Writing Style and Structure

Hemingway's signature declarative, terse prose serves him well in this novel. It enables our narrator to be initially detached from life, and also serves to paint an uncompromising picture of the war. Additionally, it is used to produce a realistic narrative from Henry's point of view, shying away from elaborate schemes and descriptions. Because of it, nothing in the novel is romanticized. The love between Henry and Catherine is an elegant one, and in Hemingway's hands it becomes more of a function of existence rather than the primary focus of the novel.

The reader also will not fail to notice the humor which Hemingway manages to gleam despite the seriousness of his topic (the doubting reader should re-read Henry's dialogue with Miss Van Campen 144). The author is, indeed, finding something to laugh about in life, much as his characters are discovering meaning in an indifferent existence.

Finally, Hemingway is well-known for his use of objective correlatives and this novel is no exception. The vivid details, from crowded trains to gaudy hotel rooms, oftentimes serve no purpose other than to paint a mood for the reader.