as much as she loves him and that she won't lose someone she cares so deeply about again. That's why when she finds out she is pregnant with Henry's child there is a mix of emotion. On one hand she is happy to bear the child of the man she loves yet on the other she knows he has to go back to war soon because the head nurse figured out the jaundice he had was self-inflicted and said, "Unless you find something else I'm afraid you will have to go back to the front." and she will be left alone to raise their child by herself. Henry and Catherine's relationship has escalated a lot since the first book, and hopefully all works out for them, though because the book seems to have to have to have pain every time it has happiness it's doubtful.
ReplyDeleteI like you pointed out how Catherine was getting jealous, I would have never thought of that!
DeleteIn book two of Farwell to Arms by Earnest Hemmingway, it is obvious how the relationship between Henry and Catherine has grown into much more than it was in book one. In book one, Henry’s actions proved that he was less interested in Catherine than she was in him, but after spending time away from her, he is far more interested. Henry even goes as far as to state that he is in love with her, “’Hello,’ I said. When I saw her I was in love with her. Everything turned over inside of me” (91). As Catherine works night shifts just to be with him, you watch their relationship deepen. The characters pretend that they are married, but on the inside Henry truly wishes they were. Catherine is quoted saying after spending the night with Henry, “We have such a fine time. I don’t take any interest in anything else any more. I’m so very happy married to you” (154) Henry begins to steal alcohol hoping that he will be able to fake symptoms of jaundice because if he is sick then he will not have to go back to the front, and will be able to stay in the hospital with Catherine for as long as he can. In the hotel room in Milan, the couple discussed their feelings and talked about life, and also shared moments. Catherine then told Henry she was pregnant right before he was forced to leave the hospital. This causes much excitement but also pain because what will happen when Henry goes to war? What will happen if he dies in battle? What will happen if she falls in love before he returns? There are so many things that could go wrong, but they are even more intense due to the fact that she is 3 months pregnant. Catherine is quoted saying, “I’m going to have a baby, darling. It’s almost three months along. You’re not worried are you? Please please don’t. You musn’t worry” (138). She tries to calm down Henry and see if he is worried, but you also get the hint that Catherine herself is scared of what might happen. She truly loves Henry and only wants him to be happy. He distracts her from everything else, referring back to the quote posted earlier on page 91. This is an example of love and pain because by finding love with Henry, Catherine can start to heal from the death of her ex fiancé, but at the same time it can cause trouble because when he goes off to war she will loser her “everything”. Because Henry’s love for her is growing, he is starting to realize that he can truly love Catherine, even though he states that he did not expect to, “God knows I had not wanted to fall in love with her” (93). This makes me wonder what will happen later in the book, and wonder if she will ever find out about his true intentions at first. Henry’s actions could cause much pain to Catherine, but at the same time what he does in the rest of the book could set them to have a great future. The relationship between the two, Henry and Catherine, is more intimate, real, and progressed from the beginning of the book.
ReplyDeleteI like that you mentioned how he did NOT want to go back to the front and his attempt to stay. I think that is a very important part of the book, to show just how much Henry cares for Catherine.
DeleteIn A Farewell to Arms (Book 2), Henry and Catherine become very much closer. But, as they get closer they get much more vulnerable to hurt. realtionship grows a lot at the hospital because that is when they see each other day to day. When Henry was at the hospital injured he thought,"When I saw her I was in love with her," (Page 92). The time they had spent away from each other intensified their feelings when they were reunited. They realized how much they meant to each other. And just how big of an impact the other had had on their life.
ReplyDeleteCatherine is in pain. She is very vunerable right now. Her ex-finance has died after their eight year relationship. Being in such a serious relationship so close to such a dramatic loss like that is very difficult. She has grown very attached to Henry because she feels that he is all she has left. "I'll say just what you wish and then you will never want any other girls, will you?" (Page 105).
When Catherine tells Henry she is pregnant that is something that also makes their love for each other more intense but also causes Henry pain. "I'm going to have a baby, darling. It's almost three months along," (Page 145). Henry is soon returning to the front and Catherine will be forced to raise this baby alone if he doesn't return.