Literary Analysis All Quiet on the Western Front Essay Example

Literary Analysis All Quiet on the Western Front Essay In a brutal trench war known as World War I, the German troops were exposed to brutal conditions, which is shown to critically shape the personality and mannerisms of soldier Paul Baumer, the lead protagonist in All Quiet on the Western Front. Identity is a major theme in the novel, especially relating to Paul. He loses much of his innocence at age nineteen upon entering the war, while adapting to the nature of violence he must endure every day in combat. This matures Paul, who admits that despite his young age, he feels old based on what he has witnessed at war. The recurring mention of â€Å"Fatherland Germany† suggests the theme of patriotism that is evident in the plot. Once believing the propaganda of war spoken by his teacher, Paul enlists enthusiastically, taking in ideas that would later reveal to be hollow notions. But as days pass and more of his fellow troops succumb to injury and death, he begins to realize that war holds no meaning and the only truth underlying wa r is that both enemies and allies alike are human beings and not faceless figures. As a war novel, All Quiet on the Western Front is considered a tragedy as the events are nonfiction and accurately define the real conflicts between nations during the course of World War I. Paul is the narrator of the novel and the leader of his group, portrayed upon introduction in the story as a â€Å"seasoned soldier† in contrast to the new recruits. Prior to joining the war, Paul was captivated by poetry and art, but shed such interests as he matured in ruthless combat. The main antagonist in the story is the environment of war. World War I was an entirely new type of battle, drawing the forces of multiple countries into combat. It was known for the notoriously violent and grim front lines of the war that were like no other. Albert Kropp is a foil for Paul because he is strongly against the idea of war and has no fear of authority. When he is injured alongside Paul, he threat We will write a custom essay sample on Literary Analysis All Quiet on the Western Front specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Literary Analysis All Quiet on the Western Front specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Literary Analysis All Quiet on the Western Front specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer