Questions for all quiet on the western front – Flashcards
Unlock all answers in this set
Unlock answersquestion
Based on Paul's description of the front, what part of the experience at the front would be hardest to bear? What would provide consolation
answer
the hardest part would be fear and lack of sleep. Consolation would be knowing that after each second goes by the war is closer to being over, prayers, pictures of home, and letters from loved ones.
question
In the beginning of chapter 1, why does Paul's company have extra food?
answer
because there is food for 150 soldiers and only 80 survived
question
Why is their friend Franz Kemmerich dying?
answer
he was shot bad in the leg, his leg had to be amputated
question
how is Muller's feelings about Kemmerich different from Paul's?
answer
Muller sees him as already dead and Paul has hope he will survive
question
What does Kantorek, their old schoolmaster, refer to his former students as?
answer
the iron youth
question
Why do paul and Kropp scoff at the term Kantorek uses?
answer
the don't consider themselves young or youth anymore
question
IPTW for the following quote: "There were thousands of Kantoreks, all of whom were convinced that they were acting best in a way that cost them nothing
answer
The speaker is Paul. Paul is talking about how people convince the young people to enlist but then don't enlist themselves. Paul is mad that the people who start the war is different from the people who actually fight it. It's Important because Paul is seeing the war as pointless and shows dislike towards people like Kantorek.
question
IPTW for the following quote: "We had to recognize that our generation was more trusted than theirs"
answer
The speaker is Paul. Hes says this when they are sitting around and reading letters. It means that the Paul and his friends can only trust people in their generation, the older people can't be trusted. It is important because Paul realizes that he can only trust the people of his generation.
question
How are the younger men different from the older men in the company?
answer
The older men have much more back at home, like a wife and a family or a job, while the younger soldiers don't have much
question
IPTW for the following quote: "Kantorek would always say that we stand on the threshold of life. And so it would seem. We had as yet taken no root. The war had swept us away."
answer
The speaker is Paul. He is thinking about how people in the war have someone to go back to. It means that soldiers his age were about to start a life and settle down but the war interrupted that. It is important because it shows how Paul thinks the war affected his life.
question
How is the army different from school
answer
they became more influenced by ten weeks of training in the army than 10 years of school
question
Who is Himmelstoss? Why do Paul and the others dislike him?
answer
He is their drill sargent and was the most strict disciplinarian in the camp. They didn't like him because they thought that he trained them too hard and he didn't like Paul and the others.
question
As difficult as the training was why was it necessary? Support answer with quote from the text
answer
They needed or or else they wouldn't survive on the front and they wouldn't remain sane ----------. "Had we gone into the trenches without this period of training most of us would have certainly gone mad.
question
How does Paul try to distract Kemmerich?
answer
by telling him that he is going to have a good future back at home. He does this to put happy thoughts in his mind before he dies
question
How many operations and deaths were there the day Kemmerich died?
answer
5 operations and 17 deaths
question
Other than being sad, what is Paul's reaction to Kemmerich's death?
answer
Rage because of the way the doctor didnt care about him
question
What is Kat's view on men and authority?
answer
Every man snaps at the chance to have authority, it will make them a beast
question
How does Kropp feel the war should be fought?
answer
In an arena with an audience and they use clubs and the last standing country wins. Instead of soldiers they should use ministers and generals/ the people who started the war. He wants the people who start the war to actually fight it.
question
What to Paul and Tjaden do to Himmelstoss?
answer
When he was leaving his favorite pub, they threw a sheet over him, beat him up and then ran away so they wouldn't know it was him
question
Why is it good to have Kat (Katczinsky) around? give an example
answer
He has a 6th sense for finding food, supplies, and things they need and is quick to share it with others. Ex. He got them bread and a horse for them to eat for dinner (pg 39)
question
Where does Paul's company go in chapter 4?
answer
The reserves, they will be stringing barbed wire to prevent the British from getting over
question
What is a soldier's relationship with earth?
answer
The earth provides shelter, a sturdy place to run, and if he dies, the earth will be his home forever.
question
The idea of loss of humanity is prevalent in