Hypocrisy In All Quiet On The Western War

Events are the basis on which the audience is given a comprehensive insight into a society. They highlight what the population’s perceptions are and contribute to displaying certain themes. In the novel All Quiet on the Western Front, written by the esteemed Erich Maria Remarque, an insight unlike other books, of the war genre, is given. This novel is an accurate representation of the actuality of war. How lives are seen as dispensable and how the soldiers are emotionally and physically destroyed by it. Through these events the theme of the hypocrisy of the elder generation arises, as a constituent of this society. Specifically in this novel Kantorek, a school master, is the epitome of hypocrisy. Paul recalls his words this from his current

position at the front, disillusioned and aware that he has been deceived. Also there is Corporal Himmelstoss, who trains the men to fight a war, yet when he is conscript he displays cowardice. In the seventh chapter Paul returns to his home on leave and discovers he is incompatible with his former society which deceived him.

Paul reflects on Kantorek, a symbol of the society in which he lived in, filling students’ heads with notions of patriotism, believing in their country and god, and romanticism. Kantorek refers to them as the “iron youth”. He goes so far as to persuade his students to willingly enlist for the army with enthusiasm. So the event of reflection acts to comment on what the society believed war to be. Therefore, even without the persuasions of Kantorek, the youth were still under immense pressure to enlist, due to this common expectation, lest they be accused of cowardice. If Paul and his classmates had known that war was contrary to their naive expectations they would have been lacking in eagerness to participate in it. Later these members of the lost generation scoff at their former mentor and his ideals, which reflect society. These ideals are useless. The soldiers are made from flesh and blood rather than the “iron” of the “iron youth” which Kantorek speaks of. “Iron” suggests they are protected emotionally and physically against the dangers of war. But this novel proves it to be false. So ultimately the theme of hypocrisy of the elder generation is raised. How men such as Kantorek are content to preach about the virtues of sacrifice, yet remain safe behind their lines, ruining the lives of others. The theme of the lost generation is linked in that this is the result of the hypocrisy. The extent of the effect of this hypocrisy is most significant when contrasted with the event of Paul’s return on his leave.

Another hypocritical character that is reflected upon through events in this novel is Corporal Himmelstoss.

He is described as a little power hungry man who torments his subjects and is thus despised by them. He shares similar attributes with Kantorek in that he believes in certain ideals. He trains the new recruits for a war which he has not directly been involved in and which he does not intend to be. Paul and his friends speculate at a little power has significantly changed the man. The Corporal has ideas of what the war is like. But these are false. The front is a substantially different place than what he assumes it to be. Himmelstoss is eventually conscripted into the army as a result of his cruelty. In a frontal charge Paul discovers him in a trench refusing to join. Paul forcefully reprimands him but “he does not stir”. Then, when Paul physically attempts to move him, “he draws up his legs, crouches back against the wall, and shows his teeth like a cur” and “barks” when Paul tries again. This imagery of a dog serves to reinforce the fact that he is a hypocrite. This is a very significant event. It acts as the second part of the proof which acts to heighten the overall hypocritical nature of the society which he

represents.

In addition, Paul is released from duty to visit his hometown for a period of seventeen days, although some of this time is spent traveling from the front.

He arrives back at his town, unused to the total absence of shells. He wonders how the populations can live such civil lives when there are such horrors occurring at the front. Sitting in his room, he attempts to recapture his innocence of youth preceding the war. But he is now of a lost generation, he has been estranged from his previous life and war is now the only thing he can believe in. It has ruined him in an irreversible way and has displayed a side of life which causes a childhood to vanish alongside any ambitions subsequent to the war in a civil life. They entered the war as mere children, yet they rapidly become adults. The only ideas as an adult they know are those of war. They have not experienced adulthood before so they cannot imagine what it will be lie when they return. His incompatibility is shown immediately after he arrives at the station of his home town. ”On the platform I look round; I know no one among all the people hurrying to and fro. A red-cross sister offers me something to drink. I turn away, she smiles at me too foolishly, so obsessed with her own importance: "Just look, I am giving a soldier coffee!"—She calls me "Comrade," but I will have none of it.” He is now aware of what she is

thinking.

In conclusion through certain significant events an aspect of society is displayed: the hypocrisy of the elder generation, the rift between soldiers and their elders. Through Paul’s reflection on his old school master Kantorek, Corporal Himmelstoss’ cruelty and eventual cowardice and through his visit home on leave where he concedes he is of a lost generation.