Remarque’s Portrayal of War in 'All Quiet on The Western Front'

Remarque’s novel All Quiet on the Western Front portrays an Un-romanticised version of war, differentiating from a context where war was celebrated in nationalistic ideals. In his exploration of the relentless physiological and physical strain war has on the soldiers, he hints at the nationalistic and patriotic ideologies that surrounded World War I at the time. He characterises it like a tool, utilised by superior powers to seduce soldiers into a war that ethnically doesn’t concern them, showcasing nationalism’s true colours in the harsh realities of war. Furthermore, in Remarque’s constant personification and un-romanticised reveal of death he portrays the brutality of war and the longing effect it has on the soldiers, where he highlights their condescending moral ‘bankruptcy’. In their emotional and alienated disconnection from reality, he then explores the catastrophic impact it's had on the soldier’s wellbeing and humanity.

In the novel, Remarque explores a context characterised through nationalistic and patriotic ideals, however provides the alternate reality through the soldiers’ ‘battle for life’ that shatter this hypocritical tool of simulated political doctrine. Kantorek in the novel is a symbolic portrayal of these nationalistic ideals that screened for a false assessment of the war — “You’ll all go, won’t you lads?” His matter of fact tone and Remarque’s transition from first to second person highlights the poignancy of this scene where Kantorek in his obsession and perspective of a ‘glorified and nationalistic war,' actually encourages his students, in reality to a ‘cage of death’. Perversely, Remarque writes “They were supposed to be the ones who would help us eighteen year-olds to make the transition, who would guide us into adult life, into a world of work, of responsibilities, of civilised behaviour and progress - into the future.” Paul’s sterile assessment of the ‘idealised’ adult life in contrary to Kantorek, showcases a strong anaphoric and monotonous pattern with lack of positive connotations that highlights an Un-romantic and rudimentary portrayal of life that dehumanises Paul and the soldiers as mere tools utilised by political figures in the war.

Furthermore, Remarque explores tensions between bureaucratic forces on multiple occasions. In a poignant scene on the ‘front,' Baumer stabs and kills an innocent French soldier — “This is the first man I have ever killed with my own hands … he has an invisible dagger to stab me with: the dagger of time and my own thoughts. I would give a lot for him to live.” In this ironic scene, Remarque’s utilisation of a metaphor and variance in sentence length emphasises the killing of ‘nationalistic ideals’. He demonstrates the captivity of cross bureaucratic relationships, where Paul stabbing the innocent soldier is symbolic of him stabbing and escaping the enforced political doctrine that characterised the context of WW1 at the time. Similarly, Remarque’s novel diverts from a romanticised reveal of war, and instead provides a realistic interpretation, synonymous to the vigorous realties of war through his constant personification of death and the degrading effect it has on the soldiers. “By now the gas is snaking over the ground … It insinuates itself into our shell hole wriggling its way in like a broad, soft jellyfish”. Baumer here personifies the gas, which becomes synonymous to death and has been given the ability to ‘snake’, portraying it as a deceptive agency that claims the lives of innocent soldiers. Furthermore, Remarque writes “The heads turn into whole figures - tunics, trousers and boots come out of the mist as if from a pool of milk … A column — not men.” His explicit utilisation of language of vivid sensory imagery in a ‘pool of milk,' emphasises how the soldiers are anonymised, dehumanised and de-identified. Remarque hints at the war’s ability to remove a soldier’s individual traits and values where they are simulated into a ‘column’ representative of the true oppression of war. Similarly, this enforced simulation into war, disconnects Paul and the soldiers from the realities of a ‘homely life’. Upon Paul’s arrival he is questioned “Now, what’s it like out there? Yes, it’s terrible but we have to stand firm.” Here, Remarque demonstrates Paul’s inability to verbalise his experiences, where he compounds his alienation from civilian life — it’s not just that he doesn’t fit, he can’t even explain how he doesn’t fit. Thus, Remarque in his celebration of language portrays the gruelling concepts of war, and its physical and physiological ability to corrupt the soldiers.

In conclusion, Remarque’s novel vividly explores various concepts of war that are further celebrated through his manipulation of language. He has successfully crafted a book that diverts from a nationalistic mould that characterised this early 20th century context, and instead through his personification of death and war, he hints at its brutality and the vengeful effect it has on its victims. Ryan McPhail - Giants A