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What Are The Themes In All Quiet On The Western Front

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All Quiet on the Western Front

Erich Maria Remarque’s “All Quiet on the Western Front” was set and written in Germany during the First World War. At this time the attitudes of war were that it was a picture of glory and was the most heroic death that anyone could have. However “All Quiet on the Western Front” is an anti-war novel which shows the truth and reality of war. The book was banned by the German Government as if it was read and believed by the young men it would affect recruitment for the army.

All Quiet on the Western Front” has many themes running through it including, isolation, loss of innocence and anti-war. Throughout all the horrifying pictures of death and humanity, Remarque …show more content…

“One could sit like this forever”. Paul remembers that he and his friends were embarrassed to use the general latrines when they were recruits. Now they find them a luxury. Every soldier is intimately acquainted with his stomach and intestines. They are more than happy sitting their together smoking and playing cards.

In Chapter 2 Paul feels utterly cut off from humanity; “our early life is cut off from the moment we came here,” Because of the war, he feels like he now has nothing. His relationship with his parents has weakened further, and he has no time for girlfriends or fun. He feels totally isolated and empty. His only feelings of love and loyalty are those that he shares with his friends and fellow soldiers and he tries to think the best of them.

In chapter five Paul and his friends continue to form an extremely close bond as we see the intensity of the soldiers’ friendships. They talk of what they would do if it was peace time. “well, there’d be women of course, eh?” However Haie cannot imagine himself as anything but a soldier. “If I were a non-com. I’d stay with the Prussians and serve out my time.” they can’t imagine themselves as anything but a soldier. In this chapter Remarque suggest that the solders would have never met each other and formed such a tight friendship if it wasn’t for the war. Paul marvels at the flood of

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