A major way the text illustrates the importance of remaining connected to one’s humanity is through the contrast of Reinhard and the other combatants in the war. Those deeply entrenched in the war exhibit a lack of feeling and compassion and seem to be wholly consumed by the war. Paul Neumarkt, author of the text “The Orgy of Self-Renunciation an Analysis of the Motif of War in Modern Literature,” writes in depth about self-renunciation in war time settings. Neumarkt analyzes three different texts one of which is Heinrich Boll’s “Where were you Adam?”. Amongst those texts there is a common theme of self-renunciation, which basically means placing one’s self in a position of sure demise in order to preserve the greater whole. Neumarkt argues
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This is relevant because, Reinhard is the antithesis of this, he does not self-renounce in the physical nor psychological sense. It can be argued that Reinhard is operating as a free radical of sorts, he is not allied to the war machine in any capacity. He does not work to further his country’s cause in the war at all in fact he undermines it. Reinhard’s interaction with a young injured American soldier is a perfect example of this. Reinhard helps the soldier into the safety of the Parisian woman’s home, Reinhard even helps her to care for him until he is conscious (Boll 57). Reinhard shows compassion and care for someone who should have been regarded as a sworn enemy. The soldier on the other hand exhibits a callous disregard, he remarks that the enemy soldiers are “crazy...Germans….damned animals.”(Boll 59) unaware that Reinhard is one of those damned animals he speaks of. Also the narrator notes that the soldier’s, “curiously childlike [...] yet depraved eyes responded politely, but with the condescension of the victorious soldier facing a civilian who has remained safely in his home.” (Boll 59), this illustrates that the soldier seemingly takes pride in his service and contribution to the unnecessary death and destruction all
This is relevant because, Reinhard is the antithesis of this, he does not self-renounce in the physical nor psychological sense. It can be argued that Reinhard is operating as a free radical of sorts, he is not allied to the war machine in any capacity. He does not work to further his country’s cause in the war at all in fact he undermines it. Reinhard’s interaction with a young injured American soldier is a perfect example of this. Reinhard helps the soldier into the safety of the Parisian woman’s home, Reinhard even helps her to care for him until he is conscious (Boll 57). Reinhard shows compassion and care for someone who should have been regarded as a sworn enemy. The soldier on the other hand exhibits a callous disregard, he remarks that the enemy soldiers are “crazy...Germans….damned animals.”(Boll 59) unaware that Reinhard is one of those damned animals he speaks of. Also the narrator notes that the soldier’s, “curiously childlike [...] yet depraved eyes responded politely, but with the condescension of the victorious soldier facing a civilian who has remained safely in his home.” (Boll 59), this illustrates that the soldier seemingly takes pride in his service and contribution to the unnecessary death and destruction all