All Quiet on the Western Front @aallquietonthewesternfront-blog - Tumblr Blog

The soldier is on friendlier terms than other men with his stomach and intestines. Three-quarters of his vocabulary is derived from these regions, and they give an intimate flavour to expressions of his greatest joy as well as of his deepest indignation. It is impossible to express oneself in any other way so clearly and pithily. Ch,1

Archetypal Criticism

Archetypal criticism is a theory that argues that archetypes determine the form and function of literary works, that the meanings are shaped by cultural and psychological myths. One example of humor is shown when Paul’s artillery talks about women. A man comments on his girlfriend’s stockings and mammoth legs. This is a paradox as typically a man would boast about a skinny wife, not one with huge legs. In the 1920s it was part of the culture for women to display their legs, so to us it may make no sense but back then it was humorous. This archetype of sexuality and humor isn’t portrayed in only Germany, but in all cultures. Using universal jokes made it possible for the joke to be effective to all readers.

German and English book covers

Psychology in the novel:

Nigel Hunt wrote an article on the contribution of All Quiet on the Western Front to our understanding of psychological trauma which focuses on the following themes that help understand how people respond to war experience: battle experience and understanding, memory, past and future, and coping. As we all know it is physically not possible to put into words the experiences that soldiers had. Erich says people who have not experienced war will never understand but recognises they are willing to try and understand, but are unable to. He portrays this through the voices of the characters in their conversations. Although he know it is not possible to understand he tries to give scenario's to give you a sense. Showing when soldiers regularly face bombardment and sever wounds. He portrays the memory side by explaining that soldiers will try to wipe their memory as thinking of past experiences will put them in distress. Using the voices of the characters Erich was very successful in giving psychologists' a sense of the trauma soldiers went through making analyzing people easier as most soldiers don't have much memory; but Erich was able to take his and share it with the world

Let the months and years come, they can take nothing from me, they can take nothing more. I am so alone, and so without hope that I can confront them without fear. The life that has borne me through these years is still in my hands and my eyes. Whether I have subdued it, I know not. But so long as it is there it will seek it's own way out, heedless of the will that is within me. (Ch.12, Pg.296)

Fun Facts About the novel!

Title in German: Im Western Nichts Neues

Genres: War novel, historical fiction, novel of social protest

Language: German/English

Place Written: Berlin, In the late 1920s

How it all goes down...

Paul and several of his friends from school joined the army voluntarily only to realize that war is no longer glorious or honorable after their ten weeks of brutal training. They realize they will be living in constant fear. They begin two weeks of fighting to return with 80 out of the 150 men. Paul's good friend from school named Kemmerich slowly begins dying, so Paul and his friends visit him. After watching his dear friend die he learns that he needs to turn his emotions off. They then go to another battle and only 30 of the 80 men remain. Paul then receives 2 and a half weeks to go home and see his family, to find out his mother is dying of Cancer. Being home only makes it harder for Paul. He then returns home and is sent to a training camp near Russian soldiers. He feels as if these people are just like him. He doesn't understand how he can be expected to kill people who have done no harm. Paul then attends another battle after weeks of easy assignments and Paul and his friend Kropp are wounded and sent to the hospital. Paul's friends begin to die one by one, when suddenly Paul is poisoned by a gas attack and sent home. He then returns to battle and on October 1918, Paul is killed.

I am young, I am twenty years old; yet I know nothing of life but despair, death, fear, and fatuous superficiality cast over an abyss of sorrow... -Paul Baumer

#PaulBaumer

Why was Erich's novel so successful?

I believe that Erich's novel was a very successful novel as he was one of the few soldiers who survived World War I. As we know going to war leaves you broken and leaves you with conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. You will never truly be the same. I believe that writing this novel was Erich way of coping. I believe that by writing this novel he was able to tell his story for others in the world to read about the horrifying experience soldiers face everyday. In the end of the novel the main character "Paul Baumer dies." As we know Erich survived the war but I believe that he made the main character die because Erich felt dead inside after he had returned home, because of the experience. Reading a novel written by someone who has experienced what they are writing about makes it so much more graphic and real, making the story vivid and emotional for the readers.

Paul visiting his dear friend Kemmerich in the hospital

Paul Baumer

Paul Baumer, the main character, is a young man fighting for Germany in World War I. Paul is a sensitive sweetheart who has experienced a lot by his age leading him to loose his sense of feelings. He does not understand why he of all people has been put in his position.

War can be and has been proven to be a deeply scarring experience for many soldiers. Of course, nothing can prepare them for warfare, seeing close friends die and narrowly escape death themselves

Erich Maria Remarque (1898-1970)

Erich Maria Remarque

All Quiet on the Western Front is a novel written by Erich Maria Remarque. In order to fully understand the book and where the author is coming from you need to have a little background knowledge on the author. Erich Maria Remarque at the age of 18 was put into the German army. During his time serves in the war he was wounded and injured several times. When Erich returned from his time he became a race car driver while writing his world success novel, All Quiet on the Western Front

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