| Plot Summary of All Quiet on the Western Front |
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"Paul and his fellow students join the German army of WWI with the enthusiasm of youth. After having been exposed to the atrocities of war and the pointlessness of fighting people not unlike themselves, Paul learns one thing: that war is not a means to an end. This is his story of the war from his point of view, exposing hopes and fears, loss and sorrow and depression."
Sarrah, Resident Scholar
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"This novel contains the thoughts, musings, and observations of a German foot soldier during the trench fighting of World War One. The prose is unromantic, matter of fact, and starkly beautiful. His introspections exact and detailed, the young man records the decline of his initial schoolboy enthusiasm into a sense of disaffected futility--and anger at those pedants, bureaucrats, and functionaries who have sent his friends and classmates to death and misery."
Damon LaBarbera, Resident Scholar
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"The story, All Quiet on the Western Front, begins with the men in the German Army receiving double rations due to a miscalculation. As the story progresses, it tells of several soldiers who died, such as Joseph Behm and Kemmerich. The narrator, Paul, has many flashbacks, in which he reminisces about Kantorek, his schoolteacher, and his life at home. Kantorek is the one who persuaded the boys in his class to join the Army. Paul is wounded, and is sent on leave. When he returns, he is sent to do training drills, and then is stationed in an abandoned village with several other men. They find many luxurious furnishings there and even bring some back to the front. In the summer of 1918, Kat is injured and Paul feels as though he must save him. They exchange addresses so they can keep in touch, but Kat dies. In the end of the story, Paul dies, and finally all is quiet on the Western Front."
Annie Kelly, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of All Quiet on the Western Front |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 20%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 13.3%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 26.7%
Tone of story
- depressing/sad
Time/era of story:
- 1900-1920's
War Thriller
Yes
Armed Forces:
- Army
Specific to
- WW I
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- infantry soldier
Age:
- 20's-30's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How much violence does he/she use?
- a tremendous amount
Ethnicity/Race
- German
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Main Adversary
Identity:
- an organization
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- infantry soldier
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- throughout most of the book.
The antagonists are:
- government bureaucracy
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- Germany
Forest?
Yes
Misc setting
- fort/military installation
Style
Person
- mostly 1st
Accounts of torture and death?
- very gorey descriptions deaths/dead bodies
How many deaths?
- hundreds or more
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