Topic > How Religion and Superstition Influence Love in A Farewell to Arms

The love story between Frederic and Catherine in Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms parallels humanity's struggle between superstition and religion. Their relationship begins simply as a facade based on physical attraction, but quickly turns into a deeper love. At first, Frederic and Catherine feel the need for something concrete to hold on to in the rapidly changing world around them. They assume they are in love, just as people in any society cling to their superstitions in times of great difficulty, without truly grasping the fundamentals of the religion on which those superstitions are based. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay According to Reverend John Nicola, a renowned authority on Catholicism and adjunct professor of theology at Yale University, superstition "ignores the findings of science, viewing empirical reality as superficial and meaningless; it focuses on spiritual realities invisible" and inserts "irrational fears and senseless preconceived notions". On the other hand, religion “incorporates spiritual dimensions of reality through theological and philosophical considerations.” A superstitious person uses a ritual or symbol that denotes an aspect of their religion as an integral act of worship, when in reality only a small part of that religion remains. In this way we never take the time to understand more fully what that ritual represents. In context, Italian society does not understand war. Its people use superstition to ease their fears about the death that surrounds them. They focus on one aspect of religion and use it to ward off any unfortunate events, choosing to ignore any real religious basis. That their relationship is founded in the heart of war, as well as constantly faced with the imminent possibility of death, pushes Frederic and Catherine into a romance that neither would necessarily have had under different circumstances. As Italy changes around them, they use each other to protect themselves from the fear of the unexpected tomorrow. The couple develops rituals in conversation and interaction. Often Frederic makes a statement and then Catherine follows. It will repeat, each time leaving Catherine to say something different. One such conversation begins with Frederic saying, "'Maybe I won't talk.' .''I won't say a word.'” (104)This 'ritual' allows them to have a unique method of interaction, stimulating their romance, but furthermore, they use it to block out the rest of the world. They use their rituals to allow themselves to feel that life goes on as usual, just as superstitious worshipers use their superstitions to supplant their true religions. Catherine starts out as one of these; he gives Frederick a Saint Anthony medal to keep him safe. He has no idea of ​​the religious significance of the medal, but only knows that it can be used to make himself feel better about the outside world. In a conversation with Frederic, Catherine says, "You see, darling, it would mean everything to me if I had a religion. But I don't have any religion." luck." (116) Her insistence that the medal has no religious significance to her is contradicted by its offering as a good luck charm. While it gives the object some form of power, she does not understand its application to religion. This relationship between superficial understanding and deep understanding can also be seen in his association with Frederic At the beginning he uses a.