Imagine a place where you wake up every day wondering if it will be your last. That is what the main character Paul goes through in the anti-war novel All Quiet On the Western Front by Erich Remarque. It is about a young man who has been fighting on the front for the Germans during WWI. He has to face the horrors of war through gas attacks, full on charges, and close combat. All Quiet On the Western Front is a great book for several reasons.
One excellent thing about this book is the foreshadowing. Foreshadowing is when the author indicates beforehand that an event will occur through clues. The first example of foreshadowing is between Paul and Kemmerich’s mom. She asks Paul if her son felt any pain before he died. Paul of course responds by tel
A third excellent thing about this story is the symbolism. Symbolism is the use of conventional or traditional signs for expressions or representations. The first example of symbolism is the fog often described by Paul “After the assault, a thick fog covered the field which carried the stench of death along with it” (87 Remarque). The fog represents death because it always is around after a battle. Another example of symbolism are the birds Paul likes to draw in his sketchpad, “ A calm, white sparrow landed on a tree branch nearby, looked around the muddy landscape and flew away towards the sunset” (168 Remarque). Every bird described looks peaceful and can fly away anytime it wants therefore they symbolize freedom.
The second example of foreshadowing is when Kemmerich
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