A Farewell to Arms | Catherine Barkley

An English nurse with the Red Cross, Catherine Barkley is introduced to Henry through Rinaldi in Chapter IV. Frederic perceives “Miss Barkley [as] quite tall. She wore what seemed to be a nurse’s uniform, was blonde and had tawny skin and gray eyes. I thought she was very beautiful.” Rinaldi, on the other hand, calls her a “lovely cool goddess.” These two examples summarize the critical views of Catherine—she is thought to be either a heroine or a sex object.

Not surprisingly, Catherine prefers Frederic to Rinaldi and begins a game of love with Frederic. She tells...

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