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Analysis Of Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet On The Western Front

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War is a cruel event created by mankind and inflicted upon one another, whether it be for power, for glory, or to settle an argument. One of these events, World War One, lasted from 1914 to 1918 and devastated the soldiers of the Triple Entente and the Central Powers. All Quiet on The Western Front is a war novel written by Erich Maria Remarque that tells World War One from the perspective of a German soldier and is considered “The Greatest War Novel of All Time.” “Dulce Et Decorum Est” was a poem written by Wilfred Owen who was an English poet and soldier who fought and was killed in World War One. “Anthem for Doomed Youth” was a poem also written by Wilfred Owen who was in a Scottish hospital recovering from shell-shock in 1917. Gallipoli …show more content…

Some soldiers died quickly, but most suffered severe injuries for hours or days and died afterwards. At this point, the dead are just considered “vacancies” as said in All Quiet on The Western Front in this quote. “Reinforcements have arrived. The vacancies have been filled and the sacks of straw in the huts are already booked.” (Page 35, All Quiet on The Western Front). As mentioned previously, these men die deaths that can be quick and painless or gradual and filled with agony. But these deaths are not mourned, they are forgotten as soon as they are acknowledged so progress can be made on the battlefield. “...No mockeries now for them; no prayers nor bells, Nor any voice of mourning save the choirs…” (Lines 5-6, “Anthem for Doomed Youth”). These soldiers are not mourned because there are numerous men out there that can still replace them, they are like cattle. “What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?” (Line 1, “Anthem for Doomed Youth”). So many men die, yet there are still the puppet masters in war, the war generals who “kill” even more men by forcing them to fulfill a plan that will most likely fail. Plans that will most likely fail and numerous men will lose their lives in vain. “‘You are to push on.’ ‘It's cold-blooded murder.’ ‘I said push on.’ ‘Right, sir. Can't ask the men to do what I wouldn't do myself. All right, men, we're going.’” …show more content…

They once felt happiness, sadness, anger, and remorse, but now, there is nothing for them. They are like empty shells of their former selves:

...I support myself with the butt of my rifle against my feet and clench my teeth fiercely, but I cannot speak a word, my sister’s call has made me powerless, I can do nothing, I struggle to make myself laugh, to speak, but no word comes, and so I stand on the steps, miserable, helpless, paralysed… (Pages 157-158, All Quiet on The Western Front).

Their emotions being taken away are due to soldiers becoming so used to the conditions of war, that gun shells can be just as generic as

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