Tuesday, February 5, 2008
All Quiet on the Western Front Analysis
All Quiet on the Western Front is a story about a young man enlisted to serve in World War One. The setting, character and plot all attributed to the theme of the novel, by creating an emotional reaction from readers towards the theme; life on the battlefield stays and ends on the battlefield.Nineteen year old Paul was chosen among his students to go and serve in World War One. The main character’s inability to fit in with rest of society socially and being unable to find employment destined him to stay on the battlefield. He had to expect that not coming home was a possibility, and even if he was fortunate enough to be able to come home; he would lack the skill of surviving in society. Due to being chosen to serve in war at a young age, Paul was unable to receive education that would help him find employment. This destined that Paul’s only possible success would be on the battlefield.When he received a break from the war, and was allowed to visit home in Germany for several weeks, he found that he could not fit in. He thought different of people’s intention, and found that others were unable to understand him. Only people that fought with him in the war knew what he was thinking and feeling. His comrades were closer than family. Like any other soldier, Paul’s life ends on the battlefield. He died on the battlefield in Germany, along with many of his comrades. They all died in different ways and in different times, but all passed away because of the war. This was a common conclusion of a soldier’s life.The theme in All Quiet on the Western Front is based on the setting, which aroused thoughts and behavior that set the main character apart from the rest of society. The primary setting of the battlefield inspired the thoughts and insights of Paul. The secondary setting of home in Germany created a contrast of the two settings, and the life of a soldier and civilian. The setting of the battlefield was a time of trench warfare when trenches and hand-to-hand combat were the strategies to victory. The everyday life that included corpses and the sight of blood created an anxious and dangerous atmosphere. Deep realizations and thoughts about life were inspired through death of loved ones, daily irritations of war, and the unbreakable bond between soldiers. Furthermore, the death that occurred on the battlefield contrived emotional moments. The secondary setting of home proved that the experience of the main character alienated soldiers from the rest of the world. The empathy and new perspective that a reader gains over the couple of years in the two settings allowed the theme to be carried out successfully and emotionally.The protagonist that acted out the theme in the two settings is Paul Baumer. Due to a lack of rations the soldiers were given in the war, the figure of a skinny, but strong teenager can be conjured. The insights and perspective he gained from fighting in the war made him anything but naïve, despite his little education. Furthermore, surviving life threatening situations proved Paul to be a fast thinker. When he visited home in Germany, Paul’s tolerance is revealed when he tolerated foolish comments about fighting in war made by his father’s friends, who enjoyed the luxury of life during the time of war. Also, his consideration of other people can be seen when he assured a dead comrade’s mother that his friend died painlessly, sealing the promise with his very own life. Paul does not believe in God, and mentions no religion of any kind in his thoughts. He accepts events that occur in life without a complaint, showing his surrender to the nature of things. Paul’s ambition of surviving was seen when he ran miles looking for cover with his injured friend. His motivation to wake up every morning is the bond between him and his comrades.The antagonists Corporal Himmelstoss, war and death worked against the protagonist and his friends to make life hard. Corporal Himmelstoss was a hated figure at training, and was the target for practical jokes among the men. Himmelstoss often set harsh punishment on the men due to his own dislike towards Paul and his friends. The second antagonist war, fought over life with Paul and his comrades, and often won in taking it. As the men tried to live through desperate situations, death was the very thing they were running from. Death also separated the men, and broke the motivation Paul needed everyday when fighting in the war.The plot was the skeleton the novel, giving a script for the main character to act out. Paul’s daily routine at camp is interrupted by the death of a childhood friend, Kemmerich. Through night gatherings, the group of soldiers discuss the war and what their future when they return home to Germany. Paul later gets the opportunity to visit home, but his excitement was soon crushed from not being able to socially and mentally fit in with society. He returns to the battlefield, where he kills a French soldier, but realizes that he and the dead French soldier had a lot in common; they were both away from home and fighting for their country. Paul is emotionally impacted and calls the dead a soldier a comrade. He then fakes a fever to join a comrade, Albert Kropp, to the hospital but is later returned to the battlefield, where he discovers death of more of his comrades. The story ends with a peaceful death of Paul, who is the last to die in the group of soldiers.The book All Quiet on the Western Front describes a common soldier life, by bringing the reader to the scene of the character. The setting, plot and the main character of the book attributed to the success of the theme; life on the battlefield stays and ends on the battlefield. They all worked together to make this novel both successful and emotional.
