1. Drawing from Personal Experiences: Hemingway served as an ambulance driver during World War I, and his experiences deeply influenced the novel. The protagonist, Frederic Henry, shares many parallels with Hemingway's own experiences, such as being wounded, falling in love with a nurse, and witnessing the horrors of war.
2. World War I Setting: The novel is set in Italy and on the Italian Front during World War I, mirroring Hemingway's own involvement as an ambulance driver in the same geographical areas.
3. Medical Background: Hemingway's father was a doctor, and the author gained some medical knowledge from his upbringing. This background influences Frederic's profession as a doctor, adding authenticity to the medical scenes and insights.
4. Relationship with Catherine Barkley: The relationship between Frederic Henry and Catherine Barkley is believed to be influenced by Hemingway's personal experiences and relationships, especially his tumultuous love life and wartime romances.
5. Autobiographical Details: Certain events, descriptions, and anecdotes in the novel are believed to draw directly from Hemingway's life, such as his experiences with injuries and the Italian landscape.
6. Theme of Loss: The overarching theme of loss and mortality in "A Farewell to Arms" reflects Hemingway's own experiences of losing friends and comrades during World War I.
While the novel is not a straightforward autobiography, it weaves together real-life events, experiences, and emotions, making it a semi-autobiographical work that offers insights into Hemingway's personal life and wartime experiences.