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What Is The Central Theme Of All Quiet On The Western Front Brotherhood

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Battles, bloodshed, and brotherhood. In times of war, millions of soldiers are slaughtered as a symphony of gunshots and battle cries rings in the air. However, in the midst of this grievous cycle of fighting and loss, unbreakable bonds are formed between the soldiers. Erich Maria Remarque’s novel, All Quiet on the Western Front, and Joseph Lee’s poem, “German Prisoners”, follow a soldier and expound on his experiences with brotherhood during World War I. While both pieces of literature focus on the unlikely friendships between soldiers and the humanization of the enemy, the theme of brotherhood is developed in different ways. The connections and friendships that arise between soldiers in both stories bring out unexpected character dynamics. …show more content…

Joseph Lee builds the theme by comparing the narrator’s thoughts before and after truly seeing the German prisoners. At first, his “mad impulse was all to smite and slay, / [and] To spit upon [them]” (Lee 3-4), but after seeing how their faces displayed “doubt, despair, and disillusionment” (9), the narrator instantly feels a connection with the enemy. The alliteration of “smite”, “slay”, and “spit” emphasizes the narrator’s anger and vengefulness, while the alliteration of “doubt”, “despair”, and “disillusionment” highlights the mental and emotional impact the war had on the soldiers. These struggles are shared by all soldiers, and they can understand each other despite fighting on opposite sides of the war. The narrator is able to empathize with his enemy, causing a brief friendship to form. On the other hand, the comradery between Paul and his friends is much more developed. For example, Kat, the father figure and leader of the group, “stands before [Paul], his gigantic, stopping shadow falls upon [him], like home” (Remarque 95). Because the war severed the connection soldiers have to civilian life, “home” is redefined as they are forced to find solace in each other. Kat is a source of comfort and guidance for Paul, and their bond grows beyond the scope of friendship, and into the realm of

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