Anna Kathleen's Bodacious Book Briefings

When discussing books, one of the most important things to address is the themes that the book focuses on.  So far, in chapters one, two, and three, All Quiet on the Western Front  has heavily focused on the theme of youth.  It is a frequently mentioned topic in these chapters and really sums up what the first three chapters were about.  Here's how: Age First of all, it is important to note who the main characters are and just what we're talking about when we refer to "youth".  In chapter one, on page three, we are introduced to four 19 year old boys who are fighting as German soldiers in World War I.  NINETEEN!  That is very young to be fighting a war.  And, there mindsets are in sharp contrast with those of the older soldiers. Life Before War Very early on in the book we are introduced to the drill sergeant, Kantorek, and told that, before the war, he had been the boys' school master (page 10).  Later, on chapter two page t...

Welcome Hello all, and welcome to Anna Kathleen's Bodacious Book Briefings!  On this blog, you will see me analyze books, section by section.  I will discuss specific elements of each section and also tell you my overall impressions of the section. The first book I will be briefing you on is All Quiet on the Western Front , by Erich Maria Remarque.  For the first post, I will be giving you some insight on what I feel the title to mean, as well as what I hope to learn from the book. Background Info First of all, some background info.  All Quiet on the Western Front is told from the perspective of a German soldier during World War I.  Erich Maria Remarque was a German soldier in the war, himself.  He wrote this book after the war while living in Switzerland. Breaking Down The Title Western Front When discussing World War I, the term "western front" typically refers to western Europe.  This includes the Allies shown in green (Britain,...