All Quiet On The Western Front :: essays research papers

Remarque, Erich Maria. All Quiet On The Wester Front. Fawcett Crest; New York. 1958 Glaser, Rollin O. All Quiet On The Western Front Notes. Cliffs Notes, Inc.; Lincoln, Nebraska. 1990 Erich Maria Remarque Erich Maria Remarque was born in Osnabrà ¼ck, Westphalia, Germany on June 22, 1898. Being that his father was a book binder by trade, Erich was brought up in a fairly poor household. That did not stop him from receiving a wonderful education at his local “gymnasium'; (equivalent to an elementary school), then proceeding onto the University of Mà ¼nster. While attending there, he was drafted in to the German Army at a mere 18 years of age. He was wounded five times, then released. After returning home, he had a plethora of jobs including: a school master, a tombstone salesman, and even joined a “Gypsy caravan';. His searching for a profession then came to an end when he started writing articles for a Swedish car magazine. He became very well known in the areas of car racing and auto mechanics. He then used his literary skills to write novels that branched from his own personal reflections and experiences. He wrote several best-sellers including: All Quiet On The Western Front, Arch of Triumph, and The Black Obelisk. (contd.) Plot Summery Of: All Quiet On The Western Front All Quiet On The Western Front is a record of seven school chums that all enlist in the German Army after being urged by their school master Kantorek. These poor youth are forced to endure the debilitating effects of World War I, and represent the generation of men that were torn from youthfulness and serenity to face a world of survival horror. They become remnants of Europe’s degenerate youth from that time period. Over the period of years, they are slowly killed off, their once bright and cheerful youthfulness has been ripped from their beings, replaced with listlessness and hardened souls. The story is told in first person by a young man named, Paul Bà ¤umer. He is a very kind and sensitive lad, that wants to make a difference in the world. He has a hard time seeing how fighting against fellow man will make any sort of difference in the world. “He holds fast to a single vow: to fight against the principle of hate that meaninglessly pits young men of the same generation but different uniforms against each other..'; (Remarque, cover) Theme: A Broken And Sorrowful Youth