AnnieWyrick

AQotWFSeminarReflection

Inourseminar,oneoftheideasthatreallygotmethinkingwasPaulsrelationshipwith
hisfriends.Inthebook,Paulsaysweallsharethesamefearandlife,wearenearerthan
lovers.Ithinkthatthisquoteshowsjusthowmuchhisfriendsmeantohim.Inwar,youneed
somethingtokeepyougrounded,andforPaulitwashisfriends.Oneofthethingsthatcameup
duringourconversationwasaboutPaulbeingaloneafterallhisfriendsdie.AfterKatczinsky
dies,Paulisleftutterlyaloneandwithouthope.OntheverybackpageitsaysthatPaulsface
hadacalm,almostgladlookonhisfacewhenhedied.Itmademerealizethatwhenallofhis
friendsdied,Paullosthiswilltolive.IfIwasPaul,andIhadwatchedallmyfriendsdie,it
wouldruinmeforever.TheconversationaboutPaulandhiscloserelationshipwithhisfriends
remindedmeofmyfriendsandI.Wehavebeenfriendssincewemetinfourthgrade.Ifthey
died,IknowthatIwouldfeelutterlyalone.Ithinkthatthisconversationmadethetruthofwar
evenmorerealforme,andaddedtomyunderstandingofPaulandhisexperiences.Theideaof
Paulsrelationshipwithhisfriendswasthetopicthatgotmethinkingthemostinourseminar,
andreallyaddedtomyunderstandingofPaul.
IdontthinkthatAllQuietontheWesternFrontisanantiwarnovel,butmerelyastory
ofasoldier.Whileitclearlydepictsthedeathandhorrorofwaringreatdetail,itdoessowithout
beingbiased.Intheacknowledgement,theauthorstatesThisbookistobeneitheranaccusation
noraconfessionitwilltrysimplytotellthestoryofagenerationofmenwho,eventhough
theymayhaveescapedtheshells,werecompletelydestroyedbythewar.ErichRemarqueis
tellingastory,nottryingtopushanyantiwaropinionsonthereadersofhisbook.Hetellsthe
storyinawaythatexpressesthetruthofwarthroughasoldierseyes.SoAQotWFisnotan
antiwarnovel,butatruthfulstorythatclearlydepictstheexperienceofaWW1soldier.
TheideaofPaulscharacterchangingthroughoutthenovelremindedmeofourfreshman
socializationproject.Inthebeginningofthebook,Paulishappyandinexperienced.Bytheend
heishardened,angry,andhopeless.Inoursocializationproject,welearnedhowpeopleare
socializedthroughmediaandvariousotherthings.Inthebeginningofthebook,Paulistalking
aboutKantorekinfluencedtheboysinhisclasstojointhearmy.DuringWW1,warwasbelieved
tobegloriousanditwasanhonorablethingtojointhemilitary.ThenwhenPauljoins,heis
socializedbyhisofficersandfellowsoldiers.Theyteachhimthenormsofbeingasoldierand
fightingonthefront.WhenPaulbeginstofightandseewhatwarisreallylike,herealizesthat
thenormsofwarandthenormsofbeingacivilianareverydifferent.Bythemiddleofthebook,
deathnolongerbothershim.Waristoodesperatetobesentimentalforlong.Paulrealizesthat
youcanthavetoomuchemotioninwar.Attheendofthebook,afterPaulhaswatchedallofhis
friendsdie,helosesallhope,becomesbitter,anddoesntseethepointinliving.Thechanges

thatPaulgoesthroughinAQotWFremindsmeofoursocializationprojectbecauseitclearly
showshowPaulscharacterwaschanged.

Ijumpintotheshellholeandlandonsomethinghard.AllofasuddenIfeelasharppain
inmychest.AgainandagainIfeelit,thepainistoomuch.ThenIseehim,thegermansoldier
staringatmewithalookofutterterroronhisface.Butmyvisionbeginstoblurandeverything
suddenlygoesblack.WhenIawake,Itrytoliftmyheadtolookforthegermansoldier.Ican
feelthebloodonmychestandmyhands,Iminterriblepain.ForamomentIforgetthatIam
stillinashellholewithanenemysoldier.ThenIseehimheadingtowardsme,slowly,cautiously
hemakeshiswayovertome.Hecanbenoolderthan20,heisjustaboy.Istartpanicking.Ishe
goingtokillmenow?JustwhenIamsurehehascometofinishthejob,heraiseshishandsand
whisperssomethingtome.Ibegintothinkthatmyeyesareplayingtricksonmebecausehe
looksscaredandfullofregret.Hestrokesmyforeheadgently,tryingtobringmecomfort.Ifeel
sorryforthisboy,heistooyoungtobeinsuchahorriblewar.

OneofthethemesthatItrackedformyChallengeextensionwashowPaulwaschanged
bythewar.Inthebeginningofthebook,heisstillinnocentandyoung.Oneofthethingsthat
struckmewaswhenPaulwastalkingaboutthepoemsandplaysthathewrote.Ithinkthatreally
showshowinnocentandignoranthewasbeforethewar.Bythemiddleofthebook,Paulhas
seendeathanddestructioncausedbythewarandisblindtoit.Hewatchedhisfriend
Kemmerichdie,metadoctorwithnosympathyforthewoundedanddyingsoldiers,andhas
beenthroughbombardmentafterbombardment.Hehasseennewrecruitsgocrazyatthesound
ofshellfire.TheseexperiencesmakePaulnumbtodeathandsorrow.Weareforlornlike
children,andexperiencedlikeoldmen,wearecrudeandsorrowfulandsuperficial.Ibelievewe
arelostWhenPaulgoesonleave,herealizeshowmuchhehaschangedandfeelshewontever
bethesame.Hecantevenconnectwithhisparents.Bytheendofthebook,Paulhashadto
watchhisfriendsdieonebyone,hashadtofightonthefront,andhasstabbedamantodeath.
AlltheseexperiencesgreatlychangePaul.