All Quiet on All Quiet on the Western Frontthe Western Front

By Erich Maria Remarque

Before We Read: What You Need To Know

• Novel takes place during World War I.

• Erich Remarque went to war himself; this is considered autobiographically inspired.

• From the GERMAN perspective

Reading a Novel Like a Professional

• CharactersCharacters• SettingSetting• SymbolsSymbols• MotifsMotifs• Thematic TopicsThematic Topics• Overarching Messages (Themes)Overarching Messages (Themes)

Characters

• Keep track of any characters named; as you continue to read, ask yourself the following: – Is this character important to the overall message

of the book?– Has this character done something or said

something that is important? In other words, has this character, even if they only appear once, been used as a “tool” by the author to make a particular point about a topic?

• Figure out who the absolutely essential characters are: who is the main character? Who is the main nemesis/enemy? Who are the subordinate characters? – Are they static or dynamic?

Setting• SETTING is the place or places where the

story takes place. In any novel, movement from setting to setting is important. Why? Because different people act differently when faced with different situations. – In this book, pay attention to the difference

between city/urban/civilized settings and natural/rural/uncivilized settings – how do characters act in different places? What is Remarque hoping to show through this?

Symbols• SYMBOLS are things that seem insignificant at

first, but evolve into something more meaningful; they represent an abstract concept like love, hate, good, evil, war, death, life, innocence, etc. – How can you tell when something goes from being

just a watch to being something symbolic? Pay attention to how the author deals with that symbol: is there a discussion about it? Does it mean something different to different characters? Does it sneak into the story at a later point? Is it compared to other things?

Motifs• A motif is defined as the following:

– According to SparkNotes: Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, and literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text’s major themes.

– According to M.H. Abrams in his A Glossary of Literary Terms: “A motif is a conspicuous element, such as a type of incident, device, reference, or formula, which occurs frequently in works of literature” (Abrams 169).

• In other words, a motif is not a message that the author is sending, but instead, a device or tool they are using again and again to reinforce that message, which is the theme. – In All Quiet, pay attention to how Remarque uses repeated imagery of

war damage and carnage, patriotism and “the old way” of doing things, and of human’s animal instincts.

Thematic Topics• There are only so many thematic topics in the world; most

literature is going to focus on a select few things. These include: – Love, hate, envy, greed, war, family, death, life, innocence, loss of

innocence, coming of age, patriotism, heritage, immigration, power, life, relationships, hurt, pain, anger, revolution, marriage, children, etc.

• Many characters in this book with discuss their beliefs about WAR, INNOCENCE, AGE, and PATRIOTISM. Ask yourself these questions as you encounter those conversations or narration (from Paul):– What does this character believe? Does the author also

believe that? How does that connect with what we’ve already learned? What does that potentially say about the author’s position on war?

Overarching Messages (The THEME)

• Reading a novel like a professional includes one imperative over all others: FIGURE OUT WHAT THE AUTHOR IS TRYING TO HELP YOU SEE OR BELIEVE. There is ALWAYS A MESSAGE!– What drove them to write this book? What did they want

to tell you? What are you supposed to finish this book believing about humans? Humanity? The world? Life? War? Death? Innocence?

• ALL the other things defined in this PowerPoint will, if you ask the right questions and pay attention to the right details, lead you to see what the author things about their topic.

Thinking about War…1. Do you think soldiers have experienced the

same emotions in every war? Why or why not?

2. Have technological improvements distanced soldiers’ emotional ties to war?

3. What does war suggest about human nature?4. How does a war reflect a culture’s values and

beliefs? 5. Is war necessary?

Video clip: “The Third Reich Bans Erich Maria Remarque’s Novel”

Video Clip: “The Novel Begins: Paul Baumer Joins World War One”

“All Quiet on the Western Front”by Elton John

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK-zDxQKXOY• Lyrics:• All quiet on the Western Front, nobody saw

A youth asleep in the foreign soil, planted by the warFeel the pulse of human blood pouring forthSee the stems of Europe bend under force

• All quiet; All quiet; All quiet on the Western Front• So tired of this garden's grief, nobody cares

Old kin kiss the small white cross, their only souvenirSee the Prussian offense fly, weren't we grandTo place the feel of cold sharp steel in their hands

• It's gone all quiet on the Western Front, male angels sighGhosts float in a flooded trench as Germany diesFever reaps the flowers of France, fair-haired boysString the harps to Victory's voice, joyous noise