Character Analysis: All Quiet On The Western Front

War is a devastating and horrific experience that changes all those who have fought in it. In the novel “All Quiet on the Western Front,” by Erich Maria Remarque, the author portrays the beauty of going to war and dying for one’s nation as a lie made by the old generation. Paul Baumer, the protagonist of this novel, goes through harsh conditions of war to only find out that everything he was taught before the life of war was meaningless. Paul is a reflection of all the experiences that the author himself has gone through during his time in war. Although the narrator isn’t based on the author himself there are many things that are portrayed in Paul that is similar to Erich.

Paul, being a young recruit, came to a realization about war at an early age and came to find that war is that which

Being a completely character not based off him but only of his experiences Paul didn't survive the war. He didn’t die but at the end he seemed as if he was relieved, “Turning him over one saw that he could not have suffered long: his face had an expression of calm, as though almost glad the end had come”(pg. 296). In comparison the author was only injured from grenade splinter injuries. Remarque survived the war but he suffered from post war trauma and regretted that his wounds the reason why he couldn’t continue his passion as a concert pianist. Remarque also by his grief over his mother’s death and he was discharged from war due to the injuries. Unlike Paul the author had goals he wanted to accomplish such as pianist. Paul when asked the question what he would do after war he had no answer, because to him war has become life. he had known only about war. After the war Remarque found jobs as sub and teach and he soon got tired of it. After he began publishing his own works creating many poems and the famous novel, “All Quiet on the Western Front” that created a big controversy in