Erich Remarque's All Quiet On The Western Front

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Joey Foley Mrs. Brunette ENG4CI-3 Wed, Apr 24, 2024 All Quiet on the Western Front The novel “All Quiet on the Western Front,” written by Erich Remarque, is set on the battlefields and in the trenches of WWI. The story is told by Paul Baumer, a 19 year old German soldier, who experiences first hand the devastating effects of war. The experiences of these three characters: Franz Kemmerich, Albert Kropp, and Paul Baumer, himself, each contribute to Remarque’s overall anti-war message that war is not a glorious adventure. Franz Kemmerich is a 19 year old soldier, described by Paul as innocent and childish. He was always an athletic boy, who’s mother was extremely reluctant to let him go to the front. Kemmerich had a lot of camaraderie, but had little to …show more content…
He explains that not only does the war diminish the worth of the lives lost, but it also gives those who survive a much better outlook on their own lives, and encourages them to make every day count. He also turns into what he would describe as a "human animal," able to use instinct to both kill and live in combat. “Parting with my friend Albert Kropp was very hard. But a man gets used to that sort of thing in the army.” he says, this is also foreshadowing for the rest of the book as Kropp was not the last to die. After a long war, Paul lost his will to live after his last friend, Kat, died in his hands. He died peacefully in October 1918. This goes to prove that war is not glorious for the soldiers. It is glorified for fame and profit, and this is unfair to the soldiers fighting these battles. Loss of will to live is a recurring theme in the book as the soldiers are very mistreated, and there are people that are becoming rich and famous, while the soldiers fighting the battles are getting PTSD. By emphasizing the physical and psychological scars caused by battle, Remarque's novel challenges us to reexamine the ideas of war and understand the true cost of
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