Pat Hamer
CHARACTER SYMBOLISM Supporting Reference
1. Paul – he is the lost generation. On page 168 Paul says “I prefer to be alone, so that no one troubles me.”
2. Kat- he is Paul’s best friend he is forty when the book starts and has a family back home, he is resourceful and finds food for the company. Page 107 “finally Kat tries and even he reappears without accomplishing anything,” this is a big deal because Kat always can kind something and on this day he can find nothing.
3. Albert Kropp- he is one of Paul’s friends who is somewhat of a peaceful person he is always questioning why they fight and is an antiwar person. Page 87 “nobody at home seems to worry much about it. Two years of shells and bombs- a man won’t peel that off as easy as a sock.”
4. Leer- he is one of Paul’s classmates and was the first to lose his virginity. He likes woman and math. He stands for what man love in woman.
5. Franz Kemmerich- he is the child in the war in which he gets his leg amputated and he cries for his mother. Page 30&31 “his face is wet, he is crying.”
6. Detering- he is a older man with a family back home which he always talks about. He stands for homesickness in which the war has taken everything out of him and all he wants is to go back home.
7. Kantorek- he is Paul’s schoolteacher, which pursued them to go and fight for their country. He represents patriotism, an example page 11 “won’t you join up, comrades?”
8. Corporal Himmelstoss- he is corrupted by power. He is a terrible man to his man and they do not respect him. Page 23 “he had the reputation of being the strictest disciplinarian in the camp.
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Scene or Situation |
SYMBOLISM |
Supporting Reference |
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1. The theft of Kemmerich’s watch |
Kemmerich’s time being taken away |
“Whether he finds his watch
or not will make no difference, at the most one will only be able to send it
to his people.” (14) |
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2. Kemmerich’s
death |
Death of innocence, lost
generation, destructiveness of war |
“When bathing Franz Kemmerich looked as slight and frail as a child. There he lies now- but why?” (29) |
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3. The Front |
Life and the real world |
“To me the front is a
mysterious whirlpool. Though I am in
still water far away from its centre, I feel the whirl of the vortex sucking
me slowly, irresistibly, inescapably into itself. (55) |
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4. Earth! Earth!
Earth! |
Life and death |
“Earth with thy folds, and
hollows, and holes, into which any man may fling himself and crouch down… O
Earth, thou grantest us the great resisting surge
of new-won life.” (55) |
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5. Coffin stacked against a
school-house wall |
Death of innocence, the
destructiveness of war |
“’They’re for us,’ growls Detering. ‘Don’t
talk rot,’ says Kat to him angrily.
‘You be thankful in you get so much as a coffin,’ grins Tjaden, ‘they’ll slip you a waterproof sheet for your old
Aunt Sally of a carcass.’” (99) |
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6. The death of the horses |
The destructiveness of war,
loss of innocence |
“’They must look after the
men first,’ says Kat quietly… We sit down and hold our ears. But this appalling noise, these groans and
screams penetrate, they penetrate everywhere.” (63) |
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7. Paul dreaming of childhood scenes during a bloody
battle |
The loss of innocence and
childhood, mental escape from the pain |
“…of a cinema in (211) |
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8. The plight of the infantrymen during battle |
Death of innocence, lost
generation, death |
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9. the young recruits [“the infants”] |
Death/loss of innocence,
lost generation |
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10. The Encounter with the French girls:
Spymbolism - Love/
Romance
Supporting Reference - "I
wish I had never thought of them; but desire turns my mind to them
involuntarily and I am afraid for it might be impossible ever to be free of
them again." "But then I feel the lips of the little brunette and
press myself against them, my eyes close, I want it all to fall from me, war
and terror and grossness, in order to awaken young and happy; I think of the
picture of the girl on the poster and, for a moment, believe that my life
depends on winning her. And if I press ever deeper into the arms that embrace
me, perhaps a miracle may happen..." p 150
11. Paul’s visit home:
Symbolism - Changed life-death of childhood
Supporting Reference: "I cannot find my way back, I am shut out though
I entreat earnestly and ut forth all my
strength."..."Words, Words, Words-they do not reach
12. The Russian Prisoners
Symbolism
- Shared Humanity/ Common Sense of Hoppelessness
Supporting Reference - "They are more human and more brotherly
toward one another, it seems to me, than we are." p. 192
13. Sharing the Goose with Kat:
Symbolism - Friendship/ Comeradery
Supporting Reference - "We dont talk
much, but I beleive we have a more complete communion
with one another than even lovers have." p 94
14. The Death of Gerard Duval
Symbolism - Destructiveness of War
Supporting Reference -
"Forgive me comerade; how could you be my enemy?
if we threw away these rifles and this uniform you
could be my brother just like Kat and Albert." p. 223
15. Paul’s friends’ voices in the dark
during combat
Symbolism - Hope
Supporting Reference - "They
are more to me than life, these voices, they are more than motherliness and
more than fear; they are the strongest, most comforting thing there is
anywhere: they are the voice of my comerades." p
212
16. The Death of Kat
Symbolism - Death of Friendship/
End of Hope
Supporting Reference - "My
legs and my hands tremble.
I have trouble in finding my water bottle, to take a pull. My lips tremble as I
try to think. But I smile- Kat is saved." p. 290 "The orderly
is mystified. "You are not related, are
you?" No, we are not related. No, we are not related. Do I walk? Have I
feet still? I raise my eyes, I let them move round, and turn myself with them,
one circle, one circle, and I stand in the midst." p. 291
17. Paul’s death
Symbolism - Peace, Completion
Supporting Reference - "He had
fallen forward and lay on the earth as though sleeping. Turning him over one
saw that he could not have suffered long; his face had an expression of calm,
as though almost glad the end had come." p. 296
18. The Boots
Symbolism - Life
Supporting Reference - "before
he died he handed over his pocket-book to me, and bequethed
me his boots-the same that he once inherited from Kemmerich.
I wear them, for they fit me well. After me Tjaden
will get them, I have promised them to him." p 279