"All Quiet on the Western Front"

Paper Summary:

This paper analyzes the character of Paul Baumer in Remarque's novel. It highlights, through example from the text, the social and individual effects of war. The author discusses the message of the book, that war is savagery, senseless and soul destroying.

From the Paper:

"One example of this hardening is seen in the fighting scenes. For example, we read, "The front is a cage in which we must await fearfully whatever may happen" (101). He and the others are forced to deal with change constantly. He tells us that it "makes us indifferent" (101). But change comes in different forms and not always at once. For instance, when Baumer comes face to face with an enemy soldier, he cannot bring himself to kill him. However, in an instant, a basic animal instinct comes over him and he suddenly throws a grenade at the man, killing him. He realizes, "We have become wild beasts. We do not fight, we defend ourselves against annihilation" (113). Another important point we find is how the soldiers are not actually fighting each other as much as they are avoiding death. These scenes allow us to see how the war has hardened the men into creatures that are simply fighting to stay alive."

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