When one of Paul’s best friends Kemmerich dies, Paul is the one who has to tell his mom about the bad news. One quote that points to this is, “I must go and see Kemmerich’s mother… This quaking, sobbing woman who shakes me and cries out on me: ‘Why are you living then, when he is dead?’” (181). Paul had enough bravery to talk to his dead friend’s mother about how her son died. Paul has to lie to Kemmerich’s mother or else she would have been even more devastated than she had been when she heard the bad news. Paul was devastated when his friend died but stayed brave because he knew with war came death. An example that also proves this is, “Kat falls. We two are alone… Couldn’t I shoot myself quickly in the foot so as to be able to go with him… ‘he is stone dead’ … Do I walk? Have I feet still? … Then I know nothing more” (287-291). Paul is even more affected by Kat’s death than Kemmerich’s death. Kat and Paul were best friends and stayed together all the time. Paul did not know what to do when Kat died, he is at a loss of words, and wanted to hurt himself to stay with Kat and go wherever he went. He was courageous even though he witnessed an awful death. Although Paul is a good comrade and a smart decision maker, his best trait is that he is a brave
When one of Paul’s best friends Kemmerich dies, Paul is the one who has to tell his mom about the bad news. One quote that points to this is, “I must go and see Kemmerich’s mother… This quaking, sobbing woman who shakes me and cries out on me: ‘Why are you living then, when he is dead?’” (181). Paul had enough bravery to talk to his dead friend’s mother about how her son died. Paul has to lie to Kemmerich’s mother or else she would have been even more devastated than she had been when she heard the bad news. Paul was devastated when his friend died but stayed brave because he knew with war came death. An example that also proves this is, “Kat falls. We two are alone… Couldn’t I shoot myself quickly in the foot so as to be able to go with him… ‘he is stone dead’ … Do I walk? Have I feet still? … Then I know nothing more” (287-291). Paul is even more affected by Kat’s death than Kemmerich’s death. Kat and Paul were best friends and stayed together all the time. Paul did not know what to do when Kat died, he is at a loss of words, and wanted to hurt himself to stay with Kat and go wherever he went. He was courageous even though he witnessed an awful death. Although Paul is a good comrade and a smart decision maker, his best trait is that he is a brave