Directly after watching one of his close friends die, Paul reaches an eerie state of calm. Remarque describes it as, “My limbs move supplely, I feel my joints strong, I breathe the air deeply. The night lives, I live. I feel a hunger, greater than comes from the belly alone” (58). Here, Remarque uses sensory imagery to contribute to a feeling of euphoria after death of a close friend. The phrase, "The night lives, I live," demonstrates an increased sensation of being alive after a confrontation with death. This juxtaposition contributes to how Paul is, in a way, feeding off the death of his comrade. He feels stronger after overcoming such a momentous loss, a clear indication of dehumanization. Remarque also draws attention to the dehumanization by pointing out the "hunger" Paul feels, which is related to the animalistic urge to do nothing but survive, by any means necessary. Humans are characterized by deeply felt emotions after trauma, and soldier 's inability to feel so shows dehumanization. Therefore, as soldiers enter a war zone, they are forced to fight against death rather than value life and emotion, causing loss of
Directly after watching one of his close friends die, Paul reaches an eerie state of calm. Remarque describes it as, “My limbs move supplely, I feel my joints strong, I breathe the air deeply. The night lives, I live. I feel a hunger, greater than comes from the belly alone” (58). Here, Remarque uses sensory imagery to contribute to a feeling of euphoria after death of a close friend. The phrase, "The night lives, I live," demonstrates an increased sensation of being alive after a confrontation with death. This juxtaposition contributes to how Paul is, in a way, feeding off the death of his comrade. He feels stronger after overcoming such a momentous loss, a clear indication of dehumanization. Remarque also draws attention to the dehumanization by pointing out the "hunger" Paul feels, which is related to the animalistic urge to do nothing but survive, by any means necessary. Humans are characterized by deeply felt emotions after trauma, and soldier 's inability to feel so shows dehumanization. Therefore, as soldiers enter a war zone, they are forced to fight against death rather than value life and emotion, causing loss of