Authors Note: This is a response to express what I believe is one of the emerging themes in chapter 2.
Guns blazing, blood spurting, and men all over
the world falling on the fields of war in death. The scene of World War 1 ripped
the world apart as bombs destroyed cities and left innocent children to fend for
themselves. Somewhere in this madness however Remarque writes of the much
different life of a few soldiers who have received a break in the action.
Chapter 2 elucidates the theme of discipline and obedience which is supported by
the author's diction, syntax and craft.
Upon entering the forces it becomes immediately apparent that one must give up a number of the amenities enjoyed by the general population and in return receive a sense of discipline unlike any other. It’s a place where death looms overhead in the same way that that dirt covers the earth. In a place where the stench of gangrene and blood fills the air what is that holds the men together. It’s their discipline and obedience to seniority that allows them to maintain a sense of togetherness. Without it they would be wandering in a world of pity and disgrace. However a soldier must also maintain a sense of individuality so that they can retain a sense of responsibility and do not lose their identity. The characters in the novel dig into this theme as they return to camp and “became hard, suspicious, pitiless, vicious, tough--and that was good; for these attributes were just what we lacked”. No matter how much defiance they showed the disciplines of army life still weaseled its way into them. They still maintained their identity and were not simply robots controlled by their superiors. They had to develop a blockade for the thoughts of death, as they witnessed friends, and brothers dying before their very eyes. To convey such a strong idea to the reader, the author used strong diction, and also used a number of varying sentence structures that allowed him to dig into deeper ideas. Such craft in writing provides a successful outlet for ideas that go farther than just scratching the surface. All goes to show how discipline and obedience will be a clear theme throughout the novel.
Upon entering the forces it becomes immediately apparent that one must give up a number of the amenities enjoyed by the general population and in return receive a sense of discipline unlike any other. It’s a place where death looms overhead in the same way that that dirt covers the earth. In a place where the stench of gangrene and blood fills the air what is that holds the men together. It’s their discipline and obedience to seniority that allows them to maintain a sense of togetherness. Without it they would be wandering in a world of pity and disgrace. However a soldier must also maintain a sense of individuality so that they can retain a sense of responsibility and do not lose their identity. The characters in the novel dig into this theme as they return to camp and “became hard, suspicious, pitiless, vicious, tough--and that was good; for these attributes were just what we lacked”. No matter how much defiance they showed the disciplines of army life still weaseled its way into them. They still maintained their identity and were not simply robots controlled by their superiors. They had to develop a blockade for the thoughts of death, as they witnessed friends, and brothers dying before their very eyes. To convey such a strong idea to the reader, the author used strong diction, and also used a number of varying sentence structures that allowed him to dig into deeper ideas. Such craft in writing provides a successful outlet for ideas that go farther than just scratching the surface. All goes to show how discipline and obedience will be a clear theme throughout the novel.
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