One of the most striking moments for me in these first few chapters is Paul\u2019s struggle to imagine a future for himself after the war. Echoing what many of my classmates have already noted, this seems to connect to the themes of youth and innocence, and how, under the persuasive authority of adults, young men are drawn into the war and marked by its horror, destruction, and violence. Unlike some of the older men at the front\u2014those with families waiting for them and careers to return to\u2014the younger soldiers have no prior life to reclaim. Their time to create one has already been taken from them, leaving the battlefield as the only adult life they have truly known. It honestly saddens me how the war imprints on them so young, and how uncertain Paul is about how to navigate it. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
One of the most striking moments for me in these first few chapters is Paul\u2019s struggle to imagine a future for himself after the war. Echoing what many of my classmates have already noted, this seems to connect to the … Continue reading