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Laura Baldwin’s Review of A Journey’s End (2017)

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The 2017 film A Journey’s End (dir. Saul Dibb), one of many film adaptations of R.C. Sherriff’s 1928 play, stars Sam Clafin, Asa Butterfield, and Paul Bettany as soldiers on the front line of the Great War in the final year of the war. In the film, a young man, Jimmy Raleigh (Butterfield), joins the front for the first time in spring 1918 as the British are anticipating an offensive attack from the Germans. He requests to be put into a company with his friend from school, Stanhope (Clafin), even though the company’s position is more dangerous than his original appointment. While at the front, Raleigh befriends Lieutenant Osborne (Bettany) and finds out that Stanhope has been changed by the war.

When one thinks of war movies, they may think of an action-packed combat film, often with a heroic figure. A Journey’s End is not that kind of film. A Journey’s End takes place over just a few days and primarily deals with the dreadful waiting for a German offensive. There are only two combat scenes, each of which focuses on fear, the brutality of war, and loss of life. The story conveys the trauma of soldiers. Raleigh, who arrives bright and enthusiastic, is overtaken by fear in conflict and, after experiencing the death of someone close to him, is left feeling empty and angry. Stanhope, who is practically unrecognizable to Raleigh, turns to alcohol to cope with his fear and nightmares. In one scene, between Stanhope and a soldier who desperately wants to be sent out due to injury or else desert, Stanhope shares that they all feel the same anxiety, terror, and suicidal thoughts, but must stick through it anyway and continue fighting. In one scene, Stanhope has nightmare, which is depicted using a seamless transition from him rolling over in bed. At first, he is backlit by something extremely bright, possibly fire from an explosion, that the audience cannot see. In the next shot, the camera faces Stanhope as he stares into the bright light, which has a buzzing sound, then cuts to black. The audience is still not privy to what, exactly, he sees or what it means to him—perhaps it is a memory of something in the past or something he fears could happen in the future, when the Germans attack—but the audience can tell that it is unnerving. Rather than the action of warfare, A Journey’s End focuses on the human element of war through the trauma, fear, emotional defeat of soldiers.

The setting of A Journey’s End appears to accurately reflect the reality of life in the trenches. The trenches are muddy, wet, and smelly—even reinforced with bodies of the dead—and the food is bad. The soldiers spend most of their time just waiting around for conflict to erupt, another defining aspect of trench life. The film also emphasizes the physical destruction of war. A heap of bricks is all that is left of a farm, splintered trees are all that is left of the woods, and, at the end, a zooming out bird’s-eye view reveals the death and destruction of the trench and its surrounding environment.

Dibb utilizes several techniques to illustrate the tension and passing of time at the front. He uses orchestral non-diegetic music to contrubute to the feelings of tension and anxiety while waiting for the German offensive. Additionally, he uses on-screen text to segment each passing day throughout the film, emphasizing the passage of time. On-screen text also provides background information about the war. The film concludes with on-screen text that states facts about the German offensive, including how over a million people would die at war in 1918 alone before the war finally ended. The use of informational text adds even more emotional weight to the film, reminding viewers that this was a real even with real casualties.

I was not sure what to expect from A Journey’s End, but I found it to be a raw, emotional expression of humanity and life in the trenches while anticipating almost certain death. Although the plot was predictable and depressing, the cast’s performances convey the incomprehensible loss of life in the Great War and the struggles felt by soldiers. I am curious about how it compares to the original play and other film adaptations. If anyone is interested in a somber depiction of life in the trenches, A Journey’s End tells a well-executed, moving story.

Hemingway Hate? (Open Discussion)

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In the 2 PM section, we always roast Hemingway and his writing. But I wanted to open a blog discussion about him to gauge what all of us think.

Personally, the only other Hemingway book I’ve read was The Sun Also Rises (1926) (which I forgot even was a Hemingway book until I looked it up, so I don’t know what that says about me), and I really enjoyed that one. I’ve come around to A Farewell to Arms lately. It’s weird, but I don’t hate it.

