Lost Generation In All Quiet On The Western Front
The Lost Generation
In Erich Maria Remarque’s novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, Paul Bäumer and his generation feel separated from the rest of the world. These boys’ lives were drastically changed by the war, and “even though they may have escaped its shells, they were destroyed by the war,” (Remarque Epigraph) describing that even though they survived the war physically,they were mentally destroyed by the dangers and chaos of war. Paul expresses that “he has been crushed without knowing it” and “does not belong anymore, it is a foreign world” (Remarque 168). The generation of men who fought in the war are “pushed aside,” (Remarque 249) as an unpleasant reminder of a war that society would like to disregard. After surviving such dreadful …show more content…
Now all he worries about is surviving. The soldiers have become insensitive to death after seeing it around them so often. After Paul kills Gerard Duval his comrades remark “he doesn’t need to lose sleep over it” (Remarque 229). They “see men living with their skulls blown open; they see soldiers run with their two feet cut off. They see men without mouths, without jaws, without faces” (Remarque 134). Death was a normal thing that soldiers saw regularlly, it was part of their routine. Paul wants to return to his “care free, beautiful” (Remarque 172) youth, as do the rest of his generation.
Another effect the war had on Paul’s generation was comradeship. The soldiers felt an incredible bond with each other because they have gone through the dangers and horrors of war together. To Paul, his comrades are “more to him than life” (Remarque 212). “They are the strongest, most comforting thing there is anywhere…” (Remarque 212). Paul “belongs to them and they to him” (Remarque 212). Paul and his fellow comrades have an intense friendship that is strengthened by their relentless fears of terror and hardship.
Throughout All Quiet on the Western Front Remarque displays many things for example, how World War I affected the Lost Generation, Paul Bäumer and his friends suffered greatly in a senseless war, and that they cannot live a normal life when their first calling was
In Erich Maria Remarque’s novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, Paul Bäumer and his generation feel separated from the rest of the world. These boys’ lives were drastically changed by the war, and “even though they may have escaped its shells, they were destroyed by the war,” (Remarque Epigraph) describing that even though they survived the war physically,they were mentally destroyed by the dangers and chaos of war. Paul expresses that “he has been crushed without knowing it” and “does not belong anymore, it is a foreign world” (Remarque 168). The generation of men who fought in the war are “pushed aside,” (Remarque 249) as an unpleasant reminder of a war that society would like to disregard. After surviving such dreadful …show more content…
Now all he worries about is surviving. The soldiers have become insensitive to death after seeing it around them so often. After Paul kills Gerard Duval his comrades remark “he doesn’t need to lose sleep over it” (Remarque 229). They “see men living with their skulls blown open; they see soldiers run with their two feet cut off. They see men without mouths, without jaws, without faces” (Remarque 134). Death was a normal thing that soldiers saw regularlly, it was part of their routine. Paul wants to return to his “care free, beautiful” (Remarque 172) youth, as do the rest of his generation.
Another effect the war had on Paul’s generation was comradeship. The soldiers felt an incredible bond with each other because they have gone through the dangers and horrors of war together. To Paul, his comrades are “more to him than life” (Remarque 212). “They are the strongest, most comforting thing there is anywhere…” (Remarque 212). Paul “belongs to them and they to him” (Remarque 212). Paul and his fellow comrades have an intense friendship that is strengthened by their relentless fears of terror and hardship.
Throughout All Quiet on the Western Front Remarque displays many things for example, how World War I affected the Lost Generation, Paul Bäumer and his friends suffered greatly in a senseless war, and that they cannot live a normal life when their first calling was