Paul uses the words “coins of different provinces; and now we are melted down, and all bear the same stamp, to show the men’s indifference. Their previous identities bear no more meaning to the soldiers. They are all German soldiers now fighting for the same cause. The coins could possibly represent how the soldiers of the war are continuously are apathetically put out in warfare and given no care for demise because they can easily be replaced by a new group of men. Men are constantly replaced in the story especially when many new recruits were stationed at Paul’s base to cover for the 150 soldiers of Paul’s class that died fighting the war. The coins basically represent how soldiers are treated like money and spent apathetically.
They hear that the English soldiers had more advanced weapons, and they feel disheartened that they as Germans have outdated weapons and worn out barrels. With no other option, they all relied on chance to help them determine their faith. This reminded Paul when at one time he went to visit in another dugout to see his friends and when came back to the other dugout, it was destroyed. If he had not had gone to his friend’s dugout, he would have been dead already. The next moment, he starts to think about the unsanitary things during battle. He explains the rats trying to take their food from them, especially the bread. He explains that he and his friends try to save the bread from the rats, but every time they try to save it, the rats start eating a piece of the bread. They explain, although they have bread, they also receive a large ration of cheese, rum, grenades, and ammunition. With lots of supplies at hand, they feel like not that much is happening in the battle. Paul felt like it would be a good time to catch up on some sleep. Although there aren’t many attacks, there are many shells are dropped and trenches are getting destroyed. . The next moment, they see that the Company Commander starts to scramble around, telling that two dugouts are gone. Although they heard this had happened, the Commander told them that he will make it up to
Throughout the story All Quiet On The Western Front several different types of literary devices are used to add meaning. Symbolism takes place in countless parts of the story, “just you think, boys, a real feather-bed with a spring mattress…” as the guys can only think that if they had that bed they would love to stay in the war further more to fight longer(Remarque 78). During the war, numerous soldiers didn’t get nice as well as luxurious items, consequently, as for these soldiers they are sure-enough thankful to have the items they have.
This is what all young men of his generation have experienced, men on both sides of the war. During Paul's stay in the hospital, he has a lot of time to reflect on not only how he has lost his youth on the battlefield, but also on how life might be when the war is
Many of Paul's fellow army men do not survive. After the loss of Paul's closest friends,
He uses death, tragedies, and brutal events to show the reader the stomach-turning way of life in war. Remarque makes Paul very ostentatious so to speak. He uses all these graphic images to get a point across. Paul explains during a bombardment, horses are hit as well as the men. “Those are the wounded horses. But not all of them. Some gallop away in the distance, fall down, and then run farther. The belly of one is ripped open, the guts trail out. He becomes tangled in them and falls, then he stands up again” (28). The screams of the horses become implanted in the men’s heads, even though they cannot see them. Another gruesome image is that the soldiers go to take cover in a nearby cemetery. Paul illustrates the scene, “With a crash something bears down on us. It lands close beside us; a coffin thrown up” (31). Even the dead are being disturbed by the war. Paul wants it to seem as if the once dead are coming back to life. The last major imagery scene would be in the hospitals. The hospitals are a symbol of war. “It must be all lies and o no account when the culture of a thousand years could not prevent this stream of blood being poured out, these torture-chambers in their hundreds of thousands. A hospital alone shows what war is” (117). War is about killing another living thing. Once you are hit, you go to these “torture-chambers”. You go there
Along with personal feelings, the same goes for everyone Paul witnessing his best friend’s death have impacted their group so that they cannot feel or care for each other. After a battle that left many injured. While Paul rests he thinks of how everyone is left on their own, claiming, "We have lost all feeling for one another. We can hardly control ourselves when our hunted glance lights on the form of some other man. We are insensible, dead men, who through some trick, some dreadful magic, are still able to run and to kill" (Remarque, 116). During another day in the trenches Paul sees many bodies everywhere, soldiers being killed in front of him. Losing everyone that was close to him has caused him to lose himself mentally making him unstable. He carries the pressure of telling the families which furthermore carriers his depression. He carries a comrade’s boots as they are passed down from soldiers after each owner dies, Paul carries these boots to represent unimportance of human life. In addition to young soldiers have to follow and look up to older generation and higher rank officers which lead to betrayal. Propaganda played a huge role in World War 1 giving everyone biased opinions and bad judgements of others. These opinions gave Paul a false perspective of older generations.
In the last chapter Paul has had many terrible and horrific wartime experience and he is the last living recruit from his original group. During this time the German people are getting anxious about the ending the war. While out on the field Paul inhales poisonous gas and is given 14 days to go home. However, Paul has a weird feeling about returning home because, he has no future goals for his life. The only thing Paul can think about is the empty shell of people the war has produced. Later in this chapter Paul finally dies on a quiet day. Leaving the last words on the war “All Quiet on the Western Front”. Leaving Paul glad that the thing that destroyed him most ended. The thing that ripped something pure out of him and replaced it with emptiness.
