One thing I am really appreciating with this book is the intense emphasis on how war changes/affects all the men involved. A favorite comparison of mine throughout is how the men on the front become “animal” or “human animals” when it is time to fight. Especially due to the fact that they have horses on the front as well, it is as if war requires only animals to “get the job done”. This book, so far, truly acknowledges this inherent change war brings upon people, which is eye opening.
2 thoughts on “All Quiet”
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I completely agree. The bit about “human animals” stuck out to me, too – it communicates the idea that there is no real humanity in war, but rather all are reduced to beasts of burden like their horses. It’s haunting.
I really appreciate the way you put this, I had similar thoughts while reading, especially during Chapter 4. The descriptions of the horses reminded me so much of the previous and later descriptions of wounded soldiers, it was really shocking. The comments of putting men out of their misery by shooting them compared to the same comments to the horses also made me think of that. During the same chapter, there was a quote that stood out; ” One of the men goes down on one knee, a shot—one horse drops—another.” (64) The brutality of war doesn’t stop between men or beasts, and the lines begin to blur as both are facing horrible violence.