Effect Of Death On Soldiers Based On All Quiet

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Effect of Death on Soldiers based on Erich Maria Remarque All Quiet on the Western Front Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front demonstrates the effects of war on soldiers. The novel takes place during the last two years of World War I. The three main events that cause World War I are the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and the rise of nationalism and militarism. Remarque tells the story of Paul Baumer and his school friends enlisting in the army through the influence of their schoolmaster and society and how they suddenly realizing that it was a totally different scenario. We also learn how the war affected the lives of these young soldiers physically and mentally. Paul Baumer is a nineteen year old teenager in school living in Germany at the start of World War I. In school, Paul and his friends are taught the notion of nationalism by their schoolmaster. Paul says they taught him and his friends “that duty to one’s country is the greatest thing.” (Remarque 13) With this idea they enlist in the army and we see how war changes this belief and changes the way they feel about life. In the novel, Paul loses three good friends: Kemmerich, Haie Westhus and Kat. Each death affects him in a different way, tearing something of his humanity away from him. Kemmerich is the first one that dies. Kemmerich and Paul knew each other like brothers. They went to the same school, had the same classes, copied each other’s essay and liked the same girls. (Remarque 28-29) Kemmerich is injured in the war. Paul and his comrades decide to visit Kemmerich in the hospital and they are told Kemmerich lost his foot. They notice Kemmerich’s leg has been amputated. As Paul looks at Kemmerich he describes him as “ghastly, yellow and wan.” (Remarque 14) Kemmerich has the look of death. Paul tries to comfort Kemmerich. He tells Kemmerich that Wegeler lost his
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