Chapter Four continues and the group is out of danger for the moment, but the cries of wounded horses can be heard loud and clear from somewhere nearby. Detering, a farmer, can't stand the cries of the dying and panicked horses and wants to put them out of their misery, but Katczinsky won't let him. Detering is angry and comments on the cruelty of using horses in the war.
Some time later, at three o'clock, the group is returning to the base camp. However, a bombardment starts as they're en route to their destination through a graveyard and they have to take cover. Everyone gets to cover in just the nick of time and the shells land near the graveyard. They make their mark and Paul is hit by two splinters: One grazes his arm but doesn't injure him, another hits his helmet without injuring him directly but it does cause him to almost loose consciousness. A crater has opened and Paul dives into it, and a damaged coffin is inside. Katczinsky tells Paul that the air is filled with gas, and Paul puts on his gas mask. Paul, Kat, Kropp, and one other soldier jump into the shell-hole, but soon realize that the gas will collect in it more densely than on the surface. They're about to leave the hole when another bombardment starts, and a coffin lands on the unnamed soldier's arm. He tries to tear his gas mask off but Kropp keeps him from doing so while the other two work away at the coffin.
I commented before that when the first bombardment started I probably would have deserted the army regardless of whether it was logically plausible or not, so I would probably be a corpse incapable of hearing anything even if I wanted to. However, assuming that I didn't desert the group, I still wouldn't even be capable of imagining what a horse screaming would sound like.
The quick reactions of the soldiers, whether incredibly fast unconscious thinking or some primal reflexes, astounds me repeatedly. Even if someone told me to take cover, I probably wouldn't react fast enough to dive behind a gravestone or mound before the shells hit. Probably the thing I can connect to most so far is the soldier whose arm was trapped under the coffin trying to tear the gas mask off. I would probably react the same way if I was wearing the already intolerable gas mask and suddenly had my arm pinned under something. I can't help but think Paul is unlikely to die at this point, if at all - a hundred blank pages in a 150 page book is rather expensive if you're mass-producing copies of a book.
Thoughts on "All Quiet on the Western Front"
After the beginning of Chapter Four, Paul thinks about the Earth, and how when a soldier hits the dirt the earth is their only friend and their mother. The company soon reaches their destination, however, and set up an encampment: they drive stakes into the ground and unroll barbed wire around it. The entire group then tries to sleep, but due to various conditions, such as coldness from the sea and being in the middle of a warzone, they don't get much sleep. Then, after Paul wakes up in the middle of the night, a bombardment starts and their encampment starts taking hits. Everyone has to move, and one soldier is terrified by the bombardment. Once the bombardment had let up, he came around and realized he had defecated his pants.
If I was in the middle of a warzone, I probably wouldn't be able to sleep even if I popped a sleeping pill. I would probably desert the army if I had the chance, and I probably would desert the army even if I didn't have the chance during the first bombardment. Of course, I would also probably be unable to make it through military basic training to get into the front line. It seems incredible that anyone could join the army at that age and even remain able to think or care about anyone else. One's greatest escapades happen around that age, and escapades are rather hard to come by when either a superior officer is breathing down your neck or another army threatens to blow your head off of it.
If I was in the middle of a warzone, I probably wouldn't be able to sleep even if I popped a sleeping pill. I would probably desert the army if I had the chance, and I probably would desert the army even if I didn't have the chance during the first bombardment. Of course, I would also probably be unable to make it through military basic training to get into the front line. It seems incredible that anyone could join the army at that age and even remain able to think or care about anyone else. One's greatest escapades happen around that age, and escapades are rather hard to come by when either a superior officer is breathing down your neck or another army threatens to blow your head off of it.
Thoughts on "All Quiet on the Western Front"
The fourth chapter begins with Paul and company heading to the front. As they approach the front, they get more and more alert. Pual narrated that he wouldn't call it tenseness, although I probably would, having no better word to describe it. As they go deeper into the front and closer to their destination, the sounds of war are eminent from all around: shells exploding, guns firing, and the batteries of the Allied powers which started an hour too soon.
Although I'm no expert in warfare, I would only expect the other side to attack sooner than usual if they either expected to be able to take the area successfully, or thought they were going to be overrun soon and wanted to make an impression on the opposing side. Based on earlier comments by the main characters, such as "We're loosing the war because we can salute too well", the latter is probably not the case, meaning they must expect to be able to take the land they're attacking soon.
Although I'm no expert in warfare, I would only expect the other side to attack sooner than usual if they either expected to be able to take the area successfully, or thought they were going to be overrun soon and wanted to make an impression on the opposing side. Based on earlier comments by the main characters, such as "We're loosing the war because we can salute too well", the latter is probably not the case, meaning they must expect to be able to take the land they're attacking soon.