While on leave, Paul also visits his father and some of his father's friends, but does not wish to speak to them about the war. The men are "curious [about the war] in a way that [Paul finds] stupid and distressing." They try to imagine what war is like but they have never experienced it for themselves, so they cannot see the reality of it. When Paul tries to state his opinion, the men argue that "[he] sees only [his] general sector so [he is] not able to judge." These men believe they know more about the war and this makes Paul feel lost. He realizes that "they are different men here, men [he] can not understand..." and Paul wants to be back with those he can relate to, his fellow soldiers. Paul wishes he had never gone on leave because out there "[he] was a soldier, but [at home] he is nothing but an agony to himself." When Paul returns to the battlefield, he is excited to be with his comrades. When he sees his company, "[Paul] jumps up, pushes in amongst them, [his] eyes searching," until he finds his friends. It is then
A solider biggest fear is dyeing. Paul and many soldiers have a fear about dyeing in battle they just want to go home. Most soldiers do not want to go back after a leave. They want to be safe, but during the time it was common and everyman wanted to fight for their country. No man would pass the opportunity to join the military. Soldiers become brothers. Before joining the war Paul felt alone in world. He joins the
For Paul and his comrades, who had sacrificed so much to participate in the war, the unfair leadership created tension between the ranks. For example, when Paul was on leave and strolled the streets of his hometown, a nearby Major became furious at Paul because he had missed the opportunity to salute. This man, with the considerable power to overthrow Paul’s leave, orders Paul, “Twenty paces backward, double march!” Paul complied, but was infuriated and contemplated the validity and relevance of these men. This, “ruins everything” (163), for Paul, as he abandoned wearing his uniform to avoid another confrontation. It was shown that the most controlling officers were so often those without combat experience on the front. In fact, Himmelstoss, a Corporal that trained Paul and his company, showed fear toward the battle when he was called to participate. In Chapter Six, he was found, “pretending to be wounded.” The thought of him progressing made his, “lips quiver, his moustache twitch” (131-32). Pretending to represent their country, these men showed no respect for the soldiers, resented them, and expressed the deepest inhumane actions in the name of
Without the uniform and title of a soldier who are they really? If they are not in combat then what is the purpose of their life, “I find I do not belong here any more, it is a foreign world”(168) Paul has returned home but what was once a place he called home has become a distant memory from before he went to war. There is a sense of disconnection to the things that had once brought him joy, “I stand there dumb. As before a judge. Dejected Words, Words, Words- they do not reach me. Slowly I place the books back in the shelves. Nevermore. Quietly, I go out of the room” (173). Disengaged from his former life Paul find himself upset, once upon a time the words on the pages of these books had made an impact on him, entertained him but now feels no connection to these words. They are now unimportant in his new life, he now has no time to worry about what will happen on the next page but only worries about the next chapter in his
The book begins with the death of Paul's friend. The men have, by this time, become almost desensitized to death. Kemmerich (the dying friend) owns a fine pair of English airman's boots. It is a forgone conclusion that Kemmerich will no longer require them. It is not petty greed, but pragmatism, which drives Muller's desire to have the boots. The troops’ own equipment is ragged and worn, making anything in serviceable condition an improvement on what they have. As we find out in the story, not only are the soldiers’ boots worn out, but the artillery of the German army is also worn out. This may symbolize that not only are the soldiers and equipment at the front worn out, but so is Germany as a whole. Germany was worn out and had no idea what was going to happen, just as the soldiers had no idea where the artillery shells would land.
In All Quiet on the Western Front, Paul is morphed from an innocent child into a war veteran who has a new look on society. Paul used to have a carefree life where he was able to be a kid, but when he enlisted into the army it all changed. Paul became a person whose beliefs were changed because of the war. Paul doesn't believe in society anymore especially parents, elders, and school, which used to play a big part in his life. He changed his beliefs because society does not really understand how bad war really is and pushed many young men, who were not ready, into the army. Paul connects with his fellow soldiers because they are going through the same situation and
Comradeship all starts with small acts of kindness, which begins a bond friendship. For example, when Muller died he gave Paul his boots, which once belonged to Kemmerich; Paul’s best friend. “Before he died he handed over his pocket-book to me, and bequeathed me his boots - the same that he once inherited from Kemmerich,” (Remarque 279). Not only was Muller giving the boots away a sign of approval, but also was a true treasure for Paul. For example, since previously the boots belonged to Kemmerich they held memories between Kemmerich and Paul. With memories came symbolism that the boots represented the last thing Paul could of have of Kemmerich. As well as keeping a secret like the whereabouts of Tjaden. “He asks for Tjaden. We shrug our shoulders,” (Remarque 89). Not revealing the whereabouts of Tjaden expresses that the troops will not rat out their friend even if they get in trouble for it. This scene signifies comradeship by portraying that comrades have each other’s backs. Troops risk consequences for themselves by protecting their fellow comrades, for they know Tjaden would do the same in
Yet another example of the brutalization and dehumanization of the soldiers caused by the war occurs during Paul’s leave. On leave, Paul decides to visit his hometown. While there, he finds it difficult to discuss the war and his experiences with anyone. Furthermore, Paul struggles to fit in at home: “I breathe deeply and say over to myself:– ‘You are at home, you are at home.’ But a sense of strangeness will not leave me; I cannot feel at home amongst these things. There is my mother, there is my sister, there my case of butterflies, and there the mahogany piano – but I am not myself there. There is a distance, a