Absurdism In All Quiet On The Western Front

All Quiet on the Western Front is a riveting novel about World War 1, told through the eyes of a German soldier, Paul. This novel is different than other war stories because it forces you to experience the war from a point of view other than a United States Soldier. The author, Erich Maria Remarque, beautifully balances the hardships, horrors and loss of innocence that war brings to young men, with scenes of serenity, as soldiers fight to save their country. In chapter one Remarque writes, “Yesterday we were relieved, and our bellies were full of beef and beans. We are satisfied and at peace” (1.1).

Perhaps even less: a famished stomach. The stomach alone was measuring time” (52). Readers can see the hopelessness in Elie from his emphasis on his existence as just a body. What was equally important was when Elie’s father passed away. Following his death, Elie was completely desensitized to anymore pain, he said that it “no longer mattered.

When the war started affecting Salva and his village it became apparent to him that he may never see his family again. “If I die now, I will never see my family again.” (11) This thought helped Salva strengthen and have the instinct to survive so he could see his family again, which is one of the reasons he did survive. Not only did he think he would never see his family again, but he became friends with Marial, a boy from the group he was in, who was soon taken away from him as well. “It had sought out prey that was small and motionless: Marial, sleeping.” (41) While in the land of Atuot, the land of the lions, Marial was taken away from the camp while sleeping and eaten by one of them. Not only did Salva lose Marial and his family but he also lost the person he knew the most in the group, Uncle.

However, he had no idea what attaining this goal would actually be like. During his time in the front with his comrades, he experienced death on an immense scale. Back home, he had been living in a bubble which was shielding him from the cruelty of the world; all of a sudden that bubble popped. This was all too overwhelming for Paul and he immediately became disillusioned. He realized that the path towards victory was not as exuberant as he had imagined and that he had to be willing to give up his life if necessary.

Near the end of Paul’s leave of absence, he felt isolated and full of regret, “I ought never to have come here. Out there I was indifferent and often hopeless-I will never be able to be so again. I was a soldier, and now I am nothing but an agony for myself, for my mother, for everything that is so comfortless and without end.”(Remarque 185) This quote accentuates the narrator’s separation from his family, when he cries out “I ought never to have come here.” Moreover, commonly, soldiers are exhilarated to finally go home after long periods of time at the front, and the men dread when they have to return to battle. However, in Paul’s case, he desires to return to the front, rather than staying in his home town and seeing his mother in pain, he yearns to feel numb again. Therefore, Paul is in “agony” because before going on leave, he was hopeless and had no will to live, thus making him a better soldier.

"Forgive me, comrade; how could you be my enemy? If we threw away these rifles and uniforms you could be my brother just like Kat and Albert (Remarque 223)". Comradeship among soldiers is a major theme throughout the novel, "All Quiet on the Western Front" because the soldiers knew each other before the war, protected each other during combat, and can relate to one another without having to literally speak. This story 's theme shows comradeship because Paul and the other soldiers were in class together before joining the war. In the beginning of the novel Paul introduces his friends he went to school with before going to war with.

Gene is in denial of his friend’s death. The only way for Gene to change is for him to accept his friend’s death. Gene enters the war with Brinker which shows he is moving on from his life in Devon and from Finny’s death, and while he leaves he, “[leaves] the door ajar for the first time…My schooling was over” (203). Gene is the only character in the novel A Separate Peace that changes by releasing his anger and being less competitive. Gene informs, “My fury was gone…Phineas had absorbed it had taken it with him, and I was rid of it forever” (203).

He wanted nothing but peace. In conclusion, Lincoln had a hate for this war like no other. He truly cared and loved the country and wanted nothing more than for the country to be once again united as one. He wanted this war to end very quickly so we could just move on and forget it happened, although this would be difficult. But being the optimistic man that Lincoln was, he never lost his hope and never lost his faith that God would let whatever was meant to happen,

He continues to say he is at peace with what his father did, despite the horrific murders, because it reminds him “what happens when democracy and humanity perish from the Earth”. One of the final scenes in

A proud heart can survive a general failure because such a failure does not prick its pride. It is more difficult and more bitter when a man fails alone” (pg.24-25). The most prideful thing Okonkwo had done throughout the whole book was killing himself. We never really find out why he did it, but really it could have been because he was too stubborn to abide by the white man’s law. He knew it would most likely never change, so his solution was to kill himself.

Elie only views the death of his father as a relief. When he focused on survival, he no longer had any tears to give. The fight causes Elie to rid himself of all emotions and forget a connection with his father. This is wrong to forget your feeling of compassion, because it pains Elie that he could not cry for his father. Focusing on your own survival makes you forget compassion for those you

Ish’s views of civilization have changed heavily from the plague to his death; he has now given up on the tribe’s continuation and lost hope in what can still be done. Thoughts of members of the tribe, either current or foregoing, previously brought back robust memories, while closer to the culmination of the Tribe his memories faded and became dismissive. He views civilization as unworthy now, since he knows he is going to die soon and there is nothing to keep him abiding. Closer to the start of his book, “Suddenly he felt all civilization depended not only upon men but also upon these other things which had marched with him like kinsmen and friends and companions.” (120) He realizes that his actions affect civilization, and he believes

After months of coming to a sense that there would be no liberation of the jews Elie became numb to the idea of death. He no longer had hope in God, in others, nor himself. Elie has said in later years ”During, there was nothing--not even a plea to or a bargain with God. God, he feels, had nothing to do with his survival. "If God was

Stein was related to Eliezer, he visited Elie and his father often in the camp. Stein came crying because he missed his family. Stein was on the verge of giving up, “The only thing that keeps me alive, is to know that Reizel and the little ones are still alive,” (Wiesel 45). When Stein received the news about his family being dead, he gave up entirely and was never seen again. The experience that Stein suffered through supported the theme by showing that the possibility of his loved ones being alive kept him holding onto his own life.

Eliezer is painfully honest. He reveals how much the concentration camp had changed him. Wiesel emphasizes the point that the holocaust impacted others to the point where they were content with death. He wanted others to know that no one should ever have to endure a terrifying situation like the holocaust or even have the thought about choosing death instead of living. World War II affected Wiesel immensely, where he thought that surrendering his life is the only option left since he was tired from all the hardships that the Nazis inflicted on the him and the Jews.