Losing my Religion

While reading the novel A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway (a surprisingly enjoyable book) I observed numerous themes and symbols, but the one that stood out the most was the soldier’s loss of faith. As soon as one opens the book, they are presented with a scene of a group of soldiers mocking a priest for his faith. They consistently challenge the poor man’s sexuality and loyalties by saying things like, “Priest not with girls. Priest never with girls.” and “The Pope wants the Austrians to win. He loves Franz Joseph” (7). The soldiers then go on stating that they are atheists and “all free thinking men are atheists”; insinuating those aligned with a religion are blind and not progressive (8). All of which is said in front of the priest, either to mock him, anger him or both. To add insult to injury when the soldiers are suggesting locations in Italy to visit on leave, they drown out him and out promptly state that they “must go [to the] whorehouse before it shuts”, ultimately ignoring the priest and offending him. These acts were not done because the people did not like his personality, but rather his faith toward his religion. This loss of religion symbolizes that the common man has abandon god and his faith, which would lead to a loss for a reason to live. Religion acts as a safety net for most people, so that if they fall their faith will catch them and save them. But if one does not have that safety net, then there is he can never be sure of what will happen when he falls. He could be fine in the end or damaged beyond repair; but without that net there will always be an air of uncertainty. Later on Catherine, Henry’s girlfriend gives him a necklace with Saint Anthony to help him. He later is wounded and promptly loses this necklace. This event symbolizes that not only has man abandoned their faith, but their faith had abandoned them.