The Socratic

     Over the course of the past week the class and I have begun to read All Quiet on the Western Front. While reading, I began to realize some questions I have and possible topics for a Socratic discussion. Fortunately, our class has an upcoming Socratic. Over the course of the Socratic, I would like to discuss the theme of survival in the book, which I believe is very important. We should discuss how it affects all of the characters in the book, and how they have utilized their tools to survive. I believe discussing this topic is important because it could encourage an interesting discussion among the class. Secondly, we could learn more about the characters. Lastly, we could discover the thoughts, ideas, and especially the “why” beneath the idea of death and how they continue to live under the circumstances of war. A second possible good discussion for the Socratic would be to ask how the characters have already developed and how we as class believe they will develop. The characters like Paul or Cat are vital to the plot so I believe we should have a discussion on those characters and a few others because it will be helpful for our understanding of the book. I personally believe that when a significant event happens or when they are put on the front, that is when they will change most. Another possible discussing topic is what feelings did the book evoke in you, and what the events in the book do you believe evoke in the characters. I believe this will be helpful for our understanding of the book, and to also force us to be more involved with the book and thinking while reading. I’m excited for the Socratic on Tuesday, and as we continue to read I believe this could be a great exercise to do every couple of weeks to reinforce our understanding of the book.