I don’t know much about Hemingway himself (and someone has posted an article about his 4 wives), so along with what I glean from Google, I’d like to hear from everyone in our class: what’s the deal with Ernest Hemingway?

Tristan Barber’s Reading Questions for February 22nd: A Farewell to Arms – Book Three (Pages 160-233)

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Question 1

In Bonnie Akkerman’s reading questions for Book One in A Farewell to Arms, we were asked about the symbolism behind Hemingway’s use of rain. Two books later, we find that almost the entirety of Book Three is spent in the rain, ramping up as the characters face greater and greater danger, culminating in the near-drowning of Frederic himself.

“It rained all night. You knew it rained down that rained. Look at it. Christ, that my love were in my arms and I in my bed again. That my love Catherine. That my sweet love Catherine down might rain. Blow her again to me. Well, we were in it. Every one was caught in it and the small rain would not quiet it.”

A Farewell to Arms pg. 172 (roughly halfway into Chapter 28)

Now that we have this expanded context, has your opinion on rain as a motif changed at all? What does the motif mean for Frederic after he secretly boards the train back home, and how does this compare or contrast with Catherine’s extreme reaction to the rain earlier in the novel? Does the river factor into this, and if so, how?

Question 2:

Frederic’s injury and the death of those around him in the beginning of the novel are the only time we’ve seen characters die by enemy hands so far. This early violence serves as a plot device to deliver Frederic to the hospital. In Book Three, in extreme contrast, all of the deaths are inflicted by friendly fire – either by accident (as may be the case with Aymo) or intentionally (as with Frederic’s slaying of the sergeant and the border guards’ slaying of the retreating officers).

“‘I order you to halt,’ I called. They went a little faster. I opened up my holster, took the pistol, aimed at the one who had talked the most, and fired. I missed and they both started to run. I shot three times and dropped one. The other went through the hedge and was out of sight.”

A Farewell to Arms pg. 177 (the beginning of Chapter 29)

“He made the sign of a cross. The officers spoke together. One wrote something on a pad of paper. ‘Abandoned his troops, ordered to be shot,’ he said. The carabinieri took the lieutenant-colonel to the river bank. He walked in the rain, an old man with his hat off, a carabinieri on either side. I did not watch them shoot but I heard the shots.”

A Farewell to Arms pg. 192 (near the end of Chapter 30)

Why is Hemingway creating such a stark contrast between the forms of death in the novel? How do you compare Frederic’s violence with the border guards, and how do they justify it? Is there a difference?

Question 3:

With the introduction of the two sisters picked up in the convoy, we see the first civilian experience of the frontline. Their behavior is entirely unlike any other of the characters within the novel – where the servicemembers have accepted the war and are quite resigned, the sisters are fearful and quiet, especially towards the other men. Unlike the antisemitic horse race character, this does not appear to be a fruitless inclusion.

“‘Sorella?’ I asked and pointed at the other girl. She nodded her head and smiled. ‘All right,’ I said and patted her knee. I felt her stiffen away when I touched her. The sister never looked up. She looked perhaps a year younger. Aymo put his hand on the elder girl’s thigh and she pushed it away. He laughed at her. ‘Good man,’ he pointed to himself. ‘Good man,’ he pointed at me. ‘Don’t you worry.'”

A Farewell to Arms pg. 170 (near the beginning of Chapter 28)

The two girls are only involved in the novel for a short time, but their presence leaves a lasting impact on the reader – why is that? What was Hemingway trying to portray with their inclusion, and how do they relate to the other civilians in the story? What are the class and gender ramifications between them and the servicemembers, especially with Frederic who as a male officer and American, holds considerable privilege?

