1 July 2003 10:12 [link]
a farewell to a farewell to arms
I finally finished A Farewell To Arms by Ernest Hemingway, with considerable relief.
For all his fabled sparseness of prose, the whole thing dragged. I quite enjoyed the descriptions. I read the bits about war and the front line with interest. But as soon as Catherine opened her mouth, I switched off. The conversations between her and our hero were mind-numbingly awful and banal, each repeating what the other had said, ad infinitum.
Added to this was the fact that Catherine was so wet. I don't think I've ever encountered such a weak female character, with the possible exception of Tess of the D'Urbevilles. (Have you read Tess of the D'Urbevilles? No? Don't bother.)
The dialogue generally runs something like:
"Aren't we having a fine time?"
"We're having a grand time."
"I'll do anything you want me to do."
"You're a fine girl."
"Aren't I good to you?"
"You're a grand girl."
"Don't leave me."
"I won't leave you."
"You can leave me if you want to. I won't mind. I'll still love you."
"I won't leave you. You're good to me."
Where's the glory? Where's the blood on the sand? Where's the death under a merciless sun? Where, I ask you, is the bullfighting?
* * *