Army day reading my favourite war novel all quiet on. Its considered to be one of the greatest and most important works in the genre. All quiet on the western front authors final book published. An antiwar novel often portrays many of the bad aspects and consequences of war. Erich maria remarque all quiet on the western front.
He fell in october, 1918, on a day that was so quiet and still on the whole front, that the army report confined itself to the single sentence. Machine guns, huge artillery shells and poison gas create a nightmare world for these young men and their older comrades. During the second half of 1929 and in early 1930 war novels and. All quiet on the western front and the fate of a war jstor. Throughout the novel, pauls inner personality is contrasted with the way the war forces him to act and feel. But after experiencing ten weeks of brutal training at the hands of the petty, cruel corporal. Published in 1929, author erich maria remarque used the novel as a means to deal with world war i. The changes the characters in the novel subjected themselves to throughout the book allow the reader to view the negative effects soldiers went through during, as well as after the war. For someone who is interested in war novels, this one is a requirement to read. All quiet on the western front is a novel by erich maria remarque, a german veteran of world. It is without question the greatest war novel ever written.
For some years after the end of the first world war, the memoirs of. All this reminds me of my favourite war novel all quiet on the western front by erich maria remarque. This is shown several times in both the movie and the novel. The most loved and hated novel about world war i history. He had told me about the poignant ending of the movie. The record of several schoolmates who represent a generation destroyed by the dehumanization of world war is trench warfare, all quiet on the western front tells of their enlistment in the army at the urging of their teacher, kantorek, whose wisdom they trusted. As the novel s narrator and protagonist, paul is the central figure in all quiet on the western front and serves as the mouthpiece for remarques meditations about war.
This was followed by the road back 1931 and the three comrades 1936. All quiet on the western front translated from the german by a. The novels epigraph and the ending sing the same tune. All quiet on the western front is the kind of book youve heard about forever as a great book, one youve. They are enjoying uncharacteristically plentiful food and an abundance of cigars and cigarettes. All quiet on the western front 1930 all quiet on the. Aug 20, 2015 the great books series was a standout on cable tv in the 1990s a highly entertaining yet educational survey of great works of world literature. All quiet on the western front as an anti war novel 1 january 2017 beneath this, however, remarque has composed a literary treasure which, above all, seeks to illustrate war as that which is engrained in the nucleus of humanity and through the hugely negative effects of war depicted, seeks to question humanities apparent advancement through its. He feels disconnected from most of the townspeople. As the title says, i recently decided to read erich maria remarques classic about the horrors of the first world war, and i absolutely loved the book.
It shows the terrible war from a north vietnamese perspective and is partly autobiographical. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of all quiet on the western front and what it means. All quiet on the western front as an antiwar novel 1 january 2017 beneath this, however, remarque has composed a literary treasure which, above all, seeks to illustrate war as that which is engrained in the nucleus of humanity and through the hugely negative effects of war depicted, seeks to question humanities apparent advancement through its. But it is as a war book not as a german book that all quiet is so significant. All quiet on the western front why is this a classic. One of the first books published about the war it was one of the first insights of life in the trenches. For some years after the end of the first world war the memoirs of generals and. By now, the war is nearing its end and the german army is retreating. Although the war came to an end more than ten years ago it has, until now. Book 1 of 1 in the all quiet on the western front series. The greatest war novel of all time the longest chapter. They have similarities and differences, but they both give us the same idea of the war as a fatal place, and any simple mistake may cost your life. Remarques all quiet on the western front, the fate of main character paul baumer relates remarques ultimate thoughts on war and how the soldiers view of war differs from others.
All quiet on the western front an antiwar novel often portrays many of the bad aspects and consequences of war. The way he creates an uneasy atmosphere is amazing, and the narrators thoughts about youth and war made me stop, think, and read the paragraph a. All quiet on the western front literature tv tropes. The task remarque sets for himself suggests the heavy personal burden that consumed his private thoughts for a decade following his own departure from the western front. On december 5, 1930, just over 12 years after the end of world war i, german. Throughout the novel, paul comments on the devastating effects of war and its ability to make soldiers dehumanize the. All quiet on the western front is a literary classic, and this roundup of the book s best quotes reveal why. Wheen fawcett crest this book is to be neither an accusation nor a confession, and least of all an adventure, for death is not an adventure to those who stand face to face with it. Why is all quiet on the western front considered an. All quiet on the western front introduction shmoop. This book is to be neither an accusation nor a confession, and least of all an adventure, for death. All quiet on the western front by erich maria remarque, published in 1929, takes place during world war i.
