Partial Articulation: Word Play in A Farewell To Arms

Frederic Henry's return to the front with only "partial articulation" of his wounded leg comments indirectly on his reticence and failings as narrator, and constitutes but one of a multitude of puns which appear in A Farewell to Arms. For the most part, Frederic remains unaware of these puns, but Hemingway plays with language for the serious purpose of calling into question Frederic's integrity not only as a narrator but also as Catherine's companion. Frederic suppresses as much as he reveals, but the wordplay in A Farewell to Arms reveals even more than Frederic attempts to suppress.