All Quiet on the Western Front – A Book Review

All Quiet on the Western Front is a book by Erich Maria Remarkque . It was a book written to reflect the human cost of war. It shows us how war has a hidden face that most people don’t see until it’s too late. In the novel, he describes a group of young men who initially felt book  But as the war drags on, the group discovers that war isn’t all it’s meant to be. As the war progressed, they saw their friends either die or be permanently wounded. Then comes the end when only one person was left.

All Quiet on the Western Front is set in Germany, where a group of boys are encouraged to join the military for the first time. Thinking it was going to be a great adventure, they enlisted unaware of the fate that lies ahead. First, the group is sent to training. They are not in a serious mood and think that the conditions of the war are not as bad as they really are. When the boys are sent to the front, they first realize that war isn’t so great. This is when the boys are wedged in the trenches. Some of the soldiers were shocked by the constant bombardment. When one of the boys was wounded, he was taken to a hospital where there were many wounded soldiers. Some soldiers had to have parts of their bodies amputated to survive. When Kemmerich was in the hospital, Müller asked about his pair of boots. The boots visibly reminded the boys of the cost of war. Paul then has to face his own conscience as he kills one of the French. He does not see the face of an enemy, only the face of another person. He tries to console himself by promising to help the fallen soldier’s family. After being relieved from the front lines, Paul decides to take a vacation and return home. But when he tries to tell everyone about the terrible conditions in the trenches, everyone either laughs at him or calls him a coward. Paul returns before his vacation is actually over and wishes he had never come home. In the end, when Paul loses Kat, Paul realizes that the war has destroyed his way of life. He has lost all his friends and has nothing to return to.

Paul returns before his vacation is actually over

There were many symbols and images in All Quiet on the Western Front. Examples of this are the pair of boots and the constant need for company. The pair of boots and the fact that they were passed around so often tells us that death was very common during war and soldiers wanted to use whatever they could find to improve their chances of survival. The urge for camaraderie is shown when the group crosses the river to see the French girls and when the group sees the girl’s picture while they are having a drink. When the boys were killed in the war, the group wished that anything was possible so they could be back home and doing things they enjoy. The images are a reminder that war destroys everything from people’s lives to their dreams and ambitions.

The main theme of the novel All Quiet on the Western Front is that war must be avoided at all costs because of the dire consequences that accompany it. War causes people to lose friends, makes people worried, and creates a sense of insecurity among innocent people. War also breeds hatred among people. For example, two friends of different nationalities can become bitter enemies only because their respective countries are at war.

I think the novel All Quiet on the Western Front is a well told story that blends both fiction and non-fiction into a powerful novel that compels people to think deeply about war and all of its possible ramifications. The book makes me think of all the lost talent that was lost during the war. Even as the level of technology increases exponentially, we have to wonder what the people who died in war could have done to help the cause of humanity. The novel also tells us that friendship always prevails, even in difficult times. I would recommend this book to anyone who thinks war can be short and glorious. Through this book, every reader can see that war unnecessarily brings death to innocent people (soldiers and civilians). After reading the book, the reader will likely have a different perspective on the war and all the low points it brings.

Through this book, we as humans should Montessori busy book find solutions through discussion and compromise rather than war. Countries at war may feel they gain much from wars, but what they don’t see are the losses they have suffered. In many cases, the gain is negligible compared to the losses.

By Alex

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