Tells of the conditions in which the soldiers find themselves the. He went on to publish several other novels, but the first remains his hallmark. Paul and several of his friends from school joined the army voluntarily after listening to the stirring patriotic speeches of their teacher, kantorek. I refer to it as a book because to call it a novel suggests something less horrific in terms of subject matter than.
Nor, we gather, does the end of war bring surcease for the survivors. Because it depicts the grinding pointlessness, eventual futility of war. All quiet on the western front is an antiwar novel told from the point of view of paul baumer, a german soldier in world war i. Stirring quotes from all quiet on the western front. His first novel was a tragic account of german soldiers in the first world war that has become an antiwar classic. All quiet on the western front is, as most american high school. The greatest war novel of all time, all quiet on the western front, by erich maria remarque, is a novel that depicted the hardships of a group of teenagers who enlisted in the german army during world war 1. Maurice del bourgo has worked in american comic books since the 1940s and 1950s. Now, 85 years after all quiet on the western front was published, erich maria. There is no movie that can be better to learn about world war i than the novel all quiet on the western front. His best known novel is all quiet on the western front 1928 which tells the tale of german soldiers in the first world war.
Shells pass overhead and explode in a sheet of flame a hundred meters away. The book describes the german soldiers extreme physical and mental stress during the war, and the detachment from civilian life felt by many of these soldiers upon returning home from the front. I read all quiet on the western front while serving in the u. All quiet on the western front is surely the greatest of all war books. The characters are not heros, their deaths, are not heroic, and their lives warped if they survive.
All quiet on the western front won a deserved best picture academy award in the year it came out and brought great prestige to universal pictures as the first oscar in that category won by that studio. All quiet on the western front is narrated by paul bumer, a young german soldier fighting in world war i. The overriding theme of all quiet on the western front is the terrible brutality of war, which informs every scene in the novel. Its not a spoiler so much as a trigger warning to tell you that this book is filled to the brim with details of slow, agonizing death, dismemberment, gaping wounds, and.
I dont know why it took me so long to get to all quiet on the western front, but im glad. All quiet on the western front is a novel by erich maria remarque, a german veteran of world war i. Great books all quiet on the western front youtube. Many of the elements of the narrative correspond to remarques own experiences, and the book has strong autobiographical undertones. The generic term soldier encompasses all uniformed personnel of the armed forces army, navy and air force. Considered by many the greatest war novel of all time, all quiet on the western front is erich maria remarques masterpiece of the german experience during world war i. With commentaries and more on great books and authors. All quiet on the western front by erich maria remarque goodreads. The author went to war with a 700 man unit, of which only 10 survived. A summary of chapter twelve in erich maria remarques all quiet on the western front. All quiet on the western front summary, characters. The novel proved to be better because it talked about the scarcity of food, it got into your emotions, and it talked about gas bomb usage. Abroad, all quiet on the western front was a big hit as well, selling 600,000 copies in. All quiet on the western front all quiet on the western front could definitely be considered an anti war novel the changes the characters in the novel subjected themselves to throughout the book allow the reader to view the negative effects soldiers went through during, as well as after the war.
The book is an account of paul baumers experiences in battle and his. In all quiet on the western front, paul baumer thinks that the enemy is human. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Whereas war novels before all quiet on the western front tended to romanticize what war was like, emphasizing ideas such as glory, honor, patriotic duty, and adventure, all quiet on the western front sets out to. All quiet on the western front, originally a novel by erich maria remarque. Erich remarques all quiet on the western front is a novel set in the first world war that is against war. All quiet on the westen front the greatest literature of all time. The most loved and hated novel about world war i an international bestseller, erich maria remarques all quiet on the western front was banned and burned in nazi germany. All quiet on the western front im westen nichts neues note is a 1929 anti war novel, set during world war i, by famous german author and war veteran erich maria remarque. The sorrow of war by bao ninh is another haunting vietnam book, that has been compared to all quiet on the western front.
All quiet on the western front erich maria remarque brian murdoch, the translator, has given us in his afterword an excellent starting point for discussing this book. Paul is poisoned in a gas attack and given a short leave. Its unflinching realism has made it one of the most successful war novels ever written. Few antiwar novels written since have matched erich maria remarques. All quiet on the western front as an antiwar novel essay. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. As the novel begins, he and his company are taking an afternoon rest five miles behind the front lines. It is the universal story of the grunt, all those who have ever fought on the front lines and experienced battle and death. Perhaps the meaning of the epigraph is that the book will let events speak for themselves since they have not been embellished for the sake of some political goal. As world war i rages on in the novel, i saw profound changes from soldiers to heroes, and cowards to dead menand i saw. Erich maria remarques novel and the film made from it may possibly be the greatest anti war statement ever created. All quiet on the western front won a deserved best picture academy award in the year it came out and brought great prestige to universal pictures as. It could be wwi, it could be afghanistan, it doesnt really matter.
