Symbolism In All Quiet On The Western Front

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In chapter six of the book All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque symbolism is mentioned everywhere. Symbolism can be interpreted differently and it can mean different things depending on the person. Some important symbols in chapter six are the rats. The rats are fat and Paul mentions seeing them crawling all over the battlefield and all over the fallen bodies of fellow soldiers “we call them corps rats (102).” These rats could be a symbol of defeat because they like to feed off the dead bodies on the battlefield and it reminds them of all the men they have lost. The rats could also be a symbol of disease and plague. They could even be associated with life. They are one of the only living beings left on the battlefield after

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