All Quiet On The Western Front And Man s Search For Meaning

From Man to Monster: A Study of Identity in All Quiet On The Western Front and Man’s Search for Meaning War is consistently portrayed in literary works as a concept of horror, a clash of physical and mental strength, with its soldiers either depicted as heroes or humans transformed into animalistic killers. Favouring the latter approach, All Quiet On The Western Front by German veteran Erich Maria Remarque is a war story that captures the hardships experienced by soldiers during World War I, their disconnection from civilian lives, and the struggle and death of the protagonist Paul Bà ¤uner and his friends. Remarque conveys the destruction and reconstruction of a soldier’s psyche as he describes the experiences of Bà ¤uner and his comrades at the front line of the war. All Quiet on The Western Front does not shed light on the soldiers’ courageousness or heroism, but rather discusses the effects of the war on their identities, personalities, and views on life. As the main character of the novel, Paul Bà ¤uner’s personal struggle with identity and meaning is unveiled in grave and unsettling detail. Prior to experiencing true trench warfare, Bà ¤uner is portrayed as being a caring and emotional man, as seen in his interactions with his dying friend Kemmerich. A soldier with such empathy and emotion is hardly suited for the front lines of the war. Gradually, however, Bà ¤uner undergoes a major identity shift as he is exposed to harsher conditions and is forced to fight for survival. TheShow MoreRelatedAll Quiet on the Western Front Symbolism, Imagery Allegory2597 Words   |  11 PagesAll Quiet on the Western Front Symbolism, Imagery Allegory Iron - In the book we hear the term The Iron Youth used to describe Paul s generation. The Iron Youth is an ideal of a strong Fatherland-lovin group of young soldiers who enlist and fight in the war as a way of showing pride for Germany and its history. 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