Even under the worst circumstances, there is a shred of humanity in everyone i hope and i think thats why its still popular, because it still resonates with people when they read it. All quiet on the western front im westen nichts neues note is a 1929 antiwar novel, set during world war i, by famous german author and war veteran erich maria remarque. The great books series was a standout on cable tv in the 1990s a highly entertaining yet educational survey of great works of world literature. The book and its sequel, the road back 1930, were among the books banned and burned in. In brief, the story is about german soldier paul baumer, the narrator, who responsibly joins the german. I refer to it as a book because to call it a novel suggests something less horrific in terms of subject matter than what we find in all quiet on the western front. Enlisting right out of high school forced the teens to experience things they had never. Nothing new in the west is a novel by erich maria remarque, a german veteran of world war i. All quiet on the western front, novel by german writer erich maria remarque, published in 1929 as im westen nichts neues and in the united states as all quiet on the western front. Its not just a classic war novel, but frequently categorized and hailed as the greatest war novel of all time. Erich maria remarques novel and the film made from it may possibly be the greatest antiwar statement ever created. Jun 16, 2015 the most loved and hated novel about world war i an international bestseller, erich maria remarques all quiet on the western front was banned and burned in nazi germany.
Each book is a retelling of a work of great literature from one of the worlds greatest cultures, fitted into a 64page book, making classic stories, dramas and histories available to intelligent young readers as a bridge to the full texts, to language students wanting access to other cultures, and to adult readers who are unlikely ever to read. All quiet on the western front tv movie 1979 all quiet on. All quiet on the western front certainly takes a strong critical position against the war and against nationalist and ignorant figures like kantorek and himmelstoss. But few other textseven bleak war movies like apocalypse now or saving private ryanpack quite the visceral, seriously antiwar punch of all quiet on the western front. As i read books 79 of all quiet on the western front, i experienced the hardships of war through the eyes of the main character, paul. All quiet on the western front summary, characters, analysis. All quiet on the western front by erich maria remarque is an excellent novel about the first world war. Free all quiet on the western front novel vs film essay essay. Book summary the record of several schoolmates who represent a generation destroyed by the dehumanization of world war is trench warfare, all quiet on the western front tells of their enlistment in the army at the urging of their teacher, kantorek, whose wisdom they trusted.
I dont know why it took me so long to get to all quiet on the western front, but. The characters are not heros, their deaths, are not heroic, and their lives warped if they. German novelist erich maria remarque 18981970 published all quiet on the western front in 1929. Why is all quiet on the western front considered an antiwar. All quiet on the western front movie vs book all quiet on. Through his eyes, the reader witnesses the horrors of war. All quiet on the western front as an antiwar novel 123 help me. He reflects that, when the war ends, he will be ruined for peacetime.
Start studying all quiet on the western front chapter 9. All quiet on the western front becomes instant bestseller archive. Summary and analysis preface the author explains that he is merely trying to characterize his generation, the young men who fought the great war and who were destroyed by it. In october 1918, on a day with very little fighting, paul is killed. Considered by many the greatest war novel of all time, all quiet on the western front is erich maria. Army day reading my favourite war novel all quiet on the. All quiet on the western front as an antiwar novel 123. All quiet on the western front tv movie 1979 all quiet.
Free essays all quiet on the western front 1186 words 5 pages. The boys attitude to war in all quiet on the western. Dec 04, 2014 his first novel was a tragic account of german soldiers in the first world war that has become an anti war classic. Jan 15, 2018 army day reading my favourite war novel all quiet on the western front yesterday i saw a movie called the post this movie the post depicts the true story of the journalists who published the pentagon papers classified documents regarding undisclosed information about the involvement of the united states government in. An antiwar novel set during world war i, it relies on remarques personal experience in the war to depict the eras broader disillusionment. All quiet on the western front an anti war novel often portrays many of the bad aspects and consequences of war. Remarque describes the terrible reality of the war, focusing on the horrors and involved. Writers followed in great britain, among the earliest books were. The novel s epigraph and the ending sing the same tune. All quiet on the western front all quiet on the western front could definitely be considered an antiwar novel. In my opinion, the nazis burned remarques books not because he changed his. Like shakespeare, i think all quiet on the western front is about human nature. All quiet on the western front book douglas county. All quiet on the western front chapter 9 flashcards.
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