All Quiet on the Western Front Comparison Essay
The movie All Quiet on the Western Front is quite similar to the original novel, in terms of the theme. However, the audience captures the theme differently than readers, due to the different perspective that readers and audience were put in to acknowledge the plot. Also, the changes added onto the movie made it, in many ways, more impactful than the novel itself.The movie allowed the audience to witness Paul’s change from a schoolboy to a soldier. Paul was introduced before he was enlisted and the audience was able to see the shift from innocence to harsh reality, making the movie more emotional than the novel. Perspective and insights that readers read from Paul’s thoughts are observed by the audience through visual events. Flashbacks that the narrator mentions in the book were made more significant and emotional in the movie.The movie differs from the novel by creating a connection between the ending and the beginning of the movie, using Paul’s death. Paul is first introduced sketching a bird in the classroom, and also dies on the battlefield drawing a bird. Instead of reading Paul’s insights, the audience acknowledges his pensive side through his love of sketching and poetry. The audience observes that innocence would not survive on the battlefield; a symbolic meaning the novel does not have. The novel created an impact on readers using a third person’s view to describe his death, a change from the usual narrating Paul. When he died doing something that his innocent self had done, the movie successfully created a different impact on the audience.The deaths of the soldiers were also made more significant in the movie than in the novel. Paul writes a letter to his comrade, Albert Kropp, in the end of the movie. The loss of friends becomes more shocking and heavy in the heart when Paul lists each classmate’s death. Furthermore, Paul tells Kropp in the letter that they are the only ones left from the class that was enlisted to go serve in war. This adds on to the irony of Paul’s death, because he dies after writing the letter. Alterations were made to the plot so that the movie would be possible and interesting to view on screen. The movie succeeded in capturing the hearts of the audience. However, many symbolic meanings extracted from the novel, making the movie not as thought provoking. The novel and movie are both great productions used to describe a soldier’s life.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Deaths too close
This is the last post. All Quiet on the Western Front really is a excellent novel about war, brotherhood, humanity, and life itself. In the end, when the war ended, Paul dies. However, he is the last of the the eight to die. When the seven students from a class were picked off to go to war, they often dreamt of going home, worried about the future, and when the war would end. However, throughout the novel, we see Paul's emotional separation with all his brothers, his comrades.
Kemmerich: He died in the beginning of the novel, and Paul had a painful separation with his childhood friend.
Tjaden: Always described as the lucky one, however in the beginning of the novel at Kemmerich's novel, his fight with the surgeon was mentioned. At first, I didn't understand, however I then realized that it was Paul reflecting on Tjaden's fight. He had fought off a surgeon with a dagger until finally he collapsed.
Kropp: It never finished with Kropp's death. Paul was sent to go somewhere else after the hospital, and I believe it actually foreshadowed that Kropp was going to get better, however he would never be the same again with his leg amputation.
Detering: Detering died after trying to escape. Paul had already noticed his unusual behavior when he went to pick cherries off a tree. He said that his home had a cherry tree. He tried to escape the next day, but was caught on the field and killed.
Muller: He died in battle during Paul's stay at the hospital. He inherited Kemmerich's boots in the beginning of the novel, and gave them to Paul, who said to give to Tjaden after his own death. However that never happened.
Kat: One of the closest friends with Paul, who died running on the field with Paul. He had hurt himself very bad, and while Paul and Kat were running to the dressing station to get help, he had a very little splinter head in his head, causing his death. It was perhaps one of the saddest death, because Paul was doing everything he could to keep Kat alive. He supported him most of the way, and when they stopped to rest, Paul saw Kat getting green and weaker. He picked him up and ran to the dressing station, and finally dropped to the ground when he reached there. There was joy, because he thought that he had saved Kat. However, the person there merely looked at them, and simply said that Paul could have saved the trip. Paul, in disbelief, felt Kat's warm hands, but was finally convinced when he found blood on his hands after massaging Kat's head.
Paul died on the western front of Germany's war. It was described as a calm scene, because it was all quiet, signalling the end of war. No more guns, no more bombardment. Just as Paul died, there was calmness on his face, and all those memories he had with his dead brothers, faded just like him. To everybody else, Paul was just another soldier with his fellow comrades.
