The historical context of this book is detailed from the first limb severed to the last word spoken by the deceased. The allusions let us imply major historical themes that which we may perhaps utilize in future events of war. The allusion of poison gas is introduced after the Second Company, including Paul Baumer, is assigned to place barbed wire near the western front --- situated near Germany and France's regional divisions. "The gas still creeps over the ground and sinks into all hollows. Like a big soft jellyfish it floats into our shell-hole and lolls there obscenely." Just as picturesque as the description narrates, Remarque incorporates a graveyard setting as well to conjure the terrifying affects of this striking weapon. In addition to the gas, bombshells raise coffins and their contents from t

Any one who has both hope and a realization of chance is capable to cope with the most terrible environments. Remarque's writing stresses on that idea with moralizing determination.

In detail, Remarque includes the surplus of rats and inflection plaguing the earth's undulations of combat. After passing a shelled school house near the front, Paul, Detering, Muller, Tjaden, and others are forced to stay in the rat-infested dugouts. "The rats here are particularly repulsive, they are so fat --- the kind we all call corpse-rats. They have shocking evil, naked faces, and it is nauseating to see their long, nude tails." Such creatures steal and contaminate the shortage of food. This allusion truly lets the reader understand the theme of how hunger can stab harder at the stomach, than a bayonet. The overall thematic "lesson to be learned," so to speak, is that simple things can cause great damage.

The least interesting portion of the story if at all was the drama between Himmelstoss and Tjaden. Himmelstoss ridicules the bed-wetting Tjaden and this conflict carries on through the story resulting with an act of insubordination from Tjaden. Prior to this Tjaden and his accomplices harass Himmelstoss by stripping him, covering him with a bed-cover, and rolling him on the ground. But there is no final revenge from Himmelstoss. As for Tjaden, he and his friends simply state that they will take more revenge on the postman, after the war. This conflict subsides due to the larger conflict of war. This drama could have been more interesting if Remarque could take this minor drama and tie it closer to the conflict of the war. Perhaps then, I would find this portion of the book somewhat interesting.

This book has impacted my generation in numerous ways. First of all, I can relate to the times of WWI greatly because my generation is growing up at a time of war. Though the war I am exposed to is mainly against terrorism, it still sparked from a single country, as did WWI. Even though I am not in combat, like the characters of the book, I am friends with those who are directly involved in the war of my time. The prime m

Some common words found in the essay are:
Paul Baumer, Tjaden Paul, Himmelstoss Tjaden, Germany France's, Muller Tjaden, Leer Kropp, Finally Kemmerich's, German American, Gerard Duval, World War, paul baumer, kemmerich's mother, western front, german soldier, quiet western front, american soldier, portion book, statement paul, himmelstoss tjaden, historical themes, conflict war,
Approximate Word count = 1432
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)