Catherine Barkley A Dynamic Character

Throughout A Farewell to Arms, Catherine Barkley is frequently critiqued as being a static character. She lacks complexity and individuality. This characterization often analyzes her as being two- dimensional. Her manin role throughout the novel appears to be some sort of motivation to keep Henry’s mind from the war. As a reader, it is unclear exactly what Catherine’s thoughts are. Although she is discussed a lot in the book, we do not know much about her. She never undergoes any major transformations throughout the novel due to her lack in complexity and individuality. As a result, she is rather static throughout the novel.
According to the novel, it is understood that Catherine had already underwent her changes into maturity before the beginning of the novel becuase her fiance had died. She is then used as an index to help Henry mature. After several visits to the garden, Henry falls in love with her and through their relationship, Henry tires to be influenced by her maturity. …show more content…
She is still the same static two-dimensional nurse as seen in the beginning of the novel. As they are living in Switzerland, Catherine has the expected baby. However, the baby immediately dies. She still shows no signs of a major transformation or character development. As a result form the baby dying and most likely poor medical procedures, she had a hemorrhage. As she laid on her deathbed, she was still static. Henry described her as being like a statue. Page 284, “it was like saying good-by to a statue.” The hospital offered her a priest but to our surprise she asked for Henry instead because she is a nihilist. She still showed no emotion. She then dies and the book abruptly ends with Henry’s quote about her being like a statue. For such a major part of the plot, it is astonishing that Catherine is such a vague static