Here death played a role of protagonist and antagonist. Separating with his friends, Paul was officially alone for two months after Kat's death. However, when he died, death allowed him to finally have peace, no more striving and literally dying to live. He could finally rest. War ended, just like Paul did. All Quiet on the Western Front was not a fairytale with a prince of victory, but about a insignificant soldier to the world's eyes, with life the war itself. Because it was written by Erich Maria Remarque, a real soldier during the war, I could say that many events in the book reflected what actually happened during the war. This novel was not only banned for it's mature content, but because somebody younger would not have understood the true meaning of this novel. Perhaps they would get the emotional, brotherhood side of it, but it definitely helps to read with World War One knowledge.
Kemmerich: He died in the beginning of the novel, and Paul had a painful separation with his childhood friend.
Tjaden: Always described as the lucky one, however in the beginning of the novel at Kemmerich's novel, his fight with the surgeon was mentioned. At first, I didn't understand, however I then realized that it was Paul reflecting on Tjaden's fight. He had fought off a surgeon with a dagger until finally he collapsed.
Kropp: It never finished with Kropp's death. Paul was sent to go somewhere else after the hospital, and I believe it actually foreshadowed that Kropp was going to get better, however he would never be the same again with his leg amputation.
Detering: Detering died after trying to escape. Paul had already noticed his unusual behavior when he went to pick cherries off a tree. He said that his home had a cherry tree. He tried to escape the next day, but was caught on the field and killed.
Muller: He died in battle during Paul's stay at the hospital. He inherited Kemmerich's boots in the beginning of the novel, and gave them to Paul, who said to give to Tjaden after his own death. However that never happened.
Kat: One of the closest friends with Paul, who died running on the field with Paul. He had hurt himself very bad, and while Paul and Kat were running to the dressing station to get help, he had a very little splinter head in his head, causing his death. It was perhaps one of the saddest death, because Paul was doing everything he could to keep Kat alive. He supported him most of the way, and when they stopped to rest, Paul saw Kat getting green and weaker. He picked him up and ran to the dressing station, and finally dropped to the ground when he reached there. There was joy, because he thought that he had saved Kat. However, the person there merely looked at them, and simply said that Paul could have saved the trip. Paul, in disbelief, felt Kat's warm hands, but was finally convinced when he found blood on his hands after massaging Kat's head.
Paul died on the western front of Germany's war. It was described as a calm scene, because it was all quiet, signalling the end of war. No more guns, no more bombardment. Just as Paul died, there was calmness on his face, and all those memories he had with his dead brothers, faded just like him. To everybody else, Paul was just another soldier with his fellow comrades.
Here death played a role of protagonist and antagonist. Separating with his friends, Paul was officially alone for two months after Kat's death. However, when he died, death allowed him to finally have peace, no more striving and literally dying to live. He could finally rest. War ended, just like Paul did. All Quiet on the Western Front was not a fairytale with a prince of victory, but about a insignificant soldier to the world's eyes, with life the war itself. Because it was written by Erich Maria Remarque, a real soldier during the war, I could say that many events in the book reflected what actually happened during the war. This novel was not only banned for it's mature content, but because somebody younger would not have understood the true meaning of this novel. Perhaps they would get the emotional, brotherhood side of it, but it definitely helps to read with World War One knowledge.
My Leg, My dignity
Paul and Kropp were sent to the hospital together after being injured in an bombardment. Kropp had a shot a bit above his knee while Paul had a injury in his arm and leg. They both looked forward to home, even though they knew that they would've been sent right back after they healed. They were sent to the hospital by train, where the two young men did everything they could to stay together. Paul faked a fever, traded off his own rations to stay with Kropp. This showed how much they needed each other, a bond that couldn't be broken unless by force.
When they got to the hospital, Kropp was informed that he needed an amputation. It was common back then to give amputations because it meant there was no need for investigating wound and trying to heal it. However, Kropp felt that now he was an official cripple and hardly talked after that. His eyes often followed Paul as he got on and off his bed, walking back and forth. The soldiers had a common feel towards amputations; the answer was NO. They rather be limping then to loose their leg and get a artificial limb. To them, it was their dignity almost. A soldier even suicide with a fork due to his poor condition.
