Entry #5: Personal Review

This novel was a more challenging read but for the most part a good book. I liked the story line and the characters. I did not like how the dialogue was harder to follow because usually nobodies names were said so it was difficult at times to decipher who was talking. What stood out to me as unique about this piece was Hemingway's formatting of sentences, which were phrased differently than normal, creating a unique syntax. I also liked Hemingway's use of rhetorical strategies, specifically similes and metaphors, which compared things in a different way than expected. The author's usage of mostly dialogue enables the reader to get to know the characters better and see their interactions, and I liked how all of the characters were very different, from the soldiers, to the Pastor, to the nurses, enabling the reader to see Henry in various situations. Although it was extremely sad, my favorite part of the book was when Catherine died and Henry was reflecting on death, claiming that "this is what you did. You died. You did not know who it was about. You never had time to learn. They threw you in and told you the rules and the first time they caught you off base they killed you " (327). His thoughts are very raw and honest as well as heartbreaking, which caused me to sympathize with him. I also liked how the author was able to weave the romance of Lieutenant Henry and Catherine Berkley into a story of war and devastation without making the transition between the two awkward. Although this novel was sometimes challenging and required intense concentration, it is a really good read and I would definitely recommend this book to people.

Entry #4: Text Connections

The novel has a text-to-world connection in its portrayal of war and the current war in Middle Eastern countries. In the novel's portrayal of war it shows the devastation and damage it has the ability to cause to individuals, towns, and countries. In addition, it also gives an honest portrayal of soldiers during both their time spent fighting and handling the deaths of their fallen soldiers as well as in their down time, which often includes time spent with women. The portrayal of soldiers handling death is shown when Henry was bombed and Passini died as a result, and in a state of shock, Henry kept repeating that Passini was dead. Any soldier that has experienced death first hand could relate to Henry's shock during that time. The representation of soldiers in their down time is best exemplified in Rinaldi and his quest for women which eventually resulted in him becoming infected with syphilis, which does not necessarily mean that modern day soldiers have a tendency to become infected with sexually transmitted diseases, just that even in modern times, sexual relations between men and women during war time is still a big issue.

Entry #3: Syntax

The author's choice of unique syntax influences the tone and purpose of the piece. The entire novel is told from Lieutenant Henry's point of view and is a combination of dialogue and his personal thoughts. all of which are mostly fragments. The syntax, as well as the tone, varies depending on whom Henry is interacting with. With Henry's friend Rinaldi as well as other comrades, he has a very sarcastic and shrewd tone, showing that they have a bond, in which they can tease each other. With the Pastor he is very formal and respectful and with Catherine, his wife, it ranges. During times of stress on the battlefield, Henry is quick and to the point, but during times of emotional stress, the author makes use of repetition to show him pleading, which is exemplified in the hospital when he tells Catherine "'don't mind me darling. Please don't cry. Don't mind me...I love you so and I'll be good again. I'll be good this time. Can't they give you something? If they could only give you something"' (322). The author's choice of repetition is influential for determining the purpose which is to show Henry's scattered mind and his difficulty in handling the situation. Other than times of heightened emotion, mostly when dialogue occurs people are straightforward, which shows when the Pastor and Henry have a conversation at Henry's bedside and they say two sentences at most, with the Pastor starting the conversation claiming, "'I feel low,' You have the war disgust.' No. But I hate the war'" (70). The syntax of the frank way of speaking quickly determines the purpose of the conversation.

Entry #2: Diction

• "It belonged to a boy who was killed last year...He was a very nice boy. He was going to marry me and he was killed in the Somme" (18).
• "You have that pleasant air of a dog in heat" (27).
• "'If you drop me again.' It was because we were scared.' They dropped me once more before we reached the post. 'You sons of bitches'" (56).
• "Maybe he was choked all the time. Poor little kid. I wish the hell I'd been choked like that" (327).

The author's use of diction varies in order to determine the tone of the piece. Depending on the situation, the level of diction varies to create a tone that varies from detached to sarcastic to somber and barren. The diction between Henry and Catherine was often more formal which could either be due to Catherine's personality or to the time period and the way that women were looked upon by men. The diction between Henry and his comrades, often Rinaldi, is more informal which is exemplified when they tease each other or out on the battlefield when profanity is used. The other form of diction shown creates a somber tone to show death and the reaction Henry has to it, which is sad but surprisingly more detached, which is due to his experience with dealing with death of his comrades from either wounds or infections.

Entry #1: Rhetorical Strategies

• Simile - "In the dark it was like summer lightning, but the nights were cool and there was not the feeling of a storm coming" (3).
• Periodic Sentence - "The telescope that fitted it was, I remembered, locked in the trunk" (11).
• Metaphor - "The drops fell very slowly, as they fall from an icicle after the sun has gone" (61).
• Epistrophe - "You do not mind it. You do not see it." (70).
• Repetition - "Please, please, please, dear God, don't let her die. Dear God, don't let her die. Please, please, please don't let her die. God please maker her not die (330).

The usage of rhetorical strategies gives Hemingway a unique style in many ways. The author's use of periodic sentences, which do not often occur naturally, makes Henry seem mentally scattered, as if he has multiple things on his mind and he's trying to state something without giving it much thought. Unlike periodic sentences, the usage of repetition, especially when Henry is praying and pleading to God to save his wife Catherine, creates a powerful effect, and in the case of Henry praying, shows the reader how deeply Henry loves his wife and enables the reader to feel the emotion Henry felt during this extremely difficult time. In addition to repetition creating a powerful effect, the usage of epistrophe also does, by making the speaker seem more sophisticated and causes what he is saying to sound more sophisticated and wise.