# XXIII explained — A Farewell to Arms

> Chapter companion for A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway.

## What happens

Frederic and Catherine spend a final night together in a hotel in Milan before he returns to the front. They have a luxurious dinner, drink wine, and discuss their future, including Catherine's pregnancy. Frederic buys a pistol, and they part at the train station.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Loss

Frederic and Catherine's intimate final evening together is overshadowed by his impending return to the front, highlighting the fragility of their love amidst war.

### Escape and Retreat

The couple seeks temporary escape in a hotel room, but the looming departure and Catherine's feeling of being a 'whore' underscore the impossibility of true retreat.

## Character check-ins

### Frederic Henry

Spends his last night in Milan with Catherine before returning to the front; buys a pistol and prepares for departure.

### Catherine Barkley

Shares a final evening with Frederic, feeling both happy and conflicted; discusses their future and the baby.

### Rinaldi

Not present in this chapter.

### The Priest

Not present in this chapter.

### Piani

Not present in this chapter.

### Aymo

Not present in this chapter.

## Key lines

> But at my back I always hear Time's wingèd chariot hurrying near

Frederic quotes Andrew Marvell's poem, reflecting the pressure of time as their evening together draws to a close.

_This allusion emphasizes the theme of love and loss, as the couple's time is limited by war._

> I never felt like a whore before

Catherine expresses discomfort with the hotel's opulent but seedy atmosphere, feeling degraded despite their love.

_Highlights the tension between their idealized romance and the harsh realities of their situation._

> Nobody is like us

Catherine insists on the uniqueness of their relationship, though she says it without happiness.

_Reflects their isolation and the bittersweet nature of their bond._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_farewell_to_arms_se/chapters/xxiii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_farewell_to_arms_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/a_farewell_to_arms_se/chapters