Throughout what we have read, one of the most prominent themes that accompany Werner's view of the story is fear. Deep down Werner knows that what he's doing is wrong, what they're teaching him in that academy is wrong, even his sister, Jutta, and his friend Frederick, have warned him that what they're doing is wrong. Yet he still refuses to acknowledge the fact that they may be correct. Frederick has spoken up against many doings bravely, without hesitation. Such as when the Russian prisoner was strapped against a pole in the freezing weather and had each and every student throw a bucket of water on him. Come Frederick's turn, he refuses, dumping the water on the ground a total of three times, "I will not." (Page 227) he says. He speaks up when something isn't right, very much unlike Werner. Werner is afraid of what could happen to him had he done the same in any other situation. Frederick was beaten nearly to death because he spoke up, what could happen to Werner? The fear is what holds him back. The denial. When Frederick had invited Werner over to …show more content…
Another example of the contrast happens between Etienne and Madame Manec, where Madame wants to fight back and rebel but in subtle ways so as to not get caught so easily. But Etienne is against it at first, thinking it's ridiculous and dangerous, and he is correct; but is it truly better to sit back and do nothing at all knowing that what is happening is completely and utterly wrong? Madame Manec says two very inspiring things that effect Marie-Laure herself later on. The first coming from the section "The Frog Cooks", which is a perfect metaphor for the current situation the French are in. "... But do you know what happens when you put the frog in a pot of cool water and then slowly bring it to a boil? ... The frog
He gives up everything that he believes in to follow his dreams of becoming a 8. “‘When I lost my sight,Werner,people said I was brave. When my father left,people said I was bravery;I have no choice”’(Doerr 469). Werner is talking to Marie Laure just after he rescues her. Von Rumpel locates Werner and just when he's about shoot Werner,Marie-Laure drops a brick distracts them both.
He was very skilled around working a radio. He had the challenge of having to go to the National Institute even though his beloved sister Jutta disapproved of his decision to go. While he was at the National Institute he had to use his radio skills to help the Nazi leaders and soldiers kill hundreds of people. This was something Werner had to deal with and he suffered greatly with the idea that he was hurting and killing so many people with his “talent” for radios. This was one of the hardest parts of the war for Werner. The thing that kept his true character was that he continued no matter what to communicate and stay in contact with his sister, Jutta. He made most of his decisions based on his sister. One of his biggest struggles was he was at the National Institute and he was apart from Jutta. As it is said in the following quotes below Werner was torn with his decision because deep down his true character is being a loving brother and to protect Jutta. “Mostly he misses Jutta: her loyalty, her obstinacy, the way she always seems to recognize what is right.” (263) “Perhaps she’s the impurity in him, the static in his signal that the bullies can sense. Perhaps she’s the only thing keeping him from surrendering totally.” (263). Also in this quote Werner's love and consideration for Jutta is displayed. He even gave Jutta the opportunity to not show Frau Elena who was essentially the mother figure to the both of them. “I’ll
A Child of Hitler by Alfons Heck is an autobiographical account of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945 from his perspective as a member of the Hitler Youth. Heck’s autobiography is abundant with emotional treatise and recollections from his childhood. Published in 1985, the book is targeted toward an adult audience. The overarching theme focuses on repentance and the overwhelming power of propaganda and the resulting passion produced by NSDAP indoctrination. Using this theme as guidance, Heck argues that Nazi propaganda was highly efficient and produced an indoctrinated generation that was consumed with Aryan and Third Reich superiority until the defeat of Germany in 1945.
use nature as the judge to condemn war, along with shocking imagery, so that his
All Quiet on the Western Front, directed by Delbert Mann, is based on the novel written by Erich Maria Remarque. It tells the story of a German schoolboy, Paul Baumer, and a group of his classmates, who journey from fantasies of heroic glory to the real horror of actual soldiering. Their journey is a coming of age tale that centers on the consternation of war and emphasizes the moral, spiritual, emotional, and physical deterioration suffered by the young soldiers.
The story of several schoolmates who symbolize a generation destroyed by the dehumanisation of the First World War, All Quiet on the Western Front tells of the men who died, and the tragically changed lives of those who survived. Remarque follows the story of Paul Bäumer, a young infantryman, from his last days of school to his death three years later. Whereas the journey motif is typically used to portray a positive character development, that of Paul is deliberately the opposite. In what has been dubbed the greatest antiwar novel of all time, Remarque depicts the way in which Paul is snatched away from humanity by the brutality of war. However while Paul and his comrades become separated from society, and begin to rely on their basic survival instincts, in their own surroundings they still show humane qualities such as compassion, camaraderie, support and remorse. Paul’s transformation from human to soldier begins in training camp, and is reinforced by the trauma at the front. His return home further alienates him from society, and Paul begins to feel safe at the front with his friends. Nonetheless throughout the novel suffering and mortality bare Paul’s true side, and he momentarily regains his former self. Bäumer, the German word for tree, is an early indication that Paul must remain firmly rooted in reality to survive the brutality of war.
