Youth (All Quiet on the Western Front Chapters 1-3)
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 twenty-nine, we watch a soldier nearing death as his friend reminisces about copying his essays before the war. It is important to note that these soldiers did not come out of factories or other jobs, but out of schools. They were but children before the war, but now they must be men.
Boys will be Boys
On page nineteen, Paul, the speaker, says, "Our early life is cut off from the moment we came here." These boys were ripped from there childhood. But, regardless of the fact that they have been forced to become men, boys will be boys. Just when you start to forget that these soldiers are only nineteen, chapter three, Paul describes the hilarious story of the time they pranked their corporal, Himmelstoss. This is an eye opening reminder that, as Paul says on page twenty-nine, "[They] are not soldiers, [they] are little more than boys."
Craving Authority
Another clear example that these soldiers are still so very young is the way they crave authority figures. They have left their parents and teachers and all the authority they once had over there lives and, while teenagers may have the reputation for rebelling against authority, few teenagers are truly ready to be with out authority figures all together.
"For us lads...they ought to have been mediators and guides to the world of maturity....We often made fun of them and played jokes on them, but in our hearts we trusted them. The idea of authority, which they represented, was associated in our minds with a greater insight and a more humane wisdom"
These boys want authority figures who they can trust as they make the alarmingly fast transition into adulthood.
Difference in Mindset
Another important point that distinguishes these nineteen year olds from the older soldiers is the clear difference in the generational mindsets. Page thirteen says that the older soldiers are writing and chatting with hope and patriotism while the younger generation focused on the wounded and dying all around them. The older generation is said, on page twenty, to have a more positive mindset about the whole war because they have things to come home to. They have wives and children. The younger generation of soldiers don't have the same positivity, because they don't have much to come home to. They have much less incentive to make it out of the war alive, and it shows in the way they perceive things. They may still be boys in many ways, but the war has made them old.
"Iron Youth! Youth! We are none of us more than twenty years old. But young? Youth? That is long ago. We are old folk."
Hello,
ReplyDeleteOne thing I agree with would be your classification of the boys inexperience in life, and how it impacted them on the battlefield. One thing that stood out to me as well was that they had no life experience, yet they were risking their lives for country, and are watching people around them die.
I also agree with the addition you included that showed the attitude difference between the boys and the older men. One possible result of this would be that the younger soldiers had more motivation to make a name for themselves in war, as they did not have anything to back up at home. This could also mean that the older soldiers were less motivated, and simply wanted to go home after the war. This probably caused some resentment between the 2 groups at first, but I wonder how they will deal with it once they get too the front lines.
Furthermore, I disagree with your comment on the boys craving authority figures. One of the most prominent examples would be the saying on page 12; " The Idea of Authority, which they (Kantoreks) was associated in our minds with a greater insight and a more humane wisdom. But the first death we saw shattered this belief. We had to recognize that our generation could be more trusted than theirs."
Anna Kathleen,
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you that these characters were very young and they knew very little about war when it started. I also would say that they had very little going for them at home also. Some had families and wife's, but for the four “youth” you talked about they had very little life experience.
I agree with your notion that they act different then their older soldiers and id say that it is just a maturity problem. I like how you included the prank because that really shows their mischievousness and playful intentions. It also reminds me that these were truly young guys that were putting their lives on the line for their country.
I like how you notice the change in mindset of the youth. The old do have a better outlook because of their home lives and the youth do seem to have a less positive outlook, but i’m sure many still fought wanting to go back to their homes. It's interesting to see the different outlooks between the age groups all because of their home lives. It was probably so that the men could make it back to their wives to see their children and take care of the family.
- Henry
You have successfully created an entertaining blog. Why do you believe respect for authority has changed in modern times?
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