Furthermore, I believe that the author is trying to characterize his generation, the young men who fought the Great War and who were destroyed by it. The group of men which Paul Bäumer fights with reminds me of the camaraderie that lies within the Marine Corps ethos.…
In All Quiet on the Western Front, the audience gets to see how Paul Baumer represents his generation, also known as The Lost Generation. In chapter 1 Page 11 Paul states, “The wisest were just the poor and simple people. They knew the war to be a misfortune, whereas those who were better off, and should have been able to see more clearly what the consequences would be, were beside themselves with joy.” Paul describes how he and many other people envisioned war to be, they underestimated the severity that would be displayed into this war. Throughout the story, we get to see how Paul's character shifts from a positive-innocent kid to an emotionless and lost man.…
Remarque is trying to convey to the reader that war ages its soldiers quickly and steals away adolescence. There is no room for childhood and innocence on the front. We see this when Paul reacts to Kantorek’s letter and says “Iron Youth. Youth! We are none of us more than twenty years old. But young? Youth? That is long ago. We are old folk,” (10). This is a very truthful and important quote because Paul isn’t shown as a young man; he is shown as older with almost no youth left in him. It is almost difficult to perceive him as merely a twenty year old boy because his tone and manner are so aged. The war has shoved him prematurely into adulthood. Another facet of war that Remarque shows us is the negative effects of war on a soldier. When Paul says “By midday what I expected happens. One of the recruits has a fit. I have been watching him for a long time, grinding his teeth and opening and shutting his fists. These hunted, protruding eyes, we know them too well,” (52), we see that soldiers have become accustomed to their fellow soldiers having mental breakdowns. The tone that Paul uses to describe all these events is so monotone and withdrawn that it’s disturbing. He is showing us what war is like without sugarcoating one aspect. He’s describing soldiers running across the front on their ankle stumps and having mental breakdowns as if he were describing the way the sun falls onto tree leaves because he’s used to all…
Those who did not join the war would “have been ostracized ….but no one would ever stand out because at the time even one’s parents were ready with the word “coward””(Remarque 11). The young students did not want to be thought of being disobedient to a higher authority because “the idea of authority….was a greater insight and a more humane wisdom” (Remarque 12) and because of that Paul and the class volunteered their service in the war. Paul also felt like it was his oneself duty to join the war and fight for his country because “We loved our country” (Remarque 13) and wanted to serve it” [the] duty to ones country is the greatest thing” (Remarque 13) Although, Paul wanted to serve his country on the war front Corrie Ten boom had a different start to World War II. Prior to the Holland’s involvement the country, was still at peace. Corrie Ten Booms family waited anxiously and gathered around the radio, for the Prime Minister of Holland’s announcement about the countries involvement in the war.…
He is incredulous that he used to write poetry because his current reality differs so greatly. Paul discusses how the war seems to destroy the past of young people, but serves as an interruption for the older men. Muller wasn’t being unsympathetic for wanting the boots, he was merely being practical. Their Corporal Himmelstoss was the strictest disciplinarian in the camp. However, Paul believes this harshness prepared him for war, allowing the soldiers to develop comradeship.…
In his article, “President Harrison billboards teach a lesson to Utah’s lieutenant governor” (2016), John Hollenhorst asserts that people do learn from propaganda such as billboards. Hollenhorst supports his position by providing a billboard experiment conducted in Utah which illustrates how Utah residents retained what they read on billboards. Hollenhorst wants to educate people on the power of billboards, in order to encourage companies to place educational billboards that will make people aware on vital matters. The author uses a factual, proper tone indicating that he wants a professional audience, but at the same time educating the people of Utah.…
O’Brien describes Paul Berlin’s as an ideal soldier in an army, who fights during the war to maintain his loyalty to a cause. In the beginning, when the “awol” Cacciato leaves…
There are many techniques that were used in world war II but the most techniques that were used were; Plain folks, Bandwagon, and Appeal to fear.…
I also portrayed that war wasn’t as bad as Paul explained it. I thought that it was just two large armies, in a large battlefield, shooting at each other like in the American Revolution. I didn’t realize that the tactics and the “scene” of the battle changed as much as had. The way Paul described…
In the story “Field Trip”, the text shows an example of how some people in a community can expect a man to go to war and how it affects…
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.…
As the war changes so does the young and innocent mind of Paul Baumer. This is shown not only in his thoughts, but in the actions that he takes throughout the novel itself. Specifically, Paul’s mind changes because of his views on the war, how he witnessed the death of his classmates, and the battles that are fought change his personal view of life, and what it means to him as well as the war in itself.…
This meant that even though they were required to carry the physical load and bear the emotional consequences, they still had to “fight” for survival. Every characteristic or thought was taken in a positive manner and helped them develop confidence and motivation that lead them to overcome the devastation of war. For example there was an epiphany for Jimmy Cross at the end of the story when he realized the predicament of not being focused in war. This lead him to burn the letters, which shows a great deal of confidence and motivation, developed during war. The act of him burning the letter made sure that he was willing to forget the fantasies about his girlfriend Martha and become focused in war. He had managed to acquire the courage by simply an incident that could have potentially proven to be fatal. Therefore this helped in developing confidence and the ability to be focused while also motivating him to be alert in war. Therefore this gives us insight that the author provides details about the consequences of war faced by the soldiers not only physically but also mentally such as fear, love and grief. The ability or mental strength required to overcome the atrocities of war is immense and this is intensified by gravity of the precarious situation. “They carried their reputation.” Thereby leading to this conclusion that war has many social and personal consequences that are reluctantly compelled onto a soldier but it undeniably lead to the development of confidence and…
In Paul’s own life, he finds that “The idea of authority, which they represented, was associated in our minds with a greater insight and a more humane wisdom. But the first death we saw shattered this belief” (Remarque 12) Paul and his friends enter the war because of the impassioned glorifications of battle by their teacher Kantorek. However, the actuality of war negates all preconceptions, but leaves them trapped in a cycle of self-destructiveness. Furthermore, the soldiers discover that, “While they taught that duty to one's country is the greatest thing, we already knew that death-throes are stronger” (13). In the act of seeking a romanticized notion of joy from serving his country, Paul loses his youth, his friends, his hope, and his life. He claims to “know nothing of life but despair, death, fear, and fatuous superficiality cast over an abyss of sorrow” (263). This cost can only be justified in extreme…
Tim O’Brien explores this concept when he simply states, “he was soldier, after all” (O’Brien 23). They must become a cog on the “big wheel…avoid shame” (Pollock 14). War connects men and connect them. Soldiers must prove their worthiness and bravery, not to themselves but to the soldiers that stand beside them. Soldier’s carry the “greatest fear which was the fear of blushing…. It was what brought them to war in the first place, the blush of dishonor” (O’Brien 20). Even though Jimmy Cross wanted to become a “draft dodger”, he knew that cowardliness would follow him for the rest of his life. He felt a responsibility to the men that would stand beside him. He would give up his live; he would not question; there would be no logic. He would be a “real man” and fight. In taking this action, O’Brien expresses the philosophy that the only person who can understand the thoughts of a solider is another solider. Troops walk a path that is unknown to society, but understood by the man who stands next to them on the battlefront. O’Brien continues the exploration of this group dynamics when Cross gives up his personal dream, because of the guilt he feels for the death of fellow solider Lavender. Cross burns the weight of his letters to become more adjusted to the group. He has let go of “sissy stuff...and fell to stereotypically masculine ways” (Pollock 14). In doing this a “new hardness develops in his stomach”…