In All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque, writes of the reality of war, and its psychological impact on the soldiers that lived through WWI. Through his character Paul Baumer, we see how the cruelty, chaos, and violence of War, can begin to degenerate his state of mind.
             All Quiet on the Western Front, is the story of Paul Baumer during World War I. Paul Baumer is a German student in high school when he and his friends join the War after being persuaded by one of their teachers Kantorek. Our narrator starts out as any brand new soldier, trying to see what goes on. The first example of the cruelty of War for Baumer, was when his friend Josef Behm, was killed shortly after they began their new lives as soldiers. The death that brought out the coldness of War to Baumer was the death of his friend Franz Kemmerich whose leg was first amputated, and finally dies. Baumer eventually goes through the death of every one of his fellow soldiers and friends, telling us about everything he goes through seeing his friends being victims of War. Baumer's best friend was Katczinsky who was the leader of their unit, although Baumer had grown stronger and had become a real soldier and practically heartless, Katczinsky's death at the end of the book was the death that Paul Baumer could not bear. Every time one of Baumer's friends would die a piece of him would also be lost, which physiologically led to his own death.
             Throughout the book Remarque, tells us about the real meaning of War. His character Paul Baumer gives the slightest details and the most complex understanding of War. One of the most meaningful aspects of War that Remarque, brings out is when Kemmerich is dieing from his amputated foot and another of Baumer's friend, Muller, is asking for his boots when he dies. That part really brings out how up straight and cold War can turn people into, and Baume
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