Abby Algeier’s Reading Questions on Hemingway Part III for 2/22

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  1. We talked in class a little today about symbolism of rain and the relationship between Frederic and Catherine. In Book 3/Part III, Frederic is back on the front. In chapter 28, the army retreats to the city of Udine and experiences start-and-stop traffic (something we still deal with). On pages 171-172, Frederic lost himself in a day dream where he says “blow, blow ye western wind” and asks for the rain to bring Catherine to him, then having a “conversation” with her. What do you make of his longing for Catherine — is he tired of the front/wartime situation already, does the rain make him think and worry about her, etc.?
  2. The carabinieri were collecting, questioning, and shooting officers who had crossed the bridge because they believed that any officer was a German in disguise. Piani and Frederic encountered some Brigata di Pace soldiers before this. Compare the attititudes of the carabinieri and the Peace Brigade to killing officers: “‘The war won’t go on,’ a soldier said. ‘We’re going home. The war is over (p. 189).'” and “‘Down with the officer! Viva la Pace (p. 190)!'” vs. “‘It is you and such as you that have let the barbarians onto the sacred soil of the fatherland (p. 193).'” and “‘It is because of treachery such as yours that we have lost the fruits of victory (p. 193).'” Do either/both/neither propagate or inhibit the war?
  3. “Anger was washed away in the river along with any obligation (p. 200).” Considering the paragraph before talking about lying with guns and Frederic’s frustration over the carbinieri, as well as sections in the novel previously, does flowing/moving water symbolize something now for him as it does Catherine?

“I Have Thoughts”

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This is what I briefly said to Dr. Scanlon yesterday. And, even after listening to today’s discussion, those thoughts remain relatively the same.

I’m having a hard time liking any one character, even smaller ones like the different nurses around the hospital where Frederick is staying. There seems to always be something that they say or do that bothers me, or makes me stop and think “huh, that’s kind of weird.” Granted, each character has their moments where I’ll like them for what they said, or maybe something they did, but it never lasts.

I love that, though. I’d rather read a book that frustrates me to no end, that makes me feel at least something, rather than read a book where I feel nothing at all and I am just chugging my way through it. Don’t let my above thoughts fool you: I actually really like this book. I like not knowing who I side with in conversation; I like constantly flip-flopping back and forth on character support. It keeps my reading experience interesting.

I think it’s actually a great tie-in to the other stories we’ve read, and All Quiet in particular. War forces a person to play on a line of morality that someone like me really hasn’t had to even think about. I don’t believe that anything in life is completely black and white, but especially in a war, the different shades of grey are endless. You become who you have to, and do what you feel you have to in order to get by. This applies to Frederick and Catherine as well. While I think there are some genuine emotions toward each other, as someone mentioned, it’s more like the idea of playing house with someone than anything else. They’re playing a part that they need to in order to stay some semblance of sane.

I don’t dislike Catherine for her as a character, necessarily, but more for the way Hemmingway wrote her, if that makes sense. I’m more upset with the author than I am the character.

These narratives we’ve read all play with morality in interesting ways, and I’m curious to see what happens with the rest of the narrative.

Hemingway and Alcohol

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The fact that Hemingway was a really big drinker is no secret. I was reviewing today’s section of A Farewell to Arms and one sentence jumped out at me: “And I’m very brave when I’ve had a drink.” (pg. 122)

This got me thinking about Hemingway’s use of alcohol in his work. I found this interesting article that mentions how alcohol is ” omnipresent throughout the novel” in A Farewell to Arms. This article also pointed out how Frederic’s narration associates drinking with positive characterization.

How does alcohol reflect trauma in Ernest Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms?

Grace Schumacher’s Reading Questions for 2/17

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A FAREWELL TO ARMS: Part II (pgs. 79-159)

“‘I hear you are going to get the silver metal,’ Ettore said to me. ‘What kind of citation you going to get?’ ‘I don’t know. I don’t know I am going to get it.’ ‘You’re going to get it. Oh boy, the girls at the Cova will think you’re fine then. They’ll all think you killed two hundred Austrians or captured a whole trench by yourself…’ ‘How many have you got, Ettore?’ asked the vice-consul. ‘He’s got everything,’ Simmons said. ‘He’s the boy they’re running the war for.’ ‘I’ve got the bronze twice and three silver metals,’ said Ettore” (Hemingway 105).

