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.