1. War takes an emotional toll on the characters. Select one of the following characters and discuss how s/he copes with the stress of war: Frederic, Catherine, Rinaldi, the men in Frederic's unit, the priest, the major.

2. What is the significance of the Saint Anthony medal Catherine gives to Frederic?

3. Would you agree or disagree with the following statement:Catherine Barkley is a self-assured and independent woman. Why or why not?

4. Up to this point in the novel, what patterns have emerged with regard to Frederic and alcohol?

5. Describe Frederic's attitude toward his own mortality.

6. How might Frederic's viewpoint toward the war change after his injury?

7. How does Catherine diverge from the "normal" young woman of the early twentieth century in Chapter 18?

8. Describe the friendship between Frederic and Rinaldi.

9. Why do you think Frederic is so eager to return to the battlefield when additional time in the hospital gives him additional time with Catherine?

10. The priest describes the men as "gentler." Discuss the changes he has seen in the soldiers.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When devising a plot, an author has four available types of conflict: man vs. man; man vs. nature; man vs. society; and man vs. himself.

1 - Which of these conflicts applies to the plot of this novel and the conflict Frederic faces? Does more than one apply? Discuss.

2 - How does conflict strengthen the framework of a story?

Essay Topic 2

In this novel, the characters become increasingly acquainted with the horrors of war.

Part 1 - How does Frederic's attitude about the danger of war change in this novel?

Part 2- How do the soldiers cope with the horrors that they see? How are their coping mechanisms alike/different? Do these coping mechanisms really help them?

Essay Topic 3

Character development is an essential element of a novel. Select a character and discuss how that character changes throughout the course of the novel. Be sure to:

- describe the character at the beginning of the novel;

- discuss events that contribute to that character's change;

- describe the changed character;

- discuss how the changes in the character propel the plot.

(see the answer keys)

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