“All Quiet on the western Front” by Erich Maria Remarque is a unique and interesting novel because it does not follow the conventional rhythm often found in other war-themed books. The chapters did not always consist of action packed battles and the heroic feats that one associates with war, Remarque instead intentionally left mundane chunks in between the thrilling action. These ‘chunks’ delved into the overlooked hardships and physiological tolls present outside of the trenches. Though I was not initially as interested in these chapters, I am glad that they were included because it helps defeat the trend of romanticising war. Another aspect of the book that distinguishes it from others is the fate of its characters. I am accustomed to reading about characters improving from surviving the adversities they face in their story. Remarque however, chooses that the fate of the characters we’ve spent time getting to know, is to be killed by the unrelenting nature of WW1. This is to show us the destructive randomness that befelled countless soldiers, only for them to be replaced by younger optimists who would meet the same grim fate. Paul and Tjaden were able to survive by holding on to the friendship and bonds of their fallen comrades, up until the heartache of losing all his friends caused Paul to draw his last breath in the midst of complete quietness.
Each character being killed (except for Tjaden), though sad, was important to show the reality of war and the impact on those who fought it. These tragic deaths served as a reminder of how scarce survival was in this brutal conflict.The readers are exposed to the harsh emotional and physical tolls that the soldiers were cruelly forced to endure. Witnessing their friends and fellow soldiers meet horrific deaths on the battlefield, paints a picture of the relentlessness of war. I used to picture these types of deaths as statistical instead of understanding that each one is extinguishing one vibrant life. Paul was only 19 when he enlisted and I was haunted to find out, some of his comrades were even younger. These youths were robbed of their innocence and forced into a brutal life where they were being used as pawns for the interests of those in power. The youths experienced a sense of seclusion from the rest of society. Paul’s short connection with the woman across the river told us a lot about his character. After parting with the intimacy he had not felt in a long time. Paul felt lonelier than ever because he realised how much he missed that sort of affection that was bereft in his current life.
Erich Maria Remarque masterfully conveys the pure hopelessness of war. Remarque remarks “Not even a fly can survive the endless artillery barrage” which shows us the sheer constant savagery in the trenches, and that even the most stubborn of creatures would eventually fall to the endless violence. I have always pictured soldiers as highly trained killing machines with each fighter having the ability to turn the tide of battle. Instead of the primary objective being to minimise casualties, the ultimate goal was to outlast the enemy with a relentless rotation of troops. One single life was nothing compared to the grand scheme of things, this is why war is a never ending cycle of misery, with the soldiers’ lives being replaced as quickly as they were lost.
I think this book is well written and immersive to the reader. This book drew an emotional reaction from me by intricately describing the death of so many people, some that we had come to know and others who we did not. “All Quiet on the Western Front” used a unique way of storytelling, had interesting characters who endured a lot, and accurately expressed the hopelessness of war.