During their stay at the hospital, they made many new friends and perhaps saw death magnified before their very own eyes. Everyday, men were sent to the "Dying Room", a room for soldiers who had no hope of being healed. They would listen to the sister's prayer, and although they understood the good intention, they were completely irritated. A man named Josef, had a shot in the head, and he used that as an excuse to some of his acts. He threw a bottle near the door to have it shut, because at the time nobody could get out of bed, and the sisters refused to shut the door. The injured soldiers enjoyed having Josef around, they could get away with almost anything and appreciated his knowledge around this hospital, for he has been there for some time. When Paul went out of his room, it really opened his eyes for where a man could be injured. He walked around different rooms and saw different men with different injuries anywhere on his body. The cruel fact, was that many surgeons decided war was a chance to practice/try new things because the soldiers were considered already wasted. All these casualties and descriptive injuries caused this book the be banned. As well the harsh reality of life and death would scared or shock the children. One of the interesting events at the hospital, was when a forty-year old soldier had an intercourse with his wife right in the very room with all the injured soldiers. Paul explained that when a soldier has been away for three years, he should get his wife good. Kropp carried the baby, some soldiers stood outside the door the stall the sisters, a soldier help prop up the pillow for the forty-year old soldier to sleep on his side, and the rest turned away. It was quite awkward to read, and supported the fact that men needs sex. This is also a reason that this novel is banned.
The protagonists here are Paul, his comrades, and his fellow soldiers in the hospital room. The antagonist would be the surgeons. Death here was preferred than being a living man, never to be a full person again. Amputations and surgeons are antagonist here.
When they got to the hospital, Kropp was informed that he needed an amputation. It was common back then to give amputations because it meant there was no need for investigating wound and trying to heal it. However, Kropp felt that now he was an official cripple and hardly talked after that. His eyes often followed Paul as he got on and off his bed, walking back and forth. The soldiers had a common feel towards amputations; the answer was NO. They rather be limping then to loose their leg and get a artificial limb. To them, it was their dignity almost. A soldier even suicide with a fork due to his poor condition.
During their stay at the hospital, they made many new friends and perhaps saw death magnified before their very own eyes. Everyday, men were sent to the "Dying Room", a room for soldiers who had no hope of being healed. They would listen to the sister's prayer, and although they understood the good intention, they were completely irritated. A man named Josef, had a shot in the head, and he used that as an excuse to some of his acts. He threw a bottle near the door to have it shut, because at the time nobody could get out of bed, and the sisters refused to shut the door. The injured soldiers enjoyed having Josef around, they could get away with almost anything and appreciated his knowledge around this hospital, for he has been there for some time. When Paul went out of his room, it really opened his eyes for where a man could be injured. He walked around different rooms and saw different men with different injuries anywhere on his body. The cruel fact, was that many surgeons decided war was a chance to practice/try new things because the soldiers were considered already wasted. All these casualties and descriptive injuries caused this book the be banned. As well the harsh reality of life and death would scared or shock the children. One of the interesting events at the hospital, was when a forty-year old soldier had an intercourse with his wife right in the very room with all the injured soldiers. Paul explained that when a soldier has been away for three years, he should get his wife good. Kropp carried the baby, some soldiers stood outside the door the stall the sisters, a soldier help prop up the pillow for the forty-year old soldier to sleep on his side, and the rest turned away. It was quite awkward to read, and supported the fact that men needs sex. This is also a reason that this novel is banned.
The protagonists here are Paul, his comrades, and his fellow soldiers in the hospital room. The antagonist would be the surgeons. Death here was preferred than being a living man, never to be a full person again. Amputations and surgeons are antagonist here.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Alien Back Home
The third theme I gathered from reading Paul's seventeen day leave back home, was that war has completely molded these men into something different, they no longer function as the typical population in society. Paul was extremely excited to go home, but when he got home, it was not the dream come true he had in mind. His mother was sick with cancer, and she missed him dearly. In pain, she prepared for him his favourite food, even though they were poor and food was almost the problem like it is in the front line. He got home, and once his sister called his mother, he leaned back on the wall, unable to stand. It's hard to describe what emotion he is feeling. I would say he was heartbroken, his heartfelt longing for home, knowing that what he had put his mother through, overwhelmed him. When he eagerly threw his rifle, pack aside, he found that his civilian clothes no longer fit him. He had grown, and it symbolizes that he no longer belongs to the civilian world. Paul became a soldier, and shall remain that way for the rest of his life. He tried reading books like he use to, but he found that the books no longer draw his focus, mind, and heart into it. The innocence of youth, which was really not that long ago, was no longer there. He even implored in his heart for the book to take him, but it didn't.
