"We Were in Switzerland Together": Catherine and Frederic and the Lake Scene in A Farewell to Arms

Abstract

Chapters 36 and 37 of A Farewell to Arms serve as an important transition in the novel as Frederic and Catherine make their midnight escape in a small rowboat across Lake Maggiore—away from war-torn Italy to the safety of neutral Switzerland. This essay focuses on the subtle gestures, nuances in the dialogue, and interplay of emotions of the characters during the perilous crossing. Such a close reading illuminates the now deeper and more reciprocal nature of the relationship between the lovers and at the same time provides further insight into the character of Catherine.