A Farewell To Arms Essay

Natalia Orobitg
Mrs. Gloria Custodio
English Advance Class
March 11, 2012

Deep Feelings in Simple Words: Hemmingway’s Style of Writing
Hemingway, the author of A Farewell to Arms, has aunique style of writing that stands out in this book. “Abstract words such as glory, honor, courage, or hollow were obscene beside the concrete names of villages, the numbers of roads, the names ofrivers, the numbers of regiments and the dates” (p.169) This quote shows that the author has a short and straightforward style of writing using declarative sentences that impact the reader.
What Henry,the protagonist of this novel, means to say in this quote is that for him these words are abstract because of what he is going through in the war. Why believe something sacred or think in somethingsacred if there is nothing sacred about what surrounds him. He also mentions “the things that were glorious had no glory” (p.185) He could mean that courage is an abstract concept because in war whensomebody is doing something courageous he needs to sacrifice his life, but the fact of just participating in this inhumanity is a sacrifice and is courageous. Many people were participating in it sonobody stands out because of sacrifice or courage, so it’s not concrete because every individual participating in it has his or her own personal meaning making it abstract.
Hemingway’s, style ofwriting is straightforward and uncomplicated as seen in the two quotes that have been mentioned. He tends to use short sentences and direct messages. His style conveys the characters’ intentions andinteractions allowing the reader to get to know them profoundly. It’s amazing how in simple words and in uncomplicated sentences he can express a deep feeling of the characters.
The quotes mentionedbefore deeply reflect Henry’s feeling. Also, demonstrate Hemingway’s prose style and simplistic diction. It’s outstanding how Hemingway chose ordinary words that express profound feelings about the...