Symbols In Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet On The Western Front

In All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque, symbols are used to help better the understanding of the idea of how the brutal ways of the war have affected the soldiers by making them change their views and morals helping them survive the war. There are many cases in which objects and ideas have been symbolized to demonstrate the theme. Remarques boots, the horses, and the potato cakes are some of the symbols Remarque has used to manifest the theme. Wars all over the world are still happening and the theme of All Quiet on the Western Front helps people understand what the war can do to a being. Kemmerich's boots are passed around after his death and instead of having them be a token of his death the men use them as a tool. Paul is the one to deliver the boots to their next carryer and “he gives [Muller] the boots” (Remarque, 33). Paul knows this is what needs to be done because things in the war are scarce. Paul doesn’t act doleful toward these boots but they are a implement to Paul and the other soldiers. After Mullers death he “bequeathed [Paul] his boots” …show more content…
When Paul came back from leave he had the potato cakes with him and “then it occurs to [him] that [his] mother cooked them herself and that she was probably in pain as she stood before the hot stove” (198). Something as small as the potato cakes had so much meaning behind it. He wanted to give them away but he knew that this would be a cruel thing to do considering all the pain his mother went through to make these. Before Paul’s realization of how his mother went through pain to make the potato cakes he realized he “has no taste” (198) for them. He was going to give the potato cakes away but they are a part of her pain and he would feel bad if he did eat them. He would be giving away a gift of his mother. The potato cakes are a symbol of how something as small as the potato cakes can mean so