Other anti-heroic qualities are his being reactive rather than active, seeking pleasure for himself rather than others, and underhanded rather than honest (Lewis 45). Frederic is more like most of us than a hero and when given actual chances to help people, he like a hero tries, but unlike a hero, fails (Lewis 48). Hemingway’s true hero, the one that was supposed to guide the main character into becoming a hero, is none other than Catherine Barkley. It is not Frederic Henry who was as brave, as strong, or as courageous as Catherine was. Frederic, who everyone thought was the hero, has just been messing up and failing at everything he does throughout the book. The only thing that Catherine had failed at was guiding Frederic into becoming a hero. Not even through her death did Frederic Henry learn how to become a hero. And this is how Hemingway uses heroes in A Farewell to Arms....
