- "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.
Your apprehension of the diction used by Hemingway is quite indicative of the great attention that you devoted to the novel. I too also noticed the change from formal diction with Catherine, to the friendly and often inappropriate diction that Henry used with his comrades. I also recognized the detachment that Henry felt when faced with the death of others. Even when he is faced with of his wife Catherine, Henry finds himself not even showing affection towards the child that she died in order to deliver to him. Through his use of differentiating diction, i believe that Hemingway was effectively able to create opposing points within the novel and further develop his plot.
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