Reading Reflection - Research Paper Example

READER-RESPONSE AND FORMALIST CRITICISMS: ENHANCEMENT AND USEFULNESS IN READING A FAREWELL TO ARMS John Deane number Teacher Reader-Response and Formalist Criticisms: Enhancement and Usefulness in Reading A Farewell to Arms Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms truly captivates my attention, especially the conversations between Frederic Henry and Count Greffi, and between the main protagonist and the priest. Such conversations greatly arouse my sense of spirituality, of how I view the world in relation to the Supreme Being or the Absolute.

In fact, their dialogues strikingly resemble metaphysical and ontological discourses (e.g., Plato’s philosophy). For instance, the concept of wisdom remarkably rivets me as Count Greffi informs Henry on its subtle meaning. Indeed, the Count fails to define it explicitly; yet in his word choice, one can unpack the meaning and subtlety of such almost philosophical concept. In analyzing and interpreting the piece, I have used heavily the reader-response and formalist analytical approaches. As a whole, these approaches have greatly facilitated and enhanced my reading to Hemingway’s novel.

The reader-response approach vitally helps me understand in greater depth pertaining to the “message” conveyed in the literary work. After reading A Farewell to Arms, for instance, I have wondered whether or not the primary factor that captivates my imagination is the sense of curiosity or inquisitiveness. Perhaps my curiosity to Count Greffi’s notion of wisdom and its philosophical implication substantially facilitates me to read and be engrossed in the novel. On the other hand, the formalist approach in considering the novel’s message substantially reinforces my initial impression or connection to it.

Count Greffi tells Henry that a wise man -- therefore wisdom -- is someone who does not “give birthday parties.” Of all kinds of party, the image of the birthday party notably reminds the people of life and probably of death. For Count Greffi, growing old is “a great pity” (Hemingway, 1997). Thus, birthday parties remind him of his pitiful old age. In essence, reader-response and formalist approaches to reading are very useful in finding the meaning of the piece being read. On the one hand, using the reader-response criticism changes fundamentally my relationship to the Absolute; it has affected my sense of spirituality.

When the priest expresses his dislike to the blasphemous book entitled “Black Pig,” he also expresses his religious conviction in a subtle manner. Despite the mockery thrown against him, the priest remains to be well-composed; but when pushed farther, the priest speaks up his mind. What fascinates me is that the context of the conversation is within the time-period of war. Generally speaking, war as a subject matter generates a number of atheists due mainly to the supposedly lack of divine intervention; God seems to allow murder and genocide even to innocent civilians.

On the other hand, the formalist approach in literary criticism is notably useful in capturing the meaning of the work; it considerably supports the interpretation made using the reader-response reading. Whether or not the priest had actually read the book, “Black Pig” as described by the lieutenant implies that it criticizes religion in general and probably Christianity in particular. The lieutenant reveals that the book had “shook my faith” (Hemingway, 1997). By and large, Hemingway’s A Farewell to Arms strongly rivets my inquisitive mind due to the impacts it has created in my mental and spiritual framework; and using reader-response and formalist analytical approaches permit me to fully comprehend the message conveyed in the novel.

Reference Hemingway, E. (1997). A farewell to arms. New York, NY: Scribner.