All Quiet On The Western Front Trench Journal

Paul Bäumer
Landeskreditbank Baden-Württemberg
Schlossplatz 10
76113 Karlsruhe
Germany

February 12, 1918

Aaltruide Bäumer
Baden-Württemberg
Landeskreditbank 10
56118 Förderbank
Germany

Dear Mother:

I write to you with elated spirits and the heart of a soldier! Thus far in Second Company, we have had a sufficient amount of food, no bloody battles, and powerful soldiers. All the stories you hear about war back home are false! From the time I enlisted in the army to the present, I have not seen a single soldier die in a bloody raid or trench attack. All of our soldiers are pleasantly sleeping as I am writing you this letter; I hope to come home soon and taste some of your delicious potato cakes which I have yearned for in the trenches!

The Second Company consists of all of my classmates from Kantorek’s class along with other people such as Stanislaus Katczinsky whom I have befriended. All of these soldiers aid me on the frontline and we always share laughs about our family back home and our memories of the open country side. I miss home very much; however, I feel that serving my country of Germany is just as important as living life with your family and friends! I remember all of our memories together, mother, and I am very anxious to see you again and tell you more about my adventures as a full-fledged German soldier!

All of the events which have taken place on the battlefront have aided me in learning many important life lessons! I believe that enlisting in the military was one of the most important decisions I have made in my life and I hope that you stand by my decision. In fact, I feel that without enlisting in the armed forces, my life would be very sullen and boring. The battlefront is very exciting and although I have heard of soldiers dying on the front, I feel that Second Company is in good hands and that the war will soon be won! I must stop writing this letter now since the commander calls us to our positions at the trenches; however, I hope to write to you again soon and I love you with all my heart!

With delight and compassion,

Paul Bäumer

Mad World
Gary Jules (cover of Tears for Fears)

All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhere
Their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression, no expression
Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow
And I find it kind of funny
I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It's a very, very
Mad World
Mad world

Children waiting for the day they feel good
Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday
And I feel the way that every child should
Sit and listen, sit and listen
Went to school and I was very nervous
No one knew me, no one knew me
Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson
Look right through me, look right through me
And I find it kind of funny
I find it kind of sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It's a very, very
Mad World
Mad World
Enlarging your world
Mad World.

The song “Mad World” by Gary Jules extends Paul Bäumer’s mood in the book All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque as it utilizes powerful imagery and emotions of sorrow and melancholy to amplify death as the ultimate release of mourning. The song contains the lyrics “No expression, no expression Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow, No tomorrow, no tomorrow” which mimics Paul’s feelings throughout the book since Paul is a romantic figure who is exposed to war and must detach himself from his emotional perspective in order to survive the destruction of his loved ones around him. Furthermore, the song also contains the lyrics” Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson look right through me, look right through me” which extends Paul’s feelings in the book since his teacher Kantorek is the original character who coaxes Paul to enlist in the army, attaching ideals of glamour and power with the image of war. However, Paul’s experience in war proves otherwise and he realizes that his teacher’s advice was flawed, ultimately representing the fact that the ideals and images of a society can greatly differ from reality. In conclusion, the song “Mad World” mimics Paul Bäumer’s feelings throughout the book as it represents the effect of sorrow and melancholy upon a person’s feelings and how devastation can cause an individual to detach himself from his emotions in order to survive.

“Guernica” by Pablo Picasso

The painting “Guernica” by Pablo Picasso represents prominent emotions associated with the book All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque as it depicts the tragedy and turmoil of war and how its effect does not create happiness and peace, but merely misery and suffering. In the painting, the viewer witnesses a man yelling out of pain and misery depicted on the far-right side of the painting. This man is depicted in the painting to express the destruction of war and how pain and despondency will not mend any relations. Similarly, Paul Bäumer experiences war and finds that he must block his own emotions of sorrow and grief in order to survive in a war which only kills and does no good to the people of Germany. Furthermore, the painting contains another man depicted on the left side of the painting who has fallen with a broken dagger. This fallen man evokes the war’s effect on the people and how brave soldiers are forced to meet an embryonic conclusion due to the senseless battles of politicians. In relation to the book, Paul Bäumer was coaxed to enlist in the army due to his teacher Kantorek whom he looked up to and trusted. Kantorek’s advice merely destroys Paul’s future and ends the lives of his friends, representing the misconception of war by society and the abundant amount of damage it does to the people. In conclusion, “Guernica” extends Paul’s feelings and emotions throughout the book since it conveys the harmful and destructive effects of war on society and young soldiers who blindly enlist and meet a fatal conclusion.