Paul Beuar Authority Figures

Paul’s realizations of the change that happens in the war lead him to develop new views of his situation and he ponders why he is really there. “They are merely honest and call a thing by its name; for there is a very great deal of fraud, injustice, and baseness in the army” (282). Paul sees that the army is like any other aspect in life; it can be brutal and hard. He learns to differentiate the good from the bad and that allows Paul to create his own experience while he’s in the

While on leave, Paul also visits his father and some of his father's friends, but does not wish to speak to them about the war. The men are "curious [about the war] in a way that [Paul finds] stupid and distressing." They try to imagine what war is like but they have never experienced it for themselves, so they cannot see the reality of it. When Paul tries to state his opinion, the men argue that "[he] sees only [his] general sector so [he is] not able to judge." These men believe they know more about the war and this makes Paul feel lost. He realizes that "they are different men here, men [he] can not understand..." and Paul wants to be back with those he can relate to, his fellow soldiers. Paul wishes he had never gone on leave because out there "[he] was a soldier, but [at home] he is nothing but an agony to himself." When Paul returns to the battlefield, he is excited to be with his comrades. When he sees his company, "[Paul] jumps up, pushes in amongst them, [his] eyes searching," until he finds his friends. It is then

For Paul and his fellow comrades to survive the gruesomeness of the front, Paul comments how “[e]very conceivable method of parade-ground soldiering is used to become hard, suspicious, pitiless vicious, tough”(26). The gruesome training shows how Paul is changing. His original young and happy self has ceased to exist as he reflects on the training imposed on him. Later on though, Paul

This all started when paul became a Nazi. He did this to spite his father who was a strict man who thought what the Nazi's were doing was wrong.He taught what they were doing was wrong to,but he hated his father with a passion.He goes through the Nazi training and became a soldier under an unnecessarily strict commander like his

Paul and his comrades are indulged father into the horrific war, and start to gradually lose their innocence. Paul and his comrades have been in horrifying places and have to see terrible things. War is capable of wounding a soldier physically as well as mentally, losses here and there start the process of taking away innocence from the young innocents that step into the war.

Paul has experienced the “glories” of war and has realized that they are not glorious at all. Paul meets many people while away at war, he meets friends, people he doesn’t get along with, and enemies that he has to kill. Paul finds out that the enemy isn’t really an enemy but someone that got stuck in the same circumstance as

The United States Army is one of the most powerful militaries on the planet. It has been said that Non-Commissioned Officers are the backbone of the United States Army. Respect for the non-commissioned officers is integral for any Army mission. Respect is an Army value and as such, should influence a soldier’s actions daily. Throughout this paper I will first define and describe respect in the United States Army, then outline the role of respect in a military environment, how respect empowers non-commissioned officers to lead soldiers and how showing respect to superiors and subordinates builds habits that will save lives in a deployed environment.

During the course of my career, I have had the pleasure of working for many talented leaders. In many cases, it wasn’t until years later that I realized how they guided and shaped my development as an officer. However, these revelations didn’t come to me as I reflected on their actions, rather they came to me as I reflected on the actions of those officers who demonstrated the poorest example of what a leader should be. One field grade officer in particular stands out as someone who conflicted with the mission command philosophy of command at every turn and serves as an enduring example of what a leader should not be.

Jouette M. Bassler’s book Navigating Paul provided interesting perspectives on the well-known character. Paul began as a tormentor of the early Christian Church as he believed Jesus to be a fabricated messiah. Paul was a man of the Law (Jewish Torah) and belonged to the Pharisees, a sect of Jews that stringently observed the traditional law of the Jews. Pharisees always saw themselves as superior to other Jews and particularly over Gentiles.

“It is by no means enough that an officer should be capable...He should be as well a gentleman of liberal education, refined manners, punctilious courtesy, and the nicest sense of personal honor...No meritorious act of a subordinate should escape his attention, even if the reward be only one word of approval. Conversely, he should not be blind to a single fault in any subordinate. True as may be the political principles for which we are now contending ... the ships themselves must be ruled under a system of absolute despotism. I trust that I have now made clear to you the tremendous responsibilities ... We must do the best we can with what we have” [1].

Paul's personality changes from the beginning of the story to the end of the story. In the beginning, Paul become a soldier due to his teacher, Kantorek, who put information of how good it is to serve the country and encourage the boys to join the army. He was a hopeful

Paul joins a few locals in a discussion about the war. He is hounded about specific war actions, given no option but to listen to varying opinions on the mistakes at the frontline. The locals dismiss Paul’s opinion, deeming him unknowledgeable. Their departing statement shows little to no respect to a soldier fighting their war, saying “ I hope we will soon hear something worth while from you” (Remarque 168). A statement that is dismissive and insulting, and one that is echoed throughout the town. Armchair generals often think they have all the answers during a war, when in fact they have no experience in the war. They are often insulting and offensive, as seen in Paul’s experience. These members of society are often blinded by their own opinions, not taking into consideration the mental strength it takes to fight for one’s country. Paul does not find a home when he goes on leave. He finds a foreign place that was once home. He is constantly reminded by the horrors of war, while he leasts expects it, both physically and mentally. This struggle is met by the unintentional disrespect shown by some of the locals. All this adds up to a mental struggle a soldiers should not have to deal with during a time of leave, and one that will come back to him during his return to the frontline.

Comradeship is a significant part of war, but all other relationships seem unimportant and undesirable to Paul. A big part of that is due to his leave. On leave, Paul discovers that no one understands what he goes through during the war, which makes him an outsider.  For example he says, “But I cannot get on with the people. My mother is the only one who asks questions. Not my father. He wants me to tell him about the front; he is curious in a way that I find stupid and distressing…”(165). The war ruins Paul’s relationship with his father, and he does not care. He has lost the enjoyment in relationships with anyone other than his comrades… “And here I have not much companionship, and I do not even desire it” (189). Paul has no interest in a

Communication is an essential process that occurs in everyday life. According to the renowned author Virginia Satir, “communication is to a relationship what breathing is to maintaining life” (Brothers 41). Any situation in which interpersonal communication occurs may potentially give rise to conflict. Everyone has unique beliefs and values that are constantly being projected onto their social interactions (Adler? Pearson 2). In addition, the roles people assume create expectations that become associated with their labels (Adler, Pearson 6). In interpersonal exchanges, roles can certainly have an influence on how people act, and can control what information they decide to disclose. In the 1957 film, Paths of Glory, it is demonstrated that due to the roles that are assumed by the military personnel, the low-ranking soldiers have no choice but to be obedient and to show extreme deference to their superiors. This applies even when the judgment calls made by the superior officers will bring about moral harm and potentially cause the destruction of many lives. Within the movie, the character of General Paul Mireau demonstrates that a leader who uses coercive methods of communication is never effective in benefiting the majority of their group. At best, a coercive method of communication will serve to benefit the intimidator at the expense of all other parties to the communication. The reasons largely have to do with the high power distance that is created between the

The best leaders understand that their power comes from those that they lead. In the throes of World War II, the army was under new management; a U.S. general by the name of George S. Patton took command of the Third Army before the allies invaded France. In assuming this power, it was necessary to convince the soldiers in that army to follow him, possibly to their own deaths. By analyzing the direct syntax, formatting shift in point of view, and abrasive language, it is evident that Patton asserts that he must be respected in order to gain the soldiers’ trust.