Blog 2

Book: A Farewell to Arms
Pages read this week: 76
Pages read since semester: 166

Frederick Henry, after being injured at the front, was sent to Milan for better treatment of his injured knee ands Catherine Barkley is also transferred there. Henry goes under knife for his knee. Both he and Catherine spend the entire summer together, and they also make love at night, which consequently leads to her pregnancy. By the end of book two, Henry leaves for the front, late by three weeks due to jaundice.

Questions
Que. 1: Why did you choose this story? Has it met your expectations so far? Why or why not?
Ans.: I chose this story because I had heard a lot about Ernest Hemingway and his novels. I had always longed to read his works, and the title of ‘A Farewell to Arms,’ had always fascinated me. Moreover, I consulted my sister’s English teacher from last year, Mr. Dyer, about some book. War stories have been my favorites, whether they are books, real life incidents or Indian movies. Also, this book is romantic too. Until now, I have enjoyed the book, except for the love making part(s). I do not like to read about that stuff because I consider such things unethical and immoral. However, it does make the story more realistic. The rhetoric and concreteness of the lexicon are just fabulous. In addition to all this, the youthful vigor of the characters of the story make the book a masterpiece, and it can be enjoyed by people from all walks of life. The connotation of the incidents has moved me the most, and that is why I have neglected some minor flaws of the story.

Que. 2: What does the story or the characters remind you of?
Ans.: The characters of the story remind me of one of my favorite movies, “Veer Zaara.” It is an Indian Bollywood movie, but certainly novel, not a copy of a Hollywood movie. It involves the love story of an Indian Air Force officer, Sq. Ldr. Veer Pratap Singh; and a Pakistani girl, Zaara. Now, everyone knows that there is no love lost between India and Pakistan. Things are better now, but they were very bad before. Being a Punjabi and a Sikh, I feel the pain of partition of India. Both Veer and Zaara are in love with each other, but they could not marry, and I need not tell why. Although I have watched this movie numerous times, yet it is very close to my heart due to its emotional appeal, and the sentiments it erupts in one’s mind. Fredrick Henry and Catherine Barkley are just like Veer and Zaara for me.

Honorable Mr. Seal, I did not want to play a spoilsport by narrating the entire story of "Veer Zaara."