Chapter 1&2 Question Response
Question: Although the
novel is told from the German point-of-view, what universal view does it offer
of war?
The book “All Quiet on The Western Front” by Erich Maria
Remarque shows the German point of view of World War 1. In the first two chapters,
he really expresses his feelings towards this War. Erich didn’t expect war to
be so horrific and awful but more of being glorious or heroic. He explains the experience
of being in a trench, which is not pretty at all. Sitting on dirt for a long
period of time waiting for the enemies to make a move or yourself, and if you
think that being in a trench warfare is a relief, you are wrong. Watching dead
people being thrown on a carriage will make you realize that war is totally
unnecessary and worthless and at the end of the day, it didn’t benefit anyone
fighting it. For Erich, the war robbed him of his youth instantly. It blurred
the promise of future, took away his trust in humanity, scarred him forever.
Since it is from a German person point of view, it doesn’t
make any difference from a French person or a British person who fought in
World War 1. Anyone that had fought in a war would have the same thought
towards war. Even though you are from
the Axis power or the Allies, you will ask yourself what is the point of this.
This book offers a German point of view of war but as you can see it is not
much different from anyone else fighting World War 1.
I already know that its written by a German and that the narrator is German. Technically he hasn't described trench warfare yet since this question is only for Chapters 1&2 but the point you make still stands. I feel like you should explore what you say in your second paragraph with relation to the ideas in the first.
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