How Does Kantorek Give Authority To Certain People?

Why is it we give authority to certain people? What allows us to test them? In the book All Quiet on the Western Front Remarque questions what power we put into figures of authority from seeing how they view Kantorek, the Kaiser and Himmelstoss. Teachers such as Kantorek have a sense of influence on students. “...Kantorek gave us long lectures until the whole of our class went under his shepherding…”(Remarque 11). Kantorek is one of many who can lead people in a certain direction. Many reasons lay out on why. Kantorek is superior in his “knowledge” he is older and has much wisdom. Another reason is that he is a teacher and should meaning that you should trust what they say to be correct about war because who is better to inform you than your someone whose job is to teach you. “These teachers carry their feelings in their waistcoat pockets, and trot them out by the hour” (Remarque 11). Early on we are taught that our teacher is someone who we could trust, someone who would if ever needed keep us out of harm's way.

Power could be given as if was nothing to ear. That leaves you to question is it really power? “After three weeks it was no longer incomprehensible to us that a braided postman should have more authority over us than had formerly our parents, our teachers, and the whole gamut of the culture from Plato to Goethe” (Remarque 22). Himmelstoss was given power after being a postman , but after receiving the title the men could do nothing but obey. Himmelstoss later goes on to be power conceded and in a sense abuse the power. The men have to deal with the man with no experience leading a troop of men in war. If power is just thrown around it loses the full potential of the power. For the guys, knowing Himmelstoss’ experience made it harder to see him as a figure of authority. They all got to see how the power changed Himmelstoss for the