1. While the Italians are right up against the Austrians at the Eastern front, there seems to be “no sense of danger” and a “lack of investment” displayed by the men. In the excerpt above, Ettore, almost braggingly, shares the number of metals he has been awarded. He says, quote: “‘Believe me, I got to work for my decorations… but the papers on only one have come through… When the action isn’t successful they hold up all the metals.’“

This behavior contrasts the sentiments expressed by characters in both All Quiet and Not So Quiet, where metals are of little value to the men to whom they are given. Roy Evans-Mawnington in Not So Quiet is a prime example of this: “Sometimes I think Mother would rather have a decoration than me…” (Smith 225).

It has already been expressed by multiple characters that the war holds no value to the soldiers fighting in it. Do you think the men engage in this “competition” in order to motivate themselves to keep returning to the front?

* * *

“He said that we were all cooked but we were alright as long as we did not know it. We were all cooked. The thing was not to recognize it. The last country to realize they were cooked would win the war” (Hemingway 116).

“‘This war is killing me,’ Rinaldi said, ‘I am very depressed by it.’ He folded his hand over his knee. ‘Oh,’ I said. ‘What’s the matter? Can’t I even have human impulses?’ ‘No. I can see you have been having a fine time'” (Hemingway 146).

2. The “willful ignorance,” with regards to the war, practiced by the men is also adopted by Paul and his comrades in All Quiet. Is this a coping mechanism? By acknowledging the war, does it gain power over you?

* * *

“‘Come over here please,’ Catherine said. The flatness was all gone out of her voice. ‘Come over, please. I’m a good girl again.’ I looked over at the bed. She was smiling. I went over and sat on the bed beside her and kissed her. ‘You’re my good girl'” (Hemingway 133).

“‘You’re a nice boy,’ she said. ‘And you play it as well as you know how. But it’s a rotten game.’ ‘Do you always know what people think?’ ‘Not always. But I do with you. You don’t have to pretend you love me. That’s over for the evening. Is there anything you’d like to talk about?’ ‘But I do love you.’ ‘Please let’s not lie when we don’t have to. I had a very fine little show and I’m all right now” (Hemingway 27).

3. It can be argued that Cat is a “static character” used by Hemingway as an index of Henry’s “maturation” throughout the novel. However, in the excerpt above, Catherine seems to have checked her behavior in order to remain appealing to Henry. This is a contradiction to her behavior in the first few chapters within the novel, where she appears to be “hot & cold” and looks to Henry solely for his professions of love. What do you make of this change? Do you think there is one? Do you think it has anything to do with her pregnancy?

Catherine/Frederic vs. Nellie/Roy

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We spoke briefly in class today about the parallels between A Farewell to Arms and the other works we have read this semester and finishing up my essay on Roy and Nellie in Not So Quiet made me reflect some more on that. In my copy, under the scene where Catherine talks about her fiancee, I wrote “I hope Nellie talks to Roy like this.” After coming across this again, I think her complete honesty is really appealing as a model for how Nellie would communicate her trauma. For instance, she says “he was a very nice boy. He was going to marry me and he was killed in the Somme…You see I didn’t care about the other thing and he could have had it all. He could have had anything he wanted if I would have known. I would have married him or anything. I know all about it now. But then he wanted to go to war and I didn’t say anything”(23). For a woman of her time, this honesty to her romantic partner is unique. It is an interesting display of how the war can just completely remove certain expected methods of decorum. I obviously hope Roy would not respond to her in the callous, distant manner Henry speaks to Catherine, but at least putting it all out there in a way like this would be important for her to at least have some shot at coping. Would Nellie even be able to have the emotional connection Catherine does though? Is Roy so broken himself he would not have the emotional capacity to do any better than Henry? I think it is also interesting to think about the parallel that this could have been Nellie. Roy, a boy she grew up around and knew for a long time as Catherine knew her fiancee, could have died and she could have kept on going in the war and eventually met a new man. Maybe thinking of Catherine as an alternate reality version of Nellie will help me view her in a ore positive light.

Article I mentioned in class (sort of)

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I have seen another piece about finding the body of a WWI Italian soldier in the Alps and will keep looking. But in the meantime, here is the story from the Post that I crossed it with, in which they find a preserved bunker from the war that is Austro-Hungarian, so I was a bit off:

https://wapo.st/3gPvrLe