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A Farwell to Arms

 

            Three Victims in Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms.
             In Ernest Hemingway's novel, A Farewell to Arms many characters are represented in many different roles. Hemingway introduces patriots, pacifist, victims, and many other roles in his characters. Rinaldi, Lt. Henry, and Catherine Barkley are just three of these many characters whom take on the role of victims. Throughout the novel these characters take on many roles, but Hemingway represents these influential characters as victims.
             Rinaldi, a surgeon in the Italian army falls victim to seduction and alcohol very early in the novel. Rinaldi is a very mischievous and oversexed character in Hemingway's novel. Although he is a skilled doctor Rinaldi becomes a drunk and a womanizer. He takes frequent visits to the local whorehouses and cannot overcome his love and need for sex. His love and need for sex causes Rinaldi to fall victim to sex as well as alcohol. The only way Rinaldi can overcome his need for sex is to drink. Drinking is Rinaldi's second favorite thing to do. When he is drinking he can forget about any emotional attachment to his women. Often in the novel Rinaldi is drunk, and found begging Lt. Henry to have a few drinks with him.
             Lieutenant Henry is a young American Ambulance driver serving in the Italian army. Henry is sent to the war front in the spring where he meets Catherine Barkley. Lt. Henry and Catherine fall in love just before he is sent to battle. Lt. Henry is wounded on the battlefield and is sent to recover in Milan. Catherine is transferred to Milan and takes care of Henry. Henry falls victim to both the war and Catherine simultaneously. The war causes him physical pain and Catherine causes him emotional pain by taken his heart. Henry's leg heals and the army grants him three weeks convalescence leave, and then he must return to the front. Catherine reveals to him that she is pregnant before Henry returns to the front.


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