Point of View

The novel is written from the third-person point of view of Frederic Henry. Readers get an inside look into the thoughts of Henry as he struggles to make sense of the war and experiences passionate love for Catherine. Oftentimes Henry works through a problem in his head and readers share that journey through the text. Henry is not without fault and often admits in his mind when he is lying or afraid.

The thoughts and personalities of the other characters are described through Henry’s eyes but his observations seem sound and perceptive. Sometimes Henry’s opinion is reflected in the conversations of the others which give his opinions more clout. For example, when he wonders if Catherine is crazy and she later admits that she was a “little crazy” when they first met. Since Henry is not a native of Italy or Switzerland, his...