The setting of the story is mainly in Italy. This is where all the action of the story takes
             place. Fred is in Italy at the beginning of the war and he joins the Italian army. The city that Fred
             is stationed in throughout most of the book is Gorizia.
             Frederic Henry meets a beautiful English nurse named Catherine Barkley near the front
             between Italy and Austria-Hungary. At first, Henry's relationship with Catherine is an
             complicated game based on his attempt to seduce her, but when he is wounded and sent to the
             American hospital where Catherine works, their relationship progresses and they begin a
             passionate affair. After his recovery in the hospital, Henry returns to the war front. During
             a massive retreat from the Austrians and Germans, the Italian forces become disordered and
             chaotic. Henry is forced to shoot an engineer sergeant under his command and in the confusion
             is arrested by the Italian military police for the crime of not being Italian. Disgusted with the
             army and facing death at the hands of the battle police, Henry decides he has had enough of war.
             He dives into the river to escape. After swimming to safety, Henry boards a train and reunites
             with Catherine--now pregnant with Henry's child--in Stresa. With the help of an Italian
             bartender, they escape to Switzerland and attempt to put the war behind them forever. They
             spend a happy time together in Switzerland and plan to marry after the baby is born. When
             Catherine goes into labor things go terribly wrong. The doctor announces that her
             pelvis is too narrow to deliver the baby. He attempts an unsuccessful Caesarian section, and
             Catherine dies in childbirth. To Henry, her dead body is like a statue. He walks back to his hotel
             without finding a way to say good-bye.
             The overall tone of the book is sad, confused and love. Frederick's actions are determined
             by his position until he deserts the army. Floating down the river
             ...