Character Review- Paul Baumer- The main character in All Quiet on the Western Front is Paul Baumer. He was eighteen and volunteered to fight in the war. Before the war you could tell that he was very compassionate, and loving. He loved his poetry, and his family. Throughout the book though, the war made him in a way disconnect his feelings. He was unable to be saddened when his comrades died because it happened so often. When his friend Kantorek dies, the only thing him and his friends think of is who will get his boots. They aren't saddened by his death because they know it was going to happen. He is unable to express his feelings about the war and talk about his experiences. His hides his emotion to keep his sanity to survive. The minute he becomes soft, he will be killed, like many of his friends. When he goes to see his family, he doesn’t feel the same around them, and feels as though it was bad because it made him soft. Even though Paul hates the war, and has become a “human animal”, relying on his instinct to survive. He can’t imagine his life without the war, because unlike the older soldiers, he does not really have a family or job. He was drafted while still in school. War is the only thing he knows. His generation is referred to as the “lost generation”. Throughout the war, Paul becomes less compassionate, and in a way he is relieved by his death.
Kantorek-Though he is not a major character, he expresses a lot of Remarque’s ideas, such as patriotism and nationalism. Kantorek-Though he is not a major character, he expresses a lot of Remarque’s ideas, such as patriotism and nationalism. He was once a teacher, who taught his students about duty, glory and pride. He was drafted, and made a terrible soldier. Paul says that everything that he taught was useless and unimportant. Paul also quotes, “While they taught that duty to one’s country is the greatest thing, we already know that death-throes are stronger.” Everything Kantorek taught, he believed the opposite thing, such as patriotism.
Corporal Himmelstoss- Himmelstoss, like Kantorek is not mentioned as much in the book, but plays a big part in the story. He was an everyday citizen, and when in the war, is a killing machine. He was extremely cruel to his soldiers, and gave them ridiculous commands and dangerous orders because he enjoys it. He forces recruits to stand outside with no gloves through a hard frost. They could get frostbite, and then have to get their hand or fingers amputated. He gave crazy orders, simply because he enjoyed it. Once sent to the front line though, he goes through the same terrors as the other soldiers, and realizes all the harm he has done. He tries to make up for all of the awful things he has done in the past. He represents a human, that has turned into an animal. He was the most feared disciplinarian in the training camps, and got the nickname “terror of Klosterburg. “ He represents the most cruel and the meanest aspects that come out during war.
Paul Baumer- The main character in All Quiet on the Western Front is Paul Baumer. He was eighteen and volunteered to fight in the war. Before the war you could tell that he was very compassionate, and loving. He loved his poetry, and his family. Throughout the book though, the war made him in a way disconnect his feelings. He was unable to be saddened when his comrades died because it happened so often. When his friend Kantorek dies, the only thing him and his friends think of is who will get his boots. They aren't saddened by his death because they know it was going to happen. He is unable to express his feelings about the war and talk about his experiences. His hides his emotion to keep his sanity to survive. The minute he becomes soft, he will be killed, like many of his friends. When he goes to see his family, he doesn’t feel the same around them, and feels as though it was bad because it made him soft. Even though Paul hates the war, and has become a “human animal”, relying on his instinct to survive. He can’t imagine his life without the war, because unlike the older soldiers, he does not really have a family or job. He was drafted while still in school. War is the only thing he knows. His generation is referred to as the “lost generation”. Throughout the war, Paul becomes less compassionate, and in a way he is relieved by his death.
Kantorek-Though he is not a major character, he expresses a lot of Remarque’s ideas, such as patriotism and nationalism. Kantorek-Though he is not a major character, he expresses a lot of Remarque’s ideas, such as patriotism and nationalism. He was once a teacher, who taught his students about duty, glory and pride. He was drafted, and made a terrible soldier. Paul says that everything that he taught was useless and unimportant. Paul also quotes, “While they taught that duty to one’s country is the greatest thing, we already know that death-throes are stronger.” Everything Kantorek taught, he believed the opposite thing, such as patriotism.
Corporal Himmelstoss- Himmelstoss, like Kantorek is not mentioned as much in the book, but plays a big part in the story. He was an everyday citizen, and when in the war, is a killing machine. He was extremely cruel to his soldiers, and gave them ridiculous commands and dangerous orders because he enjoys it. He forces recruits to stand outside with no gloves through a hard frost. They could get frostbite, and then have to get their hand or fingers amputated. He gave crazy orders, simply because he enjoyed it. Once sent to the front line though, he goes through the same terrors as the other soldiers, and realizes all the harm he has done. He tries to make up for all of the awful things he has done in the past. He represents a human, that has turned into an animal. He was the most feared disciplinarian in the training camps, and got the nickname “terror of Klosterburg. “ He represents the most cruel and the meanest aspects that come out during war.