Why does pauls generation feel that it is a wasteland

Unable to let his friend die alone, Paul cradles him in his arms and watches him silently cry as his life leaves him. But not one to wallow in self-pity, Remarque effectively undercuts this touching picture with the overworked and harsh doctor, who says he has amputated five legs that day and presided over sixteen deaths, and with the orderly who demands Kemmerich's bed immediately. The brutal picture of Franz hauled out on a waterproof sheet slices through the sadness of his last minutes.

A moment of human kindness has been replaced with the cold, raw reality of death in war. In I Samuel through II Samuel , David discovers Saul's body alongside that of the prince, Jonathan, and mourns their wretched deaths on the battlefield.

Plato to Goethe Plato ? Previous Chapter 1. Next Chapter 3. Removing book from your Reading List will also remove any bookmarked pages associated with this title.

Because of the horror of the war and the anxiety it induces, Paul, like other soldiers, learns to disconnect his mind from his feelings, keeping his emotions at bay in order to preserve his sanity and survive. What does Kantorek call the soldiers? In Chapter 1, one of the soldiers, Kropp, receives a letter from Kantorek calling soldiers like himself members of the "Iron Youth. What happened to Kemmerich's boots? Kemmerich's high, supple boots are passed from soldier to soldier as each owner dies in sequence.

In this way, the boots represent the cheapness of human life in the war. How does Kropp die? Kropp has been wounded very close to his knee. He resolves to commit suicide if they amputate his leg. Kropp's fever does not improve, so his leg has to be amputated from the thigh. Men die daily at the hospital. How does Paul Baumer die? Aviation accident and incident. What Himmelstoss means? At this stage of the novel, Himmelstoss represents the meanest, pettiest, most loathsome aspects of humanity that war draws out.

Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Press ESC to cancel. Skip to content Home Arts Why does Paul think the younger soldiers lives have become a wasteland while the older soldiers lives have merely been interrupted? Ben Davis December 1, Why does Paul think the younger soldiers lives have become a wasteland while the older soldiers lives have merely been interrupted?

What does Paul predict for his generation does his prediction come true? Why is it ironic that Paul and his comrades? What happens to Paul that gives him a fourteen day leave? Does Himmelstoss die? Who is Kemmerich in all quiet? Did Tjaden die all quiet? What does Haie say revenge is? Who is Leer in all quiet? Does Kropp die in all quiet? Why does Paul refuse to be chloroformed?

How does Kat die in all quiet? How did Muller die in all quiet? Why does Paul feel so desperate in his shell hole? How many new recruits die to every old hand that dies? Whereas the older men will forget the trenches and the death, the young men have nothing definite on which to focus thoughts of the future. Their prewar lives are vague, unreal dreams with no relevance to the world that has been created by the war.

Paul feels utterly cut off from humanity; his only feelings of love and loyalty are those that he shares with his friends and fellow soldiers. As a result, Paul tries to see them in the best possible light. During training, Paul and his classmates were taught that patriotism requires suppressing individuality and personality, a sacrifice that civilians do not require of even the lowest class of servants.

He was a small, petty man who relentlessly humiliated his recruits, especially Paul, Tjaden, Haie, and Kropp. Paul and his friends detested Himmelstoss, but now Paul knows that the humiliation and the arbitrary discipline toughened them and probably helped them to survive as long as they have.

He believes that had Himmelstoss not hardened the men, their experiences on the front lines would have driven them insane.