Paul Bäumer, the narrator and protagonist in All Quiet on the Western Front, is a character who develops extensively within the course of the novel. As a young man, he is persuaded to join the German Army during World War I. This three year ordeal is marked by Paul's short, but tragic trek into adulthood as he learns to cope with the trials and tribulations of war. In the wake of a struggle which claims millions, Paul loses his precious innocence as he is further isolated from society and engulfed by bloodshed. Paul's evolution throughout the novel is a result of his having to adapt in order to survive.
             Paul's experiences in combat shatter his former misconceptions of war; consequently, he gains the ability to reflect on events with his own accord. His naive ideas are severely challenged when he first witnesses the ugly truth of war. "The first bombardment showed us our mistake, and under it the world as they had taught it to us broke in pieces"(13). Paul's first engagement in combat reveals that everything he was taught as a young recruit are lies; consequently, he can now form his own conclusions. Through the ongoing course of the war, Paul comes to grips with the reality of the situation. "They are strong and our desire is strong-but they are unattainable, and we know it"(121). Paul realizes that the soldiers former lives are all but distant memories. His maturing personality gives him the insight to see past the facade of war and expose it for what it truly is.
             The war has immersed Paul completely and he can no longer survive without it as it becomes the focus of his entire life. When Paul is still on leave, he feels alienated from society. "I find I do not belong here anymore, it is a foreign world"(168). Paul's further involvement in war separates him from the life which he cherished so greatly. When Paul returns to the trenches from leave, he finds great tranquillity among his companions. "They are more to me than life...