A Farewell to Arms
(Ernest Hemingway)

Lieutenant Frederic Henry

Henry is the narrator of the novel. He is an American who is serving in the Italian army during World War I as an ambulance driver. While Henry has little passion for life, he does go toward his duties with a quiet strength and courage.

It is not until Henry meets Catherine that he finds something he is passionate about and something that gets him through the day-to-day horrors of war. Henry’s actions in war are selfless, and he does not mind putting himself out there, but shudders at the terms “hero” or “glory” because he sees little to no meaning in them.

Catherine Barkley

Catherine is working as a nurse’s aide in an Italian hospital during World War I. She has lost her fiancé recently while he was in battle and thus she has a fear of abandonment.

Catherine very beautiful and at first she is sought after by Rinaldi though it soon becomes obvious that she and Henry have a significant connection. She plays coy with Henry at first because of her dead fiancé, but they soon fall deeply in love with one another and Catherine becomes pregnant with their child. Unfortunately, Catherine and the baby both die during the child birth process.

Rinaldi

Rinaldi is Henry’s roommate and best friend during the war. He is a surgeon and he gets through the war by giving into his hedonistic pleasures. The only thing that is pertinent to Rinaldi is beautiful women, and he makes a life in Italy of seducing every beautiful woman he can find.

Catherine was once a target of Rinaldi, but when he discovered that she preferred Henry he backed off. Despite Rinaldi’s hedonistic desire toward women, he also expresses an interest in kissing Frederic from time to time, though that may not be indicative of his sexual preference.

Helen Ferguson

Helen is a friend to Catherine and also works as a nurse’s aide at the hospital in Italy. Helen is extremely friendly toward Henry when he first meets Catherine though she soon begins to resent him for what he has made of Catherine’s life, by have an intimate relationship with her and impregnating her out of wedlock.

Helen is slightly jealous of Catherine’s happiness when she seems to be eternally lonely, but also feels sorry for Catherine and the stress that she is going through by being in a relationship with Henry.

The Priest

The priest is constantly made fun of by the other men who do not share his religious beliefs. Mealtime in the mess hall has become the common place to tease the priest though he does not seem to care about what they think.

Henry is one of the few people who do not participate in taunting the priest, as he is not sure where his religious allegiance lies, but he sees nothing wrong with the priest’s faith. The priest is exceedingly kind, and Henry develops a respectful friendship with him and they discuss the war together and, surprisingly, speak remarkably little of religion.

Miss Van Campen

Miss Van Campen is in charge of the hospital in Milan and takes an immediate dislike toward Henry. She is extremely strict in following the hospital policies and refuses to get Henry a bed until she has a doctor’s orders or give him any alcohol unless the doctor orders it that way. She makes one peace-offering when Henry first arrives, sending him a spiked eggnog nightcap though she is not very kind to him for the rest of his stay. Eventually Miss Van Campen has Henry sent back to battle without leave after his surgery, because she feels he purposely gave himself jaundice from his drinking habit so he would not have to return to the front.

Miss Gage

Miss Gage is one of the nurses at the hospital in Milan and becomes a friend to Henry. She is easy going and kind. Though Miss Gage does not like Catherine at first, Henry promises her that the two of them will become friendly with one another. Miss Gage allows Henry to drink while he is in the hospital and will even have a drink with him as they gossip.

Aymo

Aymo is a fellow ambulance driver and a friend of Henry. When the troops are retreating after getting the word that the Austrians are coming for them with the help of the Germans, Aymo is one of the drivers that work with Henry to get everyone out safely.

Aymo takes it upon himself to make sure that two teenage girls who are terrified of him make it to safety and he takes them in his car. When Henry is forced to shoot one of the men, who are not cooperating, Aymo steps in and shoots the man again, putting him out of his misery. Shortly after this moment Aymo himself is killed by fellow Italian soldiers who it appears have gone rogue.

Ralph Simmons

Ralph is a student studying opera in Milan and an immensely talented singer. Henry befriends Ralph when he is at the recovery hospital in Milan. When Henry flees from the battle, and arrives in Milan Ralph is the first person he contacts. Ralph tells Henry he will do anything he can to help him in his situation and then gives him civilian clothing to wear so he can get to Stresa safely.

Dr. Valentini

Dr. Valentini is a surgeon at the military hospital Henry visits when he first hurts his leg. Henry refuses to have the surgery that the doctors want him to have because it requires too much time lying in bed before even having the operation.

Dr. Valentini comes in, makes friends with Henry and even has a drink with him. He tells Henry that he will perform the operation for him the following morning, rather than making him wait six months. Henry likes him because he is remarkably calm, collected, and confident, all traits Henry admires.

Ettore Moretti

Ettore is also an American from San Francisco who is fighting in the Italian army, though as his name suggests he is of Italian roots. Moretti is the opposite from Henry; he brags about everything. He is a highly decorated soldier, which is something to be proud of as Henry knows, but he goes around showing off his medals and searching for praise and gratitude.

Henry finds these qualities vile and dislikes Moretti because of his attitude about his achievements and his status as a braggart. He is anxious to go to battle and believes in glory, which is one of the words Henry has a hard time accepting.

Emilio

Emilio is the bartender at the hotel in which Henry stays when he gets to Stresa. Emilio and Henry become fast friends and even spend time finishing together during Henry and Catherine’s short stay.

Emilio wakes Henry in the night to inform him that the military police will be arresting him in the morning, and he must flee. He provides Henry and Catherine with the supplies they will need for the journey and allows Henry to pay him whatever he has available. He also gives them his boat to use and tells Henry he can send him money for it later. Emilio proves an essential part of Henry’s escape from the military.

Bonello

Bonello, like Henry and Aymo, is also a driver in the Italian army. Bonello is a part of the retreat when the Germans are said to be coming, but he ducks out early. When Bonello and Piani go off to find food Piani returns alone because Bonello has decided to run and hope that he is captured because he thinks that his best chance of escape is an escape while he is being taken in. This foreshadows Henry’s escape as he does so when he is about to be questioned. Bonello is ruthless and has a bit of a temper problem which is shown when he unloads an entire round from his pistol into a man who has already been shot.

Piani

Piani is the fourth driver that participates in the retreat, along with Henry, Bonello, and Aymo. Piani is the one who is with Bonello when he decides to flee and ends up being the only driver who stays with Henry until he jumps into the river at the end. It is unknown what happens to Piani, but it is assumed that he is captured, interrogated, and killed which is exactly what Henry was escaping from.

Myers

Myers and his wife are an old couple that Henry befriends in Milan. Myers is an old criminal who has been released from jail because of his age. He likes to spend his time at the races and is tremendously successful there, but he does not like to tell anyone his secrets.

One day he goes to the races with Henry and Catherine and Catherine remembers some of the tips that Myers has told them, but, unfortunately, it does not make them very much money. It is obvious that Myers is quite fond of Henry, or he would not have shared any tips with him at all.