Compulsory Imagery In Erich Remarque's All Quiet

World War I was undoubtedly one of the most brutal, yet eye-opening wars fought in recent history. Fueled by fervent nationalism, distrust, and rivalry throughout Europe, countries were already taking sides and building armies far before the first shot was fired. From 1914 to 1918 countries and people fought to gain power and glory, but ended up fighting in vain to gain nothing but pain. Many young men were virtually forced to become pawns to solve the problems of a prior generation, enlisting due to fear of emasculation, peer pressure, and for some, the power trip associated with having authority. An insightful demonstration of the motivations of individuals during wartime can be seen through German veteran Erich Remarque’s novel All Quiet …show more content…
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