The Value under the Iceberg

--reflection on A Farewell to Arms

When I was in high school, I have read The Old Man and The Sea. Though I have heard this book is classic and is worth reading, I was not able to find its real value, because I could not understand what the author wanted to say. I have known, from that time, that it is hard to figure out the value under the iceberg.

This term when I know we should read Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms, I am a little worried. As far as I know, it is a love tragedy, which discloses the hatred to war. As for the value of this work, I am totally confused. But I still insist on reading it until I finish it. Thanks to my insistence, I have found something valuable.

In my opinion, Hemingway is good at line drawing. He likes describing something with simple words and deleting something he thinks useless. Take the first paragraph as an example, the simple description introduces clearly the background and makes readers feel the dreariness for the war. In his book, there is nearly no description about psychology and appearance. So I should guess and figure out the mood of characters. He has referred to many wines like champagne, whisky and vodka and so on. Though I don’t understand wine, I can realize that kind of indulgence —rational indulgence. I know the hero is real and sincere.

After the hero’s friend is killed by people on their own side, he realizes he is fighting for a nonexistent goal. The peace can’t be gained by the war. So he runs away and decides to chase his love. He and Catherine live happily together. But I still think it is not true when the whole world is in war. As expected, his dream breaks and his wife dies. Compared with the bright beginning, the end is heavy. He can’t laugh as light as the beginning. The war brings him so much sadness that he can’t bear it.

The war ends at last, but the sadness it brings to people will not end. “A Farewell to Arms” is all people’s hope. Finally, I know the value of iceberg.

第二篇：永别了武器英文书评

Reading Review of a Farewell To Arms.

After reading this masterpiece of Ernest Hemingway, I sighed deeply for the pains and suffering the war brings to a person. By telling the experiences and thoughts of the protagonist, Frederick Henry, during World War I, Hemingway expressed his criticism of the war and showed empathy to all the victims.Below is the outline of the story.

An American soldier Frederick Henry was send to northern Italy with his comrades(战友) during World War I. There he made the acquaintance（相遇，熟人） of a British nurse Catherine Barkley. Afterwards Henry got wounded in the war and was sent to Milan for medical aid. Coincidently he met Catherine in Milan again. Gradually they both fell in love with each other and spent a wonderful but brief period of time .During this period, Catherine got pregnant. Then Henry returned from the rear area to the front, finding that the Italian Army there was full of failure and despair as defeated by the Germans. Italian Army began to retreat and soldier were very excited—not to sacrifice their lives for the motherland but to be against to the war. In front, the Italian Army military police began arresting soldiers and officers who wanted to escape or give up and executed them by shooting. To escape the fate of being executed Henry jumped into the river and fled away. He finally realized that he had finished his obligation as a soldier, and what he indeed needed was a peaceful life. At that time he has only one purpose, which is to find Catherine. Henry removed to Milan, but only to be told that Catherine had moved to another city for holiday. Henry immediately set off, and months later the two meet again happily. They fled to Switzerland and had a happy time But eventually , Catherine died of dystocia(难产), leaving Henry a person alone in sorrow and loneliness.

In Hemingway's view, the war is an absurd behavior. Causes of war was factually not so pure as what the leader publicized（宣传）, instead usually only for political interests. But large numbers of brave and honest patriots（爱国者） are deluded（欺骗） by the rhetoric（花言巧语） of politicians. People are requested or required to take responsibilities for their country, compatriots（同胞） or justice. They lose control of their own fate and eventually became machines and sacrifices of war. Glorifying the injury brought by the war with praise is absurd too.

The victims of war in this book were all disgusted to the war, but no one understands the meaning of war, and the only done is to obey orders. They are not afraid of death, but meaningless death. They resented the war and the suffering brought by the war. But on the other hand, they have no freedom and right to take the charge of their own lives, living in pains and despair.

At the end of this novel, the heroine died, the hero’s life fell in darkness again. Via this miserable ending, the author expressed deeply criticism to the war, which causes endless pains to tiny people.

The time when war permanently(永久地) passes away, when the rights of civilians are respected, is the truly bright time.

查阅的新单词：

protagonist 主人公

despair绝望

dystocia 难产 rhetoric 花言巧语

deluded 欺骗

compatriots 同胞