María Elena Marqués

Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper was first released in Australia on January 22, 2015. It is the film version of Chris Kyle’s personal memoir of the same name, written by Jason Hall. The film is set between Texas and Iraq and follows Chris Kyle on his ten year journey as a sniper for the seals. Played by Bradley Cooper, Chris finds the love of his life Taya played by Sienna Miller, but feels his need to serve his country is stronger than his need to be with his family. Throughout his journey he…

Family, Love, and War The photograph “Wait For Me Daddy” was taken by Claude P. Dettloff on October 1, 1940 in Westminster, Canada. The photo was taken around the time of World War 2 where many men were sent to fight in the war leaving behind their grieving families. Most war photos come off as sad or violent to most people but this particular photo gave me the feeling of happiness more than anything, showing the love between a father and his child instead. It is a black and white photograph…

Hair the Musical vs Church Church, although filled with strict restrictions, has, since its conception, been a place of solace, a place of peace and love, a place where individuals unified by religion can congregate. The Hair musical on the other hand is a lot more than just a musical. It has been described by some as a cultural and social phenomenon, an exultant proclamation of freedom, life and a rebellious cry against politicians and war. The musical, set in the late 60’s, tells the tale of a…

The novel, “All Quiet on the Western Front” written by Erich Maria Remarque, follows the story of a young German soldier named Paul, who is fighting on the western front , along with his friends. A the story progresses, it unveils the many horrors that were experienced or witnessed during the war, and the long term effects it has. “Life is simply is one continual watch against the menace of death;-it has transformed us into unthinking animals in order to give us the weapon of instinct.” Remarque…

In All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque’s anti-war novel, and Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi’s own graphic memoir, Paul Baumer and Marji live in unfavorable environments, permanently shaping their beliefs and identities. During World War I, Paul fights on the Western Front where the war dehumanizes him. Before Baumer serves in the cruel war, he is blinded by the glory he is told he will receive by entering Germany’s army. However, after months of witnessing inhumanely killed…

eager to fight – thanks to his teacher’s stirring speeches –, Bäumer soon realizes he knew nothing about war but clichés. In the company of his schoolmates, he faces the constant physical terror and mental damage of true war and trench warfare. Erich Maria Remarque – born Erich Paul Remarque – was born on June 22nd, 1898, in Osnabrück, Westphalia. The third child in a family of four, he was brought up in a strict Catholic household, his family on the lower end of the working class. One of his…

From the novel, “All Quiet on the Western Front”, many images linger in my mind. The war had many gruesome details that the men on the front have to deal with every day. One image that particularly haunts me is when Paul is stuck with the enemy soldier he killed. He spends this time with him, talking to a dead man as though he was still alive. After Paul stabs the soldier, he immediately regrets it and pleas for forgiveness. This is extremely disturbing and creates the feeling of pity and sorrow…

Merriam-Webster defines the term motif as a “usually recurring salient thematic element (as in the arts); especially : a dominant idea or central theme” (“Motif”). In the novel All Quiet on the Western Front, the author Erich Maria Remarque mentions two principle motifs which are comradeship and lost generation. The novel follows a young solider, Paul Bäumer, and his comrades throughout their journey at the front of World War I. The soldiers experience many horrors throughout their time in the…

The destruction, devastation, and desolation of war illustrate the dangers of conflict. Taken during the new age of photography, Scene Showing Deserted Camp and Wounded Soldier by Matthew Brady allowed numerous Americans to see the Civil War with their own eyes. While no visible conflicts appear in the work, it still illustrates the destructive abilities of war on both the human and nature. In the photo, the rifle next to the injured soldier suggests a recent battle. The broken walls and…

Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front is an anti-war novel expressing the views of an average World War I soldier named Paul. Erich Maria Remarque uses an assortment of voice elements to create tone. In the passage on the preceding page, Paul describes his surroundings on the front. The tone of the excerpt is presented to be emotionless and overwhelming. An example of a voice element that has a large role in the tone is diction. Diction is used in the excerpt by the use of the…