All Quiet On The Western Front Themes :: essays research papers

1) The Destructiveness of War     A major theme, not only on lives and property, but also on the humanspirit. hands are subject to physical torment-eyes are blinded, limbs areblown off, blood flows everywhere, and innocent men die in agony. Whensoldiers take shelter in the graveyard, bombs rush out all around them,the living hide in coffins and the dead are thrown from their graves. The destructive power is so great that even the fundamental differences amid life and death become blurred. The impact of war on the spiritis subtle. They find themselves less able to returrn to civilian life-friends die all around them.2) The disjointed Generation     This theme is an offshoot of the destructiveness of war. Paulsgeneration grew up too fast, its perceptins of life grossly distorted bythe horror or war. The youthful idealism that ability someday haveblossomed into constructive maturity has been nipped in the bud. Unlikeearlier generations, Paul can never again hope to find comfort and enthusiasm in the hollow rhetoric of politicians and generals. The warhas shattered their illusions. Their innocence is gone, and only inaimless skepticism is left to fill the void.3) Comraderie     The theme of comraderie occurs constantly in the novel. The comraderiethat exists in Pauls company keeps them from being driven insane by thehorrors all around them. In a sense, the comraderie among Paulsfriends can be seen as a die hard desperate clinging to the innocence ofyouth. These young men were transported almost forthwith to thebattlefield from the schoolyard. The adolescent pranks of Paul and hisclassmates can be seen in their "adult" behavior, as in their attack onHimmelstoss. If the social responses of Paul adn his friends seem attime childish, it is essential to remember that these are young menwhose experience of life took them directly to the barracks from theclassroom. If they seem immature, it may be because they werent giventhe chance to grow up normally. The best example of this theme os whenKat and Paul shared their cook goose with Kropp and Tjaden. Theywere taking care of each other.4) Alienation     The theme of alienation develops as the novel progresses. At first,Paul and his friends still behave as if their lives forget someday returnto normal. In the middle of the book, Paul goes home on leave, only todiscover that his real home is now with his friends on the front.