Erich Maria Remarque, author of All Quiet on the Western Front depicts Remarque’s experiences as a young German soldier that served his country during WWI. Remarque translated his experiences shortly after the war ended and his novel became a universally acknowledged war story in 1929. Although Remarque received high regards toward his novel, once readers looked deeper into his story, many started to question the message All Quiet on the Western Front was translating. After reviewing All Quiet on the Western Front, many find Remarque’s story to contain abundant amounts of anti-war slurs and statements throughout the whole book that supported the author’s anti-war theme and tone of the novel. For some, many find that Remarque’s novel is celebrating
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Soon after the novels release it was universally known as “the greatest war novel of all time.” However, after critics dove deeper into the true meaning of the novel, many started to question what type of message Remarque was really trying to send to his audience. Some claim All Quiet on the Western Front has a pro-war theme containing support for the values of military life. On the other hand, many tend to claim an anti-war theme exists and can be seen strongly throughout the text. It was proven that there is indeed a severely anti-war message exists in Remarque’s novel. The anti-war theme was seen profoundly through the attitudes of German soldiers. These young men believed that they had no reason for being in war. They soon realized that the war was only useful to those who held power. These young men had no reason to fight either. Remarque’s anti-war attitude was also seen through the dehumanization of the soldiers. These soldiers’ minds are ruined. They can’t even imagine what life is like because they’re only expecting death in the future. He shows how war turns you into an animal, something you’re not, and even are willing to kill your own family because killing is all you know. Finally, what supports this anti-war theme even further are the detailed descriptions during battles. War has turned these men into robots just ready to kill and fight for their lives. What these men soon realize is that their enemies aren’t that different from them and there is no need to have an enemy. All Quiet on the Western Front has an evidently anti-war message woven throughout the text, but this novel gives us insight to what soldiers on both sides consider about war. All Quiet is a refreshing view for many readers because as Americans, we only heard experiences from one side of the inner battle these soldiers were
Soon after the novels release it was universally known as “the greatest war novel of all time.” However, after critics dove deeper into the true meaning of the novel, many started to question what type of message Remarque was really trying to send to his audience. Some claim All Quiet on the Western Front has a pro-war theme containing support for the values of military life. On the other hand, many tend to claim an anti-war theme exists and can be seen strongly throughout the text. It was proven that there is indeed a severely anti-war message exists in Remarque’s novel. The anti-war theme was seen profoundly through the attitudes of German soldiers. These young men believed that they had no reason for being in war. They soon realized that the war was only useful to those who held power. These young men had no reason to fight either. Remarque’s anti-war attitude was also seen through the dehumanization of the soldiers. These soldiers’ minds are ruined. They can’t even imagine what life is like because they’re only expecting death in the future. He shows how war turns you into an animal, something you’re not, and even are willing to kill your own family because killing is all you know. Finally, what supports this anti-war theme even further are the detailed descriptions during battles. War has turned these men into robots just ready to kill and fight for their lives. What these men soon realize is that their enemies aren’t that different from them and there is no need to have an enemy. All Quiet on the Western Front has an evidently anti-war message woven throughout the text, but this novel gives us insight to what soldiers on both sides consider about war. All Quiet is a refreshing view for many readers because as Americans, we only heard experiences from one side of the inner battle these soldiers were