All Quiet on the Western Front

In Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front, each chapter focuses on a different topic instead of going in chronological order. By doing this, Remarque manages to focus on the story on the thoughts and emotions of a soldier named Paul, rather than the story of the war. Paul and his fellow soldiers go through the gruesome trials of life in the trenches together. They discover that their personalities and thoughts change. Their individuality disappears as their survival instincts take over. Instead of worrying about what their future holds, they wonder if they will live through the day. Throughout the novel, Paul and his friends discuss their opinions on the war; what started it? Will it ever end? Why are we fighting? Although they can agree on an answer, their discussions present the question of whether or not war is necessary. None of the soldiers understand exactly what is going on, and each man develops hatred towards the war. They all wish for their home, and when Paul is allowed to visit his family on leave, it is a difficult experience for him. His mother is ill and his sister wishes for normalcy, while his father, on the other hand, wants to know everything about the front. Paul spends a lot of his time sitting in his room to avoid discussing the war. His home feels strange to him and he longs for the war to end, so that he may come home and pretend like it never happened. The novel reveals the true nature of soldiers and depicts tones of sadness, anger, remorse, and longing. The chapter technique that Remarque uses helps enforce these tones and emotions.