Throughout Remarque’s novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, which is placed in World War One, it is evident that the German soldiers frequently dealt with loss. In various scenarios, Paul Baümer, the protagonist, is faced with loss, whether it is the realization that they have lost their youthhood and innocence, or whereas in many situations where he experiences his fellow comrades die and evokes emotions of sadness and woe. However, it is not the singular notion of loss that affects them, since their loss of innocence or youthhood does not cause melancholy. It is the experience of the loss of companions and comrades that affect them most. Though emotions of sympathy and sadness are typically unassociated with the Germans of the First World
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Paul and his classmates are victims of false war ideals of the older generation. This is displayed early on in the novel where Kantorek, the schoolmaster, who frequently asked them, “Won’t you join up, Comrades” (Remarque, 11) could not fathom or apprehend the true reality of modern warfare. The apparent notions of heroism and patriotism commonly associated with the olden ideals are near to non-existent; Kantorek, himself, later conscripted, realizes the true realities of war—the bombardment of hardship and pain. Throughout the war, there are frequent satirical references to Kantorek’s lectures back when they were at school. A reappearing term, "The 'Iron Youth.’”(Remarque, 18), refers to what Kantorek used to call the younger generation, and the soldiers mockingly use it to express how they are quite the opposite. Paul realizes that though “[they] loved [their] country as much as they…we suddenly learned to see.” (Remarque, 12) He understands the patriotism aspect involved with war, but to find out that “there was nothing of their world left” (Remarque, 13) and to be robbed of their youthhood and innocence from the war is too much of a sacrifice. The loss of their youthhood and innocence is evidently displayed as they refer to themselves as “Youth! [but they] we are none of us more than twenty years old. Youth? That is long ago. We are old folk.” (Remarque, 18) The symbolism revolving around them referring to themselves as “old folk[s]” (Remarque, 18) once again re-introduces the theme of the loss of their youth, where through the horrific experiences that one encounters on the battlefield, or through the loss of companionship, that they experience extreme situations that one would only encounter perhaps
Paul and his classmates are victims of false war ideals of the older generation. This is displayed early on in the novel where Kantorek, the schoolmaster, who frequently asked them, “Won’t you join up, Comrades” (Remarque, 11) could not fathom or apprehend the true reality of modern warfare. The apparent notions of heroism and patriotism commonly associated with the olden ideals are near to non-existent; Kantorek, himself, later conscripted, realizes the true realities of war—the bombardment of hardship and pain. Throughout the war, there are frequent satirical references to Kantorek’s lectures back when they were at school. A reappearing term, "The 'Iron Youth.’”(Remarque, 18), refers to what Kantorek used to call the younger generation, and the soldiers mockingly use it to express how they are quite the opposite. Paul realizes that though “[they] loved [their] country as much as they…we suddenly learned to see.” (Remarque, 12) He understands the patriotism aspect involved with war, but to find out that “there was nothing of their world left” (Remarque, 13) and to be robbed of their youthhood and innocence from the war is too much of a sacrifice. The loss of their youthhood and innocence is evidently displayed as they refer to themselves as “Youth! [but they] we are none of us more than twenty years old. Youth? That is long ago. We are old folk.” (Remarque, 18) The symbolism revolving around them referring to themselves as “old folk[s]” (Remarque, 18) once again re-introduces the theme of the loss of their youth, where through the horrific experiences that one encounters on the battlefield, or through the loss of companionship, that they experience extreme situations that one would only encounter perhaps