The romance between Frederick and Catherine in Ernest Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms parallels humanity's struggle between superstition and religion . Their relationship begins simply as a facade based on physical attraction, but quickly develops into a deeper love. In its early days, Frédéric and Catherine feel the need for something substantial to hold on to in the rapidly changing world around them. They assume they are in love, just as people in any society cling to their superstitions in times of great difficulty, without truly understanding the fundamentals of the religion on which those superstitions are based. Say no to plagiarism. Get a custom essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essayAccording to the Rev. John Nicola, a renowned authority on Catholicism and assistant professor of theology at Yale University, superstition “ignores the discoveries of science, regarding empirical reality as superficial and meaningless; it focuses on invisible spiritual realities” and involves “irrational fears and insane preconceived notions.” On the other hand, religion “integrates the spiritual dimensions of reality through theological and philosophical considerations.” A superstitious person uses a ritual or symbol that designates an aspect of their religion as part of the worship, when in reality it remains only a small part of that religion. In this way, he never takes the time to deepen an understanding of what this rite represents. In its context, Italian society does not understand war. Its inhabitants use superstition to allay their fears of the death that surrounds them. They focus on one aspect of religion and use it to ward off any unfortunate events, choosing to ignore any actual religious basis. The fact that their relationship is founded in the heart of a war, as well as the fact that she is constantly confronted with the imminent possibility of death, pushes Frederick and Catherine into a romance that neither would necessarily have had in other circumstances. As Italy evolves around them, they use each other to protect themselves from the fear of the unexpected tomorrow. The couple develops rituals of conversation and interaction. Often, Frédéric will make a statement then Catherine will follow it. He will repeat himself, letting Catherine say something different each time. One of these conversations begins when Frédéric says: “Maybe I won't talk. » It's true, people often don't speak. “I won’t speak. » “Don’t brag, darling. Please don't brag. . You are so nice and you don't need to brag. “I won’t say a word.” (104) This "ritual" allows them to have a unique method of interaction, stimulating their romance, but they also use it to block out the rest of the world. They use their rituals to allow themselves to feel that life continues as usual, just as superstitious believers use their superstitions to supplant their true religions. Catherine begins as one of them; she gives Frederick a medal from St. Anthony to ensure his safety. She has no idea of ​​the religious significance of the medal, only that it can be used to make herself feel better about the outside world. In a conversation with Frédéric, Catherine says: “You see, darling, it would mean everything to me if I had a religion. But I have no religion. » You gave me the Saint Antoine. luck.'" (116) His insistence that the medal has no religious significance.