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  • Essay / All is Calm on the Western Front: The Disillusionment of War

    Many people think that facing death is the most catastrophic and horrible thing in war. Is this the truth? What about the pain of losing an idealistic future after going through everything that kills your worldview during war? In Erich Maria Remark's famous novel All Quiet In The Western Front explores the themes of the horror of war and disillusionment, which constitute the dark part of war. At the beginning of the novel, Paul and his friends are forced to join the war by their teacher. In the middle of the story, Paul gradually loses his comrades during the bombardment of the front. At the end of the story, Paul finally died on the quiet front. However, the most interesting theme that attracts people's attention the most, that is, miserable wars, shape the young generation's ambition to return home and make them lose in loneliness, disillusionment and violence. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay First, catastrophic war leads young soldiers to isolate themselves from normal life. After Paul gets off his train at the station in his hometown, a girl comes up to him and says: “I turn away, she smiles at me too stupidly, so obsessed with her own importance: “Look, I'm giving coffee to a soldier. ! » — She calls me "Comrade", but I don't want it. The quote reflects the fact that Paul spends a lot of time at the front and experiences horrible senses, so he has difficulty interacting with civilians. As the girl deliberately pleases Paul, he receives her with a negative attitude because he thinks she is making him a show of capital, which makes Paul think she is selfish. Additionally, the war makes Paul suspicious and it takes him more time to get used to normal life. Additionally, when Paul at the bar, people are curious about the war: “For they all come back to the same thing, how bad it is and how good it is; one thinks it is like that, the other thinks it is like that.” From the quote, the audience can know that Paul feels no warmth from the people around him because they only care about how the war is going. However, Paul only has one chance to enjoy peace on leave, which is why he does not want to recall the miserable memory of the war. Additionally, the indifference of others makes Paul feel isolated and hopeless. On the other hand, not only does war make soldiers feel isolated, but also people who only want to satisfy their curiosity. Additionally, the generation also turns away, disappointed with their lives, after the horrible feelings of war. When Paul is in the hospital, he remembers his life: “I am young, I am twenty years old; yet all I know of life is despair, death, fear and stupid superficiality thrown into an abyss of sorrow.” From this quote, readers can know that the war hurt Paul not only physically, but also mentally. The feelings of despair come from Kantorek, who urges Paul to join the army by telling him to be an iron youth. However, more and more people died in front of him, which did not make Paul feel that they were strong, but fragile. Moreover, as a twenty-year-old young man, he should have a better life than exploring the wonderful and beautiful sides of the world. Paul should also enjoy the most amazing life ever in his entire life. But the war takes everything away from him and makes him hopeless for the rest of his future. Furthermore, in Paul's mind, he feels alone and helpless: “I am very calm. As the months and years come, they.