Loss of Innocence in All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque

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They are many ways to approach a conflict in order to find a resolution. For minimal actions people are often willing to talk about it, but for major actions the solutions to those problems are usually acted out by violence thus, the creation of war. For many centuries countries have been going to war over disagreements. However, it is not any type of disagreements; it is usually about the political beliefs of certain countries. In fact, World War 1 was caused by the disagreements of the European countries in power which were Great Britain, France, Russia, Germany and Austria-Hungary. Some of the countries had a difference of opinion concerning political values on ruling the country. Some were in favour of nationalism, imperialism, or militarism which caused physical conflict and created war. (Duffy) Many soldiers had to go fight to represent their country and make them proud. Many novels have been written to explain to the people how the war had a psychological impact on the soldiers who participated in The Great War, but in the novel All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque he explains the true depth of war by implicating his knowledge of his days as a German soldier fighting on the western front. Remarque’s awful war experience influenced him to write his novel to show the realistic brutality of war by graphic violence, the emotional impacts on the privates as well as the impact of nationalism by the Germans. All Quiet on the Western Front follows the story of a young soldier named Paul who was enlisted at a young age to fight for his country. Remarque, being a German veteran from the Great War was compelled to write this novel to show the reality of war unlike other authors who write a story about war witho... ... middle of paper ... ...se of World War I”. Alpha History. 2013. http://alphahistory.com/worldwar1/nationalism/ Remarque, Erich Maria. All Quiet on the Western Front. New York. Little, Brown and Company. 1957. Book. “Remarque publishes All Quiet on the Western Front”. History. 2013. http://www.history.com/t his-day-in-history/remarque-publishes-all-quiet-on-the-western-front Taylor, Marvin J. “biography” the Life and Writings of Erich Maria Remarque. Fales library. http://www.nyu.edu/library/bobst/research/fales/exhibits/remarque/documents/intro.html Unikoski, Ari. “The War in the Air - Summary of the Air War”. First World War.com. 2009. http://www.firstworldwar.com/airwar/summary.htm Webster’s Desk Dictionary of the English Language. New York: Portland House. 1990. Dictionary. Page 602 “World War One Weapons”. History on the net. 2013. http://www.historyonthenet.co m/WW1/we apons.htm

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