All Quiet on the Western Front - Chapter 1

Setting

• Narrated by young German Paul Bäumer
• Life on the front lines of World War I
• Platoon is resting 5 miles behind the front lines
• They have eaten well for the first time in a while
• Received substantial rations of cigars, cigarettes, and chewing tobacco
  • Due to half the platoon being killed in combat the previous day

Atmosphere

• Extra rations meant for dead soldiers
• Men receive letters from home
• Resting in a meadow while hearing bombs in the distance
• Paul and friends feel unease knowing they could have been the casualties

Comrades Introduced

• Kropp: The clearest thinker
• Müller: Still studies for school exams
• Jaden: A skinny locksmith with a huge appetite
• Kachinsky (Kat): The much older leader of the group

Life on the Front

• Paul and comrades are 19 years old
• Behavior different from home
  • Shamelessly going to the bathroom in front of each other
  • Use vulgar language freely

Reflection on Authority & War

• Kropp's letter from old school teacher Kantorek
  • Encouraged them to volunteer out of patriotic duty
• Non-volunteering would have led to being ostracized
• Thousands like Kantorek believed they acted for the best without personal cost
• Paul feels bitter and betrayed by adults who were supposed to guide them
  • Trusted these adults who failed them by idealizing war

Visit to Wounded Comrade

• Visited Franz Kemmerich in the infirmary
  • Kemmerich has had his leg amputated
  • Someone stole his watch while he was unconscious
  • Paul believes Kemmerich will likely die in the infirmary
  • Müller eyes Kemmerich's boots, thinking they would be useful

Themes

• Brutal realities of modern war and its effect on soldiers
• Contrast with previous novels emphasizing nobility and honor in warfare
• Psychological damage of war
• Authority figures like Kantorek are seen differently
  • Realize they know nothing about the realities of war
  • Hide behind books and lectures while preaching honor and duty to youth