Morality Of War

By: Connor Soukup

Those with hearts live and without die

“We have lost all feeling for one another. We can hardly control ourselves when our glance lights on the form of some other man. We are insensible, dead men, who through some trick, some dreadful magic, are still able to run and to kill.” -All Quiet On The Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque

     The absence of morality is the answer to survival. While reading Chapter Six of All Quiet On The Western Front, I learned how important it is to immoral and although the thought of being merciful sounds pleasant the true outcome is horrific. The brutality of war can only be seen though the eyes of the soldiers fighting in it. We are unable to know the true feelings that went through the heads of the few survivors, who yet being alive had to find their worst selfs to survive.

    I have read books and seen many movies and films about how terrible war is and what it may feel like to be in their suit. But chapter 6 has proved it like I’ve never seen before. In Chapter Six;

“the earth is the background of this restless, gloomy world of automatons, our gasping is the scratching of a quill, our lips are dry, our heads are debauched with stupor—thus we stagger forward, and into our pierced and shattered souls bores the torturing image of the brown earth with the greasy sun and the convulsed and dead soldiers, who lie there—it can’t be helped—who cry and clutch at our legs as we spring away over them.”

The soldiers braved the horror survive and the new soldiers and recruits didn’t make it. This is because of how weak and unstable their minds are that they don’t know how to keep their mind closed and only think of survival. A young recruit in a dugout being bombed “began mashing is head against the wall”  It made me think of how manipulating war is and how it can change you to a different person.

     I learned from this chapter that the worst sights in the world happen during war. During the part where protagonists were stepping over bodies and seeing all the young soldiers from both sides getting unable to comprehend what is happening and than getting their heads blown off. While reading I was connected the the words as if I was really there, the sights and sounds that the characters feel I felt also. The writing yet explaining terrible things, had an amazing way of describing it. And this chapter has delplayed it the best. 

     Human morality is our greatest weakness. This fact may seem awful, but the truth was the only thing keeping these soldiers alive rather than dead. Their experiences throughout chapter six was evidence that the strong survives and the weak parish.

Insticncts in all quiet in the western front

“Only thus were we prepared for what awaited us. We did not break down, but adapted ourselves; our twenty years, which made many another thing so grievous, helped us in this. But by far the most important result was that it awakened in us a strong, practical sense of esprit de corps, which in the field developed into the finest thing that arose out of the war—comradeship.“ 

-Excerpt From, All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque

     Instincts have been what has kept the human race alive from the dawn of time. If not for instincts in All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque, there will be a lot more death. In chapter four, during the assault from the British and French, the main characters use their instincts to save their lives, and the lives of others through the first couple chapters times.

   For instance, when the bombs start dropping on them while they travel back to the lorries, their instincts tell them that the graveyard is their only cover, even though from a different perspective you might think the graveyard would be too dangerous. They also use their instincts while the bombing is happening, like when the main character rolls into a fresh crater from a shell, or when he climbs out of the hole when the gas comes around. If they didn’t move away from their bunker, they would have all blown up, but their instincts told them they had to leave. These decisions made when under a lot of stress and pressure which are the instincts that keep them alive.

    I feel that the authors use of instinct reflects quite a few things in this book. It shows how in war every second is a battle and if not for their own instincts many more of their comrades in the war would end up dead or worse. The other thing the authors use of instincts reflects how war turns men into their most primal state. Showing us what they are really made of.

   In its most basic state, this book provides an interesting a thought, provoking and stimulating chance to think about the instincts of man. And the effects their instincts have on their lives and others.

Socratic seminar ideas

     In the Socratic seminar I would like to discuss the role that katzinski has on his peers because I have found that he is one of the most interesting characters in the book so far. His insight and wisdom he has into life has brought up some very good points. I also really like his quotes and I think they are very well said and that is why he will probably play a large role in this book. For themes I would like to discuss loneliness and how the soldiers fight it by building close relationships with each other. And other themes like sacrifice and anger and how they play parts and interlock with each other. The effect that sacrifice has on the soldiers and what it causes them to do I believe will be brought up later and throughout the book. Other than those themes, I found in chapter three that the themes of superiority and revenge come up a lot within the troops. Like how when given power over other people it causes you to change opinions and maybe become a different person emotionally and mentally. And for those following order I would say that they are not thinking about what would happen if they didn’t follow orders or if it is a good idea but almost droning on as most soldiers do while in war. Overall the reason I bring up superiority and title change is because this book takes place on the battlefield during a world war so their will probably be some title change soon. The characters in this book I have not paid a lot of attention to but more on the themes. This book I suspect to be dosas and already has been because of men losing legs and limbs which back than basically ruined your life.