A Farewell to Arms: Chapter 22

The color-coded bars in this section make it easy to track the themes throughout the work. Each color corresponds to one of the themes explained in the Themes section of this LitChart. For instance, indicates that all five themes apply to that part of the summary.

Summary Analysis Themes

It rains the next morning, and Henry is diagnosed with jaundice. Miss Van Campen discovers Henry’s stash of empty alcohol bottles, and accuses him of drinking in order to give himself jaundice so he won’t have to return to the front. He compares jaundice to being kicked in the scrotum, and asks if she thinks anyone would inflict it on themselves. But she does not believe him, and files a report that causes Henry to lose his convalescent leave and get sent immediately to the front.

Rain is always a symbol of outside forces Henry can’t control. Miss Van Campen is a recurring character type in this novel: someone who enforces the rules of an unjust system without having to suffer the consequences. In particular, she shares this role with the military police in Chapter 30.