Illustration of a man in a uniform

A Farewell to Arms

by Ernest Hemingway

Start Free Trial

Student Question

In A Farewell to Arms, is Catherine Barkley round, dynamic, or static?

Quick answer:

Catherine Barkley in A Farewell to Arms is a round but static character. She is well-developed as a loving and devoted partner to Lt. Henry, often seen as a projection of male desire. Despite critics finding strength in her devotion, Catherine's character does not undergo significant change or growth throughout the novel. Her role primarily serves to complement Henry and advance the plot, remaining consistent from her introduction to her death.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

There is a bit of confusion in your question in this respect. A round character can be either static or dynamic in a work of literature. A round character is a character who is well developed, but the character can either grow and change during the narrative (dynamic) or remain essentially the same (static).

Catherine Barkley has received much critical comment as one of Hemingway's fictional female characters. Critics usually view her as being a projection of male desire, a beautiful, loving woman who lives solely for her man, meeting his needs and complying with his wishes. Catherine loses herself completely in Lt. Henry; he becomes her "religion," she says. Other critics, however, find strength in Catherine even as she devotes herself to Fredric.

Since the novel is developed from Henry's first person point of view as the narrator, all we know of Catherine is what he tells us. His perceptions of her...

Unlock
This Answer Now

Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.

Get 48 Hours Free Access

frame her character. She does not act independently from him. We know little of her personal history, except that when she meets Frederic she has suffered the loss of her fiance and feels unbalanced and emotionally vulnerable to Fredric's advances. Consequently, Catherine's character is not well developed in the novel. Her role is to complement Hemingway'sprotagonist and to advance the plot as Lt. Henry is developed as a Hemingway code hero during the course of the narrative. From her initial encounter with Henry until her death at the novel's conclusion, Catherine remains essentially a static character. Despite all that happens to her along the way, she remains essentially the same woman, Fredrick Henry's (and perhaps Hemingway's) romantic ideal.

Approved by eNotes Editorial