Exile On The Western Front Analysis

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Returning home confirms Paul’s worries about his detachment and alienation from civilian life—he is unable to comfortably re-assimilate into his pre-war life. The idea of returning home endorses Paul's worries about his detachment from life out of the front and he feels quite uncomfortable to go back into his life before the war. Paul leaves this idea clear as he demonstrates being, at first, impatient to leave the front but then as he gets close to his town he starts feeling nostalgic, he understands that he no longer recognize the people he sees. As the time goes by, slowly, Paul feel like he is not able to re-bond with his family again, although he really wants to; when his mother asks how was the way he feels that she wouldn't understand and instead of telling her about the horrors he lies that things weren't so bad. …show more content…

Instead of being a relaxing break, this coming back home has reminded Paul of what he and his family have lost because of the war, he finds his consolation by coming back but also is reminded that he cannot think merely of himself what makes it harder for him to disconnection. I think that in this chapter Remarque's intention is to show the results/effects of the war in the life of the ones who hardly survived. He did display several examples in this one chapter: how it was for Paul to get back in his hometown; how it was to see his family again; to meet old friends; to relate and describe to war to people; to be constantly reminded of the war and the experiences that he had; and so on to say goodbye

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