Text: Just Having a Bad Time
Who - What - When - Questions
Who:
American lieutenant Frederic Henry,
his girlfriend and later his wife Catherine Barkley, a doctor, some nurses
When:
During World War I (1914-1918)
Where:
In a hospital in Lausanne, Switzerland
What:
Frederic Henry has deserted his ambulance corps and has escaped with
his girlfriend Catherine to Switzerland.
Problems with the birth of the baby (a normal birth is not possible:
either a Caesarean or a high forceps delivery)
Decision for a Caesarian section
Frederic does not like to watch the operation, so he walks up and down
the empty hall.
Doctor comes out with the baby but F. is only interested in his wife
and shows no interest in the baby.
He sees his wife in her bed. She is fine.
Then a nurse calls him out to tell him that the baby is dead. (umbilical
cord has been around the neck of the baby, so it has not been able to breathe
properly)
Martin,Sebastian, Ernesto
Source: Invitation to Literature, Cornelsen 1990
