Remarque introduced Paul Bäumer as a nineteen-year-old soldier in the German army during World War I. Paul is the narrator of All Quiet on the Western Front, as well as the protagonist and peacekeeper throughout the plot. Many of the other characters in the book are presented as being more intelligent or more ignorant than others, but through his actions Paul can be seen as the optimistic, sensitive and detached soldier of the group.Paul acts as kind good man who tries to do the right thing and an empowering force of kindness in the world. He gives hope to Kemmerich during a time of feeling worthless. After getting his leg amputated Paul says that even though the leg is gone, at least “‘you will be going home’”(Remarque 27). Besides “what
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As time progresses, he becomes less optimistic, and more sensitive to the things going on around him. Paul is a compassionate and sensitive man, who before joining the was, enjoyed his family and writing poetry. Once becoming and living as a soldier, he finds himself more sensitive, and less optimistic. In a battle, he stabs a French soldier and then, filled with remorse, tries to relieve the dying man’s pain and “drop[s] on [his] elbows” and later “fetch[es] water for the dying man” (Remarque 219, 221). When his conscience hurts him afterward, his comrades tell him that he has committed no crime, but he still feels the guilt from the sins he has committed. Because Paul remains extremely sensitive, he is less able to cope with and detach himself completely from his feelings; but as the book progresses toward the end he starts to disassemble his emotions and construct for himself a wall to keep out his sensitive character. As the war drags on and more of his comrades fall, Paul becomes lonely. During the war, Paul has learned to disconnect himself from his feelings and emotions, just like all the other
As time progresses, he becomes less optimistic, and more sensitive to the things going on around him. Paul is a compassionate and sensitive man, who before joining the was, enjoyed his family and writing poetry. Once becoming and living as a soldier, he finds himself more sensitive, and less optimistic. In a battle, he stabs a French soldier and then, filled with remorse, tries to relieve the dying man’s pain and “drop[s] on [his] elbows” and later “fetch[es] water for the dying man” (Remarque 219, 221). When his conscience hurts him afterward, his comrades tell him that he has committed no crime, but he still feels the guilt from the sins he has committed. Because Paul remains extremely sensitive, he is less able to cope with and detach himself completely from his feelings; but as the book progresses toward the end he starts to disassemble his emotions and construct for himself a wall to keep out his sensitive character. As the war drags on and more of his comrades fall, Paul becomes lonely. During the war, Paul has learned to disconnect himself from his feelings and emotions, just like all the other