Many of Remarque’s ideas expressed in All Quiet on the Western Front were not completely new. Remarque emphasized things that portrayed the magnitude of issues soldiers face, and how the physical body and senses affects their emotional well-being. The ideas in All Quiet in the Western Front of not knowing the difference between sleep and death, seeing gruesome sights of people, and frustration towards people who cannot sympathize with soldiers, are also shown in Siegfried Sassoon’s “The Dug-Out”, Giuseppe Ungaretti’s “Vigil”, and Sassoon's’ “Suicide in the Trenches”.
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. Enlisting right out of high school forced the teens to experience things they had never thought of. From the life of a soilder on the front line to troubles with home life, war had managed to once again destroy a group of teenagers.
All Quiet on the Western Front is an enthralling story about WWI, which, unlike other war stories at the time, vocalized the negative aspects of the war specifically the psychological effect. You can see throughout the book, the psychological horrors which Paul experiences. This psychological aspect of stories is generally not as conspicuous or as horrifying as shown in All Quiet on the Western Front. I have always been intrigued by the psychological affect that war has on you, and this book was able to provide an accurate representation of why war effects the solders in such a horrid way. The part that was most compelling was when Paul was stuck in the hole. He had a sudden revelation that the French soldier was a “person” too. He noticed that he wasn’t fighting savages; he was fighting a man just like himself with a family. This part was really touching and changed my whole perspective of war. Things like this were scattered throughout the book, and it made me look at war differently. Since this book was short and concise, it was never boring, and didn’t have unnecessary details so it kept the plot going. Sometimes I feel there was a lack of details for example, the character’s physical characteristics were never solidly defined, so a lot was left to the reader to decide the character’s appearance. Another aspect of this book I enjoyed was the gruesome description of the war itself. Such as the rat-infested trenches, corpses scattered across the ground, and the description of the warfare. This was one the reasons that the psychological terrors were easily conveyed. Without the description of the war, the book would not of had the same effect. We were able to clearly see the horrible situations, which the soldiers lived in, ...
In All Quiet on the Western Front, is a novel that shows all of the horrible things and situations that occurred in WWI. It also talks about “the lost generation” that in fact WWI produced. The main character Paul Baumer and his fellow friends, had spent times listening to their teacher Kantorek's speeches. He talked about how it was the boys' “duty or job” to go out and b patriotic and help fight in the war. All in All the decisions that they had made at this time, still had them pondering on the outcomes their lives would have.
Imagine being in an ongoing battle where friends and others are dying. All that is heard are bullets being shot, it smells like gas is near, and hearts race as the times goes by. This is similar to what war is like. In the novel All Quiet on the Western Front, the narrator, Paul Baumer, and his friends encounter the ideals of suffering, death, pain, and despair. There is a huge change in these men; at the beginning of the novel they are enthusiastic about going into the war. After they see what war is really like, they do not feel the same way about it. During the war the men experience many feelings especially the loss of loved ones. These feelings are shown through their first experience at training camp, during the actual battles, and in the hospital.
At the beginning of chapter seven, the Second Company is taken further back to a depot for reinforcements, and the men rest. Himmelstoss wants to get on good terms with the boys and shows them kindness. Paul starts to respect him after seeing how he carried Haie Westhus when he was hit in the back. Tjaden is won over too after he learns that Himmelstoss will provide extra rations from his job as sergeant cook.
The Silber Medal winning biography, “Surviving Hitler," written by Andrea Warren paints picture of life for teenagers during the Holocaust, mainly by telling the story of Jack Mandelbaum. Avoiding the use of historical analysis, Warren, along with Mandelbaum’s experiences, explains how Jack, along with a few other Jewish and non-Jewish people survived.
Foremost, circumstances originally cause characters to alter their views and actions which will result in a loss of their identities without change. This idea is shown in All the Light We Cannot See, when Werner begins his final test for the Hitler Youth, which involves showing trust in the Nazi party. He jumps off a high platform to then be caught by a flag held by recruiters and after, “He rolls to his feet uninjured. The examiner clicks his stopwatch, scribbles on his clipboard, looks up. Their eyes meet for half a second . . . ‘Heil Hitler!’ yells Werner” (116). Unlike the boys who had done the activity previously, Werner does not hesitate to jump because he is desperate to make himself stand out as a way to prove his commitment to the Nazi party. He places himself in this situation not because he supports their cause, but rather because he believes his enrollment in the academy is the only way to pursue his innate talent of engineering. This idea shows he is willing to commit himself to a cause he has little knowledge in if that means he is able pursue the future he wants. Furthermore, when
All Quiet on the Western Front - A Book Review Professor’s Comments: This is a good example of a book review typically required in history classes. It is unbiased and thoughtful. The student explains the book and the time in which it was written in great detail, without retelling the entire story. a pitfall that many first time reviewers may experience. All Quiet on the Western Front is the story of Paul Baumer’s service as a soldier in the German army during World War I. Paul and his classmates enlist together, share experiences together, grow together, share disillusionment over the loss of their youth, and the friends even experience the horrors of death together.