Timeless Themes

Most universal themes in novels are sometimes considered to be timeless themes since they are widely relatable and last through the times. Universal themes appeal today because they are relatable and cunning. Timeless themes are not that different from universal themes, but for the fact that they happen at a certain time, but do not affect everyone. There are a few universal and timeless themes in this novel such as 'identity' and 'hopes and dreams'. Also, some other universal and timeless themes are 'sacrifice' and 'revenge', which seems to be a lot of it in the fastidious novel. There is a lot relatability in this novel and other novels showing a lot of universal themes. It is true that there is still a massive appeal for novels from as early as the 20th century because of their universal and timeless themes. One of the universal themes in this novel is 'identity'. This is a universal and timeless

“When he sees that we cannot escape because under the sharp fire we must make the most of this cover, he takes a rifle, crawls out of the hole, and lying down propped on his elbows, he takes aim. He fires - the same moment a bullet smacks into him, they have got him.”(Chapter 11 page 47) At this he is confounded as to why his commander did what he did, but it showed a great sacrifice in this novel. “We had sworn for weeks past to do this. Kropp had even gone so far as to propose entering the postal service in peacetime in order to be Himmelstoss’s superior when he became a postman again. He reveled in the thought of how he would grind him. It was this that made it impossible for him to crush us altogether - we always reckoned that later, at the end of the war, we would have our revenge on him.”(Chapter 3 page 62) The condemnation they all had for their commander, Himmelstoss, is ranked at a very high number into which sparked their ideas for