The greatest war novel of all time is the title , “All Quiet on the Western Front” has been given all around the world. This novel written by Erich Maria Remarque takes readers through the traumatic journey of a German soldier, Paul and his companions, who all fought in WWI. Through the use of juxtaposition, the author conveys the message of how drastically soldier’s values and beliefs change after war by showing that war is not only bloody but also strips away everything that soldiers once believed in. In his novel the author compares what Paul himself thinks who he was before the war and in the very beginning of war to who he has become now, to demonstrate the drastic change through the eyes of the main character allowing readers to decipher
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His mind begins to wander and he begins to think about the constant rumors of armistice and peace, then he begins to contemplate what would’ve happened if peace came as early as 1916, “Had we returned home in 1916, out of suffering and the strength of our experience we might have unleashed a storm. Now if we go back we will be weary, broken, burnt out, rootless, and without hope. We will not be able to find our way anymore” (Remarque pg. 294). In 1916 Paul and his companions were just newly exposed to war since the war had just begun, all of them had assumed it would be a quick and easy war to fight. They were all full of hope, unaware of all the suffering that stood before them. If the war had ended as quickly as they expected, they would all be able to …show more content…
During his fourteen days of rest Paul begins to fret about what the civilians will ask him, he knows none of them can relate to what he has gone through and he knows they will talk for a long time, “Let months and years come, they can take nothing from me, they can take nothing more. I am so alone and so without hope…” (Remarque pg. 295). Paul starts off talking about time, he knows that this heavy topic will continue for many month, maybe even years then he progresses to say nothing can be taken from him. The author states this phrase in a way where Paul almost seems to be standing his ground, saying that no matter what happens time or the civilians can not take anything away from him. Though the author contrasts this way of thinking by writing in the phrase about how time or the civilians can take nothing more from him, because he has nothing more left war has taken everything from him, then Paul continues to say that he alone and without hope now. This gives an insight to what Paul believes his life would be like after the war and generalized view of what most soldiers feel like after the war is
His mind begins to wander and he begins to think about the constant rumors of armistice and peace, then he begins to contemplate what would’ve happened if peace came as early as 1916, “Had we returned home in 1916, out of suffering and the strength of our experience we might have unleashed a storm. Now if we go back we will be weary, broken, burnt out, rootless, and without hope. We will not be able to find our way anymore” (Remarque pg. 294). In 1916 Paul and his companions were just newly exposed to war since the war had just begun, all of them had assumed it would be a quick and easy war to fight. They were all full of hope, unaware of all the suffering that stood before them. If the war had ended as quickly as they expected, they would all be able to …show more content…
During his fourteen days of rest Paul begins to fret about what the civilians will ask him, he knows none of them can relate to what he has gone through and he knows they will talk for a long time, “Let months and years come, they can take nothing from me, they can take nothing more. I am so alone and so without hope…” (Remarque pg. 295). Paul starts off talking about time, he knows that this heavy topic will continue for many month, maybe even years then he progresses to say nothing can be taken from him. The author states this phrase in a way where Paul almost seems to be standing his ground, saying that no matter what happens time or the civilians can not take anything away from him. Though the author contrasts this way of thinking by writing in the phrase about how time or the civilians can take nothing more from him, because he has nothing more left war has taken everything from him, then Paul continues to say that he alone and without hope now. This gives an insight to what Paul believes his life would be like after the war and generalized view of what most soldiers feel like after the war is