Women's Dependency

While reading A Farewell to Arms, I noticed women in the book are completely dependent upon men, but men cannot be dependent on women. For instance, the nurses are all under command of the doctors. They cannot properly do a task (such as when Frederic first arrives at the new British hospital, but must wait for the doctor to get back before anything can be done to him). The two girls picked-up along the road seen when Frederic and the troops are retreating are completely dependent on the soldiers for safety and for food. Catherine often expresses her desire to be a "good girl". She wants so much to please Frederic, as if she fears that she will be rejected if she does not properly fulfill her womanly duty. However, the statement that men can depend on women is proven false twice in the end. Henry falls in love with Catherine, and yet she dies. He fought so hard for her (and not that she can help it) but she died. He couldn't depend on her. The baby, a boy, was dependent on his mother, the woman, to deliver him safely. Yet he died. Men are clearly given a privileged role throughout the book.