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

第二篇：英文书评

When Pride Encounters Prejudice, Everything is Different

—the report of Pride and Prejudice

张文莹 Nancy 外汉一班 0091114047

Ⅰ:

Jane Austen (16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817), one of the most famous novelists in Britain, was born in Hampshire. She lived in the villages throughout her life. Although there were 2 suitors, she never married. She finished her first novel when she was only 21 years old. This work’s name was First Impressions (After amending, it had a new name:Pride and Prejudice).

Ⅱ:

Pride and Prejudice is a humorous story of love and marriage. Mr. Bennet was an English gentleman living in Hertfordshire with his wife. He had five daughters: the beautiful Jane, the clever Elizabeth, the bookish Mary, the immature Kitty and the wild Lydia. Because of the law, after the death of Mr. Bennet, their house would be inherited by a distant cousin whom they have never met. This family's future happiness and security dependent on the 5 daughters’ marriages. One day, a rich gentleman Mr. Bingley came and rented a large house in this country. His sisters and his best friend Mr. Darcy came together. Love was soon in the air for one of the 5 sisters, while another had a prejudice against Mr. Darcy.

Then they experienced many things, but at last, Mr. Bingley married the oldest sister Jane, and Elizabeth overcame the prejudice and married to Mr. Darcy. It’s a happy ending.

Ⅲ：

Although Mr. Song said the book report should be objective，but I had to say this book touched my heart deeply.

The women written by Jane Austen still live in our world.

Some like Charlotte Lucas, they choose a marriage without love just for money and a stable life.

Some like Lydia, they are so frivolous and foolish that they flatter themselves that they can do anything well.

Some like Mary, they are not good-looking but think themselves are the best ones. They look down every man while they are eager for a man’s love in their hearts.

Some like Jane, they are kind and beautiful, but they are also reserved and feminine。They don’t have courage to fight for the love of their own but wait here in vain.

And there are also some girls like innocent Ms Darcy or like vainglorious and superficially clever Bingley sisters.

Of course, some girls like Elizabeth, they are clever, gentle, open-minded, and they know their own hearts. They never give in even facing a difficult situation. They are good ladies who are worth loving and cherishing.

Jane Austen’s wisdom always appeals to me, which makes me smile through the whole reading.

In fact, the life of Jane Austen was unremarkable，she nearly didn’t leave the villages where she lived. Therefore, in her books, you can’t find any historical plots or any abstruse things making you feel bored. She just wrote some common people about their happiness, little trouble, sorrow and perplexity again and again by her keen observation and her outstanding ability of writing.  Although those stories happened in the villages of Britain 200 years ago, they are vivid today. Maybe she was not really a great writer in the world, but she is the cleverest and cutest woman in my heart. However, reality is not the novel. It is always cruel. Jane Austen never married throughout her life, her best friend was her sister. She was such a clever and naughty girl, whose gentleness and beauty were ignored. It’s a pity that there was no one like Mr. Darcy to appreciate and love her.

Jane Austen and Eileen Chang were very like. Their works had many things in common. For example, both of their works focused on the life which they were familiar with, and they both had the sharp observation. Although they liked to write some satires, Austen was gentler than Eileen Chang.

In Pride and Prejudice, you can find some very interesting dialogues. Such as in the CHAPTER 1, Mrs. Bonnet said: “Mr. Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such a way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves.” “You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these 20 years at least.” the Mr. Bennet answered with a forced smile.

What sarcastic humor it contained! She successfully depicted Mrs. Bennet as a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper by few words. And the two of them left a deep and clear imprison on the readers.

Love is the eternal theme of novels. Pride and Prejudice was no exception, but it not only talked about “love”, also mentioned “marriage”. The novels about love or marriage are countless in the world. So standing out among them is not an easy thing. Pride and Prejudice can be one of the masterpieces and be loved by thousands upon thousands people from different countries, which proves that it does have its special glamour.

I mainly want to talk about Elizabeth’s 2 rejections. As readers or outsiders，we can easily reject anyone and don’t accept a marriage without love just for respecting our own hearts. But if you think it over and read the book again, you will find it needs great courage to reject a man who can support you a life without worrying about clothes and food. Rejecting her cousin Mr. Collins, an unpleasant person, seemed easy, however, her best friend Charlotte chose to marry him. This contrast shows very clearly that this rejection is difficult for a woman in those days.

Maybe you can find some reasons to explain why Elizabeth did that to Mr. Collins, but I’m sure there is no reason to refuse Mr. Darcy’s marriage proposal. He was such a perfect gentleman! Elizabeth couldn’t inherit her father’s fortune, which meant she had to marry a rich man to support her and live a comfortable life. But faced with Mr. Darcy, she said “no” without any hesitation. When Darcy proposed to her by saying his sense of her inferiority-of its being a degradation-of the family obstacles which judgment had always opposed to inclination. Elizabeth said: “It is nature that obligation should be felt, and if I could feel gratitude, I would now thank you. But I cannot —I have never desired your good opinion, and you have certainly bestowed it most unwillingly.”

I like this self-respecting girl and look down upon those girls who give in just for fortune, fame, even some petty profits

In fact, I don’t like a happy ending. I think a tragedy is more attractive and can reach the deepest part of my heart while a comedy is read just for relaxation. But I am also moved by this story. Pride gave way to sincerity，prejudice was replaced by love. They lived a happy life together.

We can image that they sat on the lakeside bench at twilight and talked about that green years when the pride met the prejudice。