All Quiet On The Western Front

The Human Animal in Times of War

A thematic report on All Quiet on the Western Front

Erich Remarque 's literary genius can be easily seen in this story of young , almost infantile , German soldiers during the onslaught of World War I . This novel on the horrors of war , told from the perspective of a young German soldier brought to focus how war really affects people who are in the frontline of it : the soldiers . Although this wonderful piece of literature is replete with underlying themes and moral stories , I wish to

focus on how the war brings out the our survival instincts and also that deep seated ugliness buried in each individual , our genetic inheritance from our Neanderthal ancestors but hidden behind our Homosapien gloss

With each gripping page of this novel , an underlying claim is made by Remarque and it one that I agree with : When ideologies are blurred and motivations for war seem foreign and incomprehensible , man 's animal more baser instincts surface and the game is all about one thing and one thing only : SURVIVAL . There are no more sensibilities , no code of ethics , no laws , and no rules , just the desire to hang on and survive regardless of means

There are many scenes in the book that masterfully illustrate the gradual process when these young boys were plucked out from their youth and put into a situation where they aged overnight . This unnatural occurrence triggered the animal instinct , particularly when trying to survive in the most inhumane of conditions . Of all the many examples found in the first four chapters that could prove my claim , I wish to focus on three . And I will treat them in the that they appeared in the novel

Although it may have seemed inconsequential and merely humorous , I felt that the treatment of the latrine situation was indicative of a greater change in their personalities . Paul had said he had found it quite ridiculous how he , and his other friends , had initially been very show about having to do their calls of nature and other activities one might usually do in the confines of a bathroom . However , the longer their stay on the field ' progressed , the less sense of propriety they had Society teaches us that there are certain things that should be left behind closed (bathroom ) doors but when the human being is put in a situation as barbaric as war , toilet etiquette goes down the drain Towards the end , he described how glorious the act of relieving himself actually is . This might have been insignificant , but if one reads between the lines , one may how the young soldiers are slowly losing the norms of society implanted in their minds . Lastly , there is an emphasis on the enjoyment of natural things (i .e . physical satisfaction when on the toilet ) and the ideologies of war seem pointless

The second situation I wish to talk about is the inheritance of Kemmerich 's boots . Muller , described as the one who...