Published in 1929, Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms was set in WWI. The protagonist, Frederic Henry, was an officer in the Italian Ambulance Corps. This love story centers on Henry's romance with Catherine Barkley, as well as the "war is stupid" theme that runs through much of Hemingway's work. The book, though grim and stark, also communicates a true sense of Italy and the artistic and creative soul of the Italian people. Focusers named these frames the "Farewells" because though serious, they too reflect the artistic and creative soul of the wearer.