Indifference to War in Remarque’s All Quiet on the...

Indifference to War in Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front In Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front, characters such as Paul and his friends become indifferent to shocking elements of war through constant exposure to them. For example, the characters are unconcerned about the dangers of the front because they are accustomed to being on the front. In another instance, Paul’s friends show no emotions when they witness snipers killing enemy soldiers. Also, Kat finds the unusual effects of mortar shells amusing. These examples prove that through war, characters of the book have become indifferent to things that they would normally find shocking. Many characters on the front are indifferent to the dangers of†¦show more content†¦However, Paul does not show any emotion in his description of his experience. Instead, he plainly tells about the incident. Paul has become indifferent to the threat of being killed by a shell because he is faced with this threat quite often. Another example of indifference in the story is when Paul and his friends watch snipers killing enemy soldiers. Kat and Albert watch in awe as a sniper scores his third kill for the day. Instead of thinking badly about killing, Kat says to Paul that â€Å"it’s very good for you to see just now† (229). Kat is not affected that the snipers are killing people who are just like Kat and the snipers. Kat and Albert have become very indifferent to killings on the battlefield. They are not very emotional about the killing of enemies; instead, Kat and Albert compliment the shooter on his â€Å"accomplishments†. One more example of indifference in the story is Kat’s indifference toward men killed by trench mortars. Kat explains that when trench mortars hit the ground, people who are nearby are blown out of their clothes and into the air. â€Å"It’s funny,† says Kat, â€Å"we have seen that several times now† (208). Kat is used to seeing men killed by mortars hang from trees because he has seen it many times. Kat is especially indifferent in this unpleasant incident, and he even thinks that it is funny. Kat and his friends becomeShow MoreRelatedAll Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarche830 Words   |  3 PagesAll Quiet on the Western Front is a fictional war novel written by Erich Maria Remarque which follows the main character Paul Baumer, a German solider in World War I. Paul, the nineteen year old protagonist, narrates the novel as he and his classmates fight on the German and French front. The young men volunteer to join the German army after being persuaded by the nationalist words of their teacher, Kantorek. After only fighting for two weeks, eighty men remain in the company of the once one hundred