I am going to just overview what I can understand about Frederic Henry so far in Hemingway's novel, A Farewell To Arms.
Frederic Henry really tends to make me angry. I'm pretty sure this is because I am extremely patriotic and whenever somebody disrespects America or their armed services, I want to punch small soft animals. He is an American fighting in the Italian army, but he really doesn't know why. He doesn't think that it is his place to be there, but he is anyway. He doesn't feel patriotic towards America, or Italy for that matter. His describes himself as "a man of duty". He doesn't have any honor whatsoever and doesn't expect to be praised for his service. With most of the soldiers that I have grown to know, they all explain to me that it is "simply their duty" and that I don't need to thank them for it. But on the other hand, they are extremely proud of their country, and they are intensely passionate about life. I can't understand how someone could join the military of any country without being patriotic or feeling passion towards something. I just can't wrap my mind around it. Another thing that really stuck out to me was that when he finds the soldier on the edge fo the road with a hernia, he doesn't do the respectable thing a soldier would do in that instance. The solider was anxious to stay away from camp because he didn't want to fight. Henry tells him that perhaps he should hit himself on the head to give it a bump, that way he could go back to the hospital and not have to fight. A respectable American soldier would look that man right in the eyes and tell him that they knew what they signed up for, and that it is his duty to defend that country. His life just seems to lack any passion or ambition whatsoever- much like Mersault. Finally, he does find some passion when he falls for Catherine, but he still doesn't have any patriotism and makes me incredibly upset.
