Darren Li

All Quiet on the Western Front

1.) One of the important actions in the book is when Paul kills the French soldier name
Gerard Duval who enters the same hole as him. Paul is remorseful for killing the soldier. While
Gerard slowly dies, the thought comes to Paul’s mind that the enemy soldiers are not really his
enemies. He believed that Gerard was not his victim and that they were simply both victims of
war. Paul’s killing of this French soldier was a painful experience for him.
2.) Paul Baumer is the main character of this book. The main reason that he joined the
German army during World War I was his teacher, Kantorek. Kantorek was a patriotic man who
preached to his students about their duties to the army; he filled students’ heads with false
images of glory and patriotism.
Another major influence on Paul was the war. When he joined the fight, he was just a
young man who underestimated the horrors of war. He later loses interest in most aspects of his
life, such as hobbies like his poetry. Combat changed the way he functioned. Eventually, Paul
actually fears rejoining society when the war concludes because he feels like the battlefield is all
he knows.
Another major influence on Paul’s life was his friends. He and his classmates stuck
together during the war and learned and suffered together the brutality of combat. This circle of
friends drew close together like a family during the war. As the war progresses, the friends die
one-by-one, Paul being the last one to die.
5.) One of the major events of the book was when Paul killed the French soldier. This is the
climax of the book and makes Paul think about how all soldiers are just pawns of the government
and have no grudge against each other.
Another major event was when Kemmerich died and gave his boots to Muller. Paul
realizes that Muller was not being inconsiderate, but reasonable. This also emphasizes the
insignificance some human life was treated with in comparison with material items such as
boots..
A third major event was when Paul visited his home town. Here, he sees that he no longer
fits in. War changed him and he felt like he was far away from the other people in his town.
6.) The horror of war is one of the central themes of this book. When Paul and his friends
enlisted to fight, they had no idea what was in store for them. They continuously faced
starvation, poor living conditions, and the deaths of their comrades. They had to adapt to living
on the battlefield. War changed the way Paul thought about life; he also began seeing war as a
travesty that man should never have created. Eventually, the overwhelming mental impact of war
became irreversible.
7.) The book took during World War I. It showed how the war was fought. It showed parts
of the war such as the trench warfare and the way soldiers acted in combat.
Another historical allusion was the reference to German nationalism. Kantorek was an
example of a person who was extremely nationalistic. He took extreme pride in his country and
encouraged people to support the war effort.
Another way the book portrayed history was the way that it showed the condition of
Germany and its people. Germany was determined to fight the war until the end, and its people
suffered for it. When Paul visited his home town, he noticed how people were living poorly.