Written by Erich Maria Remarque, All Quiet on the Western Front tells the cold truth about being a soldier in World War I. This book was originally published in 1929 by Propyläen Verlag, and it was one of the first war books that did not portray war as glory-filled, but as it truly was, grim, bleak, and bloody. Throughout the book, it is clear how big of an impact the war has on the soldiers, it changes the way the soldiers view human life, how the war makes it very difficult for them to return to a normal life, and lastly, how it forms strong bonds and friendships. This story truly exemplifies, how the war transforms many of the soldiers, for better or for worse. Many of the soldiers in All Quiet on the Western Front do not seem to value
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In the middle of an attack Paul gets lost in the woods, only to hear the voices of his friends calling to him. “They are more to me than life, these voices, they are more than motherliness and more than fear; They are the strongest, most comforting thing there is anywhere: they are the voices of my comrades.” (p.212) Paul basically says that comrades are more than family in war. War changes the soldiers so strongly that people who not been in war will never really understand the soldiers, because they do not share such life changing experiences. The bond between soldiers is so strong because it means literally putting your life into the hands of others, this kind of bond is rarely found elsewhere. Lastly, Paul explains that the people they were in the real world now means nothing. “It is as though formerly we were coins of different provinces; and now we are melted down, and all bear the same stamp...First we are soldiers and afterwards, in a strange and shamefaced fashion, individual men as well.” (p.272) No one needed to worry about their wealth or education, in war all soldiers were seen as equal. It is basically a chance for the soldiers to remake themselves, people’s opinion were based solely on personality and there were no external politics to ruin that. As can be seen, being in war changed and strengthened the soldiers relationships, as well as how they viewed
In the middle of an attack Paul gets lost in the woods, only to hear the voices of his friends calling to him. “They are more to me than life, these voices, they are more than motherliness and more than fear; They are the strongest, most comforting thing there is anywhere: they are the voices of my comrades.” (p.212) Paul basically says that comrades are more than family in war. War changes the soldiers so strongly that people who not been in war will never really understand the soldiers, because they do not share such life changing experiences. The bond between soldiers is so strong because it means literally putting your life into the hands of others, this kind of bond is rarely found elsewhere. Lastly, Paul explains that the people they were in the real world now means nothing. “It is as though formerly we were coins of different provinces; and now we are melted down, and all bear the same stamp...First we are soldiers and afterwards, in a strange and shamefaced fashion, individual men as well.” (p.272) No one needed to worry about their wealth or education, in war all soldiers were seen as equal. It is basically a chance for the soldiers to remake themselves, people’s opinion were based solely on personality and there were no external politics to ruin that. As can be seen, being in war changed and strengthened the soldiers relationships, as well as how they viewed