Irony In Remarque's All Quiet On The Western Front

Erich Maria Remarque, a World War I veteran, took his own personal war experience to paper, which resulted in one of the most critically acclaimed anti-war movement novels of all time, All Quiet on the Western Front. The voice of the novel, Paul Baumer, describes his daily life as a soldier during the First World War. Through the characters he creates in the novel, Remarque addresses his own issues with the war. Specifically, Remarque brings to light the idea of the “Iron Youth,” the living conditions in the trenches, and the sense of detachment soldiers feel, among other things. Therefore, All Quiet on the Western Front criticizes the sense of nationalism, which war tends to create among citizens by quickly diminishing any belief regarding it as a glorious and courageous act.

The main focus of the book All Quiet in the Western Front, the author illustrates his ideas of war through writing. Understanding the nature of warfare allows the reader to easily be able to know specific events in that time period. The story involves a young man Paul and his beliefs and observations throughout his experience in war. His knowledge of warfare will change from when he first joined and to the end of his journey. - Erich Maria Remarque's classic war novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, deals with the many ways in which World War I affected people’s lives, both the lives of soldiers on the front lines and the lives of people on the homefront.

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).

Sassoon was able to fight in May 1915. He was depressed because of the war but that did not stop him from doing his duty, for that courage he was a well-known man. Because of the fact that he appeared to be completely fearless; his friends called him “Mad Jack”. In Sassoon’s poem he gives descriptions that show the state of the soldier. In the first stanza we can see that the figure is “Groping along the tunnel, step by step” and in the third stanza we get the line “alone he staggered on…” These phrases point out the physical and physiological detachment, well known effects of intendance combat.

Erich Remarque, author of the novel All Quiet on the Western Front, presents a true story of a soldier throughout World War I. At the young age of 19, Paul Bäumer voluntarily enters the draft to fight for his home country, Germany. Throughout the war, Paul disconnects his mind from his feelings, keeping his emotions away from the bitter reality he is experiencing. This helps him survive mentally throughout the course of the war. The death of Paul 's friend Kemmerich forces him to cover his grief, “My limbs move supplely, I feel my joints strong, I breathe the air deeply.

World War I was a difficult time for every country involved, despite the agenda being pushed forward. More often than not you hear of the struggles and triumphs of Americans, British, or any of the their allies. “All Quiet on the Western Front” provides its audience with some insight into a group of young German friends who were fighting for Germany during World War I.This paper will discuss plot,setting,major themes and the main purposes of the film. Additionally it will be evaluated on quality, interest and the use of literary techniques.It will further more be evaluated by its accuracy,strengths and weaknesses. The film “All Quiet on the Western Front” took place on the Western Front during World War I 1914.

For so long prior to the war, Paul and his friends from school were told that they are the Iron Youth. They were young and innocent with splendid memories. All to be crushed by the war. ‘’Our early life is cut off the moment we came here.’’[5] All they had prior to the war was just school and hobbies. But beyond that their life did not extend.

Countries motivated men to join the war with fame and nationalism. For example, in All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque, a German soldier, named Paul Baumer, joins the war because he was taught to believe that war was easy, and he would be recognized as a hero. Unexpectedly, he encounters many disturbing moments during

As Bheid puts it, "In their hearts, mean really want to be just and kindly, but other things get in the way." (page 186) In All Quiet on the Western Front, however, Paul has to do just the opposite. Paul, originally a high school graduate, now had to numb himself to the death and violence of the front. He put it as "Men who have been up as often as we have become thick skinned. Only the young recruits are agitated."

When speaking of Equality’s invention, a Scholar declares “And if this should lighten the toil of men...then it is a great evil, for men have no cause to exist save in toiling for other men” (74). The purpose of technology is to make lives easier, so if the government removes technology, they’re also saying that the purpose of living is to suffer. If they want as much work to be done for the people as possible, then they need to accept the fact that some changes must be made to how everyone lives. Moreover, the choice for Equality’s job does not make sense. In response to the choice of Street Sweeper, Equality thinks, “We knew we had been guilty, but now we had a way to atone for it” (26).

The book All Quiet on the Western Front, written by Erich Maria Remarque, has many apparent themes throughout it. One of the main themes is the Lost Generation. It is defined as, by dictionary.com, as “the generation reaching maturity during and just after World War I, a high proportion of whose men were killed during those years”. The novel is set during World War I, focusing on young men fighting for Germany. All Quiet on the Western Front emphasizes the Lost Generation because of how it focuses on how the soldiers were affected mentally and physically at such a young age.

Erich Maria Remarque was a man who had lived through the terrors of war, serving since he was eighteen. His first-hand experience shines through the text in his famous war novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, which tells the life of young Paul Bäumer as he serves during World War 1. The book was, and still is, praised to be universal. The blatant show of brutality, and the characters’ questioning of politics and their own self often reaches into the hearts of the readers, regardless of who or where they are. Brutality and images of war are abundant in this book, giving the story a feeling of reality.

All quite in the western front was a very good war book. For people like me who have never experienced the horrors of being in battle during war, this book painted a good picture of what it was like being in battle. The emotional trauma that these men had to endure, words cannot express what they must have been through. The book All quite in the western front had many traits that it expressed in it such as loss, despair, and alienation. Many would agree that this book expressed the trait of loss in this book many times; however, this book portrayed loss not only in death, but also innocents, and how the characters have changed.

Although he is bright and compassionate, he could also be hostile. One time this happened was when he first got his army. Although he treated them with respect, he was also hard on them so he could see if they would step up the game and detect how fast they can become better soldiers (160). Being hostile allowed him get this army in control. If he was nice, then no one will take him seriously and won’t listen to him.

On page 79 it states, “ Then the Fuhrer handed Dieter the medal.” Another symbol was Spencer’s heart. Spencer’s heart was the thing that made him join the army but also made him lose his life because he felt like he had to save the boy on the hill ( Dieter ). On page 22 it states, “ I think that you want to prove something to LuAnn Crow-ther.” In Solider Boys, two significant characters are Dieter and Spencer. First, Dieter is a 10 year old boy who is a member of the German “ Young People”. Dieter knows all about the last war and wants to fight and bring pride to his family.