Paul also couldn't live through everyday without a different point of view to life. He was seen as a hero, or honoured individual back at home. He was treated like one, but he certainly was not spoken to like one. He had people treat him food, and had many talks with him. Paul felt hostile towards a Red Cross sister, as she offered him food and called him a comrade. To Paul, she was ignorant and foolish, she has no knowledge of what it takes to be a comrade. Many people talked to him and said words that understood how he felt, but Paul knows that they don't really physically and emotionally know/understand/feel how he feels. There are older men who treat him bear and cigars, but tells him what he should be fighting for, and how he should be fighting. Even his own father curiosity about life on front line made Paul anxious and upset. They don't understand the actual horror of it, and why soldiers would not want to speak of it at the time. They wanted to take a leave, to go home and just feel like home again.
Also, Paul had to visit some dead comrade's mother. Kemmerich's mother overcame with shock and disbelief, and even carried some blaming tone in her voice towards Paul when he first told her. She was angry at why he was alive, and her son wasn't. Paul was told to take care of his son when they first left for war. In the end, Paul had to swear with his life on the front line to ensure his lie about Kemmerich's painless death.
During his stay, Paul compares the two feelings he get from the world. At home, it was unreachable, somewhat familiar yet lost, and his desire but a desire that seem to lost it's fire. When he went to report at a station, the feeling was familiar but disliked. Soldier had been molded into aliens by war, they have nowhere to go. Antagonist here, is clearly war.
The fact that this unfamilarity between two of the most known places in an individual's mind, makes people feel uneasy and could relate to somewhat. This could've caused novel to be banned. In the end, Paul wished he never came back home.
Paul also couldn't live through everyday without a different point of view to life. He was seen as a hero, or honoured individual back at home. He was treated like one, but he certainly was not spoken to like one. He had people treat him food, and had many talks with him. Paul felt hostile towards a Red Cross sister, as she offered him food and called him a comrade. To Paul, she was ignorant and foolish, she has no knowledge of what it takes to be a comrade. Many people talked to him and said words that understood how he felt, but Paul knows that they don't really physically and emotionally know/understand/feel how he feels. There are older men who treat him bear and cigars, but tells him what he should be fighting for, and how he should be fighting. Even his own father curiosity about life on front line made Paul anxious and upset. They don't understand the actual horror of it, and why soldiers would not want to speak of it at the time. They wanted to take a leave, to go home and just feel like home again.
Also, Paul had to visit some dead comrade's mother. Kemmerich's mother overcame with shock and disbelief, and even carried some blaming tone in her voice towards Paul when he first told her. She was angry at why he was alive, and her son wasn't. Paul was told to take care of his son when they first left for war. In the end, Paul had to swear with his life on the front line to ensure his lie about Kemmerich's painless death.
During his stay, Paul compares the two feelings he get from the world. At home, it was unreachable, somewhat familiar yet lost, and his desire but a desire that seem to lost it's fire. When he went to report at a station, the feeling was familiar but disliked. Soldier had been molded into aliens by war, they have nowhere to go. Antagonist here, is clearly war.
The fact that this unfamilarity between two of the most known places in an individual's mind, makes people feel uneasy and could relate to somewhat. This could've caused novel to be banned. In the end, Paul wished he never came back home.
Laughing Brunette
The second theme I gained from today's reading, was the soldier's only escape during the war... ladies. Kropp and Paul stood in front of a poster of a beautiful woman with a well kept man, they took no notice of the male at first, only admiring the woman from head to toe. They later saw the male, and unrealistically tried to make themselves like him. It was unrealistic because he was clean, and he had nice WHITE shirts. Later, two more soldiers walked by, and the woman on the poster reminded him of his first "intercourse", as Paul described it. I had to keep in mind that these were young men at the age of seventeen to twenty.Paul, Kropp, Kat, and Tjaden later met some French women across a river(which I assume is a borderline between the two enemies, because both parties did not want to cross the bridge in broad daylight). In exchange of "comfort", they presented the ladies with bread, cigars... rations that was suppose to help strengthen themselves through the war. From this, situations during that time were revealed. Not only were the soldiers starving and needy of food, so were people at home front(as we will find out later when Paul takes his seventeen day leave for home). Even through these desperate times, the soldiers were willing to give up their rations in order to gain service of these women, this showed how greatly they craved for it.At night, the men sneaked into the house of these women. Paul had gone with a brunette lady, who seems to be older than him. However, during the time Paul was there, he was not thinking any dirty thoughts. He was thinking about leaving worries, and his for just a moment, leave the war behind. It was the soldier's way to escape from a world of blood, bodes, rifles, shelling... This is also why this book is banned. This novel goes into no detail, because the focus of it was not the event itself, but the mental food and thoughts going through the soldier's heads, that had nothing to do with ladies.
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