Analysis Of All Quiet On The Western Front By Erich Maria Remarque

Throughout the novel All Quiet on the Western Front, the author Erich Maria Remarque, explores the effects of war through both literary and structural techniques. Remarque himself being involved in the war, writes from the perspective of young German soldiers who were on duty during the World War One campaign. Using various literary techniques, Remarque is able to convey the effects of war through the destruction of natural imagery, the displacement experienced by the soldiers as well as the loss of identity which eventually affects the soldiers the soldiers.

Remarque explores the effects of war through the destruction of nature. Remarque uses personification as well as metaphor to convey the destruction of nature to the reader. Before they
Remarque illustrates loss of identity through the conceptual progression of a soldier’s identity, he does this using characterisation. This is evident when Paul kills a French soldier by the name of Gerard Duval. Paul reinforces the fact that Duval was “an idea to [him]” as well as “a concept in [his] mind.” This metaphor used by Remarque conveys the sorrow Paul shows towards Duval is one of both regret and remorse. Paul sees a helpless man who “could be just as much of a brother as Kat or Albert” in the same situation as he is in, on the opposing side. This highlights the similarities between the two opposing forces and how the individual soldiers had lost their identity through the conceptual ideas that had been given to one another. Furthermore, Remarque explores the isolation of a generation to convey the loss of identity. Remarque portrays this through the use of contrast. Paul stresses throughout the novel that he wants to “feel the same power” and the “eagerness of youth” he had before the war began. This is seen when he returns home and is trying feel the “nameless urge” that he used to encompass when he read his books. This contrast illustrates to the reader that Paul, who previously stressed his love for books, had lost his will to read. Ultimately, this shows the change in his identity, as a result of the war.

In conclusion, Erich Maria Remarque’s novel All Quiet on the Western Front explores the effects of war through the literary and structural techniques which he embeds throughout the text. This helps Remarque to explore the ideas on the destruction of natural imagery, displacement, and loss of identity are all issues Remarque raised throughout. As a result of this, the reader is enforced to empathetic towards those who were effected by the