Thoughts on "All Quiet on the Western Front"
At the end of the third chapter, Paul and company are all hiding, waiting to beat up their superior, Himmelstoss, while he was returning from a bar. They had obviously planned it to some degree: They knew the route he would take back from the bar, and the location of a side alley on that route. They also brought a bed sheet so he couldn't see who his attackers were and a pillow so that he couldn't yell out. Each member of the group had their revenge on Himmelstoss in some small way.
It astounds me to believe that there are really people who would have that level of hatred for others for any reason. It also seems hard to believe that the higher-ranking an officer is, the more malicious toward the lower ranks they would be. Furthermore, the fact they knew his habits to that level of degree just to plot revenge is quite astounding and more than a little appalling. I doubt Himmelstoss was expecting any of his trainees to take revenge on him, especially in that manner.
What if there's a gang of miscreants near your house plotting to attack you for some percieved wrong of society? How would you feel about it?
It astounds me to believe that there are really people who would have that level of hatred for others for any reason. It also seems hard to believe that the higher-ranking an officer is, the more malicious toward the lower ranks they would be. Furthermore, the fact they knew his habits to that level of degree just to plot revenge is quite astounding and more than a little appalling. I doubt Himmelstoss was expecting any of his trainees to take revenge on him, especially in that manner.
What if there's a gang of miscreants near your house plotting to attack you for some percieved wrong of society? How would you feel about it?
Thoughts on "All Quiet on the Western Front"
At the beginning of the third chapter, new privates join the Second Company. The interactions between Katczinsky and the new privates say a lot about the ground rules of 'society' in the army. For example, when he dumps food on the one private's mess tin, he says to in future come with a cigarette in the other hand. Cigarettes form the basic currency for the army society, and the hierarchy is experience-based, at least in the bottom levels. When Paul and company first saw the privates, they were being handed gas masks, implying poison gas is a serious threat.
Thoughts on "All Quiet on the Western Front"
I've been reading All Quiet on the Western Front for class, and decided I would blog my thoughts about the book. It's a story told in the first person from the point of view of the main character, Paul Bäumer.
Thoughts
Although the first and second chapters of a book are generally the chapters where little happens aside from character development, this book has some strong character development within the first few pages. For example, when the Second Company entered the mess hall to eat and Ginger wanted to wait until all150 80 men had arrived, Katczinsky immediately responded that the other 70 men were either "in the dressing room or pushing up daisies." While Ginger was complaining, Lieutenant Bertinek arrived and ordered him to serve all of the rations.
Near the end of the first chapter, Franz Kemmerich was shot in the leg. The leg had to be amputated, but it seemed obvious that Kemmerich was going to die. Müller was eager to take Kemmerich's boots and didn't want an orderly to get them first. To me, it seems beyond inconsiderate to even think about talking about the possible death of someone you know excitedly, but I've never been served in a war or even served in the army at all.
At the start of the second chapter, Paul reminisces about various things that occured in the past – the poems he used to work on and how he no longer felt he had any connection to that, and how he had nothing to connect him to the life before the war; how Müller was sympathetic for Kemmerich's plight but just wanted the boots because they would better fit his needs than they would Kemmerich; and the class' ten week's boot camp training. The other half of the chapter takes place in the hospital where Paul watches Kemmerich slowly succumb to Death and converses with him in the final hours before his death. The chapter ends with Kemmerich's death and Paul's taking the boots to Müller, whereupon Paul notes "they fit well."
Another thing I find worth noting is that the story is told from Paul Bäumer's point of view. That in itself isn't unique, but the story is as much about his thoughts as the events occuring, if not more.
Thoughts
Although the first and second chapters of a book are generally the chapters where little happens aside from character development, this book has some strong character development within the first few pages. For example, when the Second Company entered the mess hall to eat and Ginger wanted to wait until all
Near the end of the first chapter, Franz Kemmerich was shot in the leg. The leg had to be amputated, but it seemed obvious that Kemmerich was going to die. Müller was eager to take Kemmerich's boots and didn't want an orderly to get them first. To me, it seems beyond inconsiderate to even think about talking about the possible death of someone you know excitedly, but I've never been served in a war or even served in the army at all.
At the start of the second chapter, Paul reminisces about various things that occured in the past – the poems he used to work on and how he no longer felt he had any connection to that, and how he had nothing to connect him to the life before the war; how Müller was sympathetic for Kemmerich's plight but just wanted the boots because they would better fit his needs than they would Kemmerich; and the class' ten week's boot camp training. The other half of the chapter takes place in the hospital where Paul watches Kemmerich slowly succumb to Death and converses with him in the final hours before his death. The chapter ends with Kemmerich's death and Paul's taking the boots to Müller, whereupon Paul notes "they fit well."
Another thing I find worth noting is that the story is told from Paul Bäumer's point of view. That in itself isn't unique, but the story is as much about his thoughts as the events occuring, if not more.
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