“All Quiet on The Western Front” is not only a novel, It’s a profound book that inspires and Informs about the devastating and cruel realities of WW. The book really immersed me in the horrors of the war, leaving an impact on my thoughts and mind.
The novel took me all the way to the 20th Century, I felt like I was right there in the middle of the war full of chaos and just thinking about it gives me goosebumps.
I really felt a genuine connection with The Characters in the book, especially Paul.
I remember that one scene that hit me was when the soldiers were on the front lines, and they had a gas attack.
Remarque described it so detailed and vividly that I felt like I could smell the gas and feel the panic they were living. I really couldn’t believe how inhuman and brutal the war was.
What really hit me hard throughout the book is how brutally honest the book was. Remarque wasn’t trying to make the war look like some adventure, he was telling the truth. He basically ripped off the mask of the war and showed how nasty and raw the war was.
In my opinion, the title of the novel “All Quiet on the Western Front” is like a joke. Even in the moments when you are supposed to be off guard, you are looking desperately for a little bit of peace. Maybe it refers to a dream or goal but not the reality.
Another scene that really stuck with me was when Paul goes back home but he can’t connect with anyone and he doesn’t understand them. I feel like I can understand him because after everything that he went through his mind will not be in the same place as people who didn’t go to the war.
When Paul died I thought I was imagining what I was reading but after a few moments I realized it was real, the book doesn’t have a happy ending and Paul’s death, in my opinion, is one of the examples of the violence and destruction the war brought.
It symbolizes many other soldiers who died in the war because, like Paul, there are many more. His death was a real but haunting conclusion. It left me thinking and reflecting on the impact of the war on those who experienced it.
When I read the Novel I couldn’t help but get hit with many thoughts and feelings about Paul and the war. I think for me and many people, it was a reminder of how messed up the war was and how surprisingly it messes with people like us. It’s a powerful book that reminded me some truths about what it’s like to be human.