Summary Of All Quiet On The Western Front

In the novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, the author uses strong imagery and detailed descriptions to convey the horrors of the Great War and their detrimental effects on soldiers from all fronts. Images such as desperation, starvation, trauma, guilt, and camaraderie create a lasting impression on the reader as they are planted in the shoes of German soldiers, fighting and depending upon each other for survival. These themes were the unfortunate reality of life in the trenches, where rival sides are united in the battle of maintaining sanity and preserving life in any way possible. Specific images that have lingered in my mind after reading the novel are the types of brutal weaponry used in warfare. Trench mortars blew the clothes right
off their targets and anything else in proximity to them. Men would be found, suspended and lifeless, in the trees above with limbs missing from the massive explosion. Another scene that had a lasting impression on me was when Paul was left in a desolate state hiding in a shell hole accompanied by a dying enemy soldier. Paul’s defensive instincts led him to stab the soldier as soon as he entered the same shell hole. After realizing the pain and agony he had caused to the helpless man, whom was much like himself, Paul is overwhelmed with guilt. He yearned to go back in time and pursue the situation differently but it was too late. For the remaining hours waiting for his comrades to retrieve him, Paul tries to self medicate in order to preserve his sanity. The last scene that had an impact on me was the relationship that Paul and Kat shared during their time together in the war. Paul describes this relationship as more than a friendship but a brotherhood. He feels as though the bond that they have created is more of lovers than just acquainted soldiers.