Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front, a novel set in World War I, centers around the changes wrought by the war on one young German soldier. During his time in the war, Remarque’s protagonist, Paul Baumer, changes from a rather innocent Romantic to a hardened and somewhat caustic veteran. More importantly, during the course of this metamorphosis, Baumer disaffiliates himself from those societal icons—parents, elders, school, religion—that had …showed first 75 words of 2995 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2995 total…to do so. Moreover, Baumer renounces his brotherhood sentiments: "Today you, tomorrow me" (Remarque, All Quiet IX. 197). Soon, Baumer admits, "I think no more of the dead man, he is of no consequence to me now" (Remarque, All Quiet IX. 198). And later, to hedge his bets in case there happens to be justice in the universe, Baumer states, "Now merely to avert any ill-luck, I babble mechanically: ‘I will fulfill everything, fulfill everything ------------------------------------------------------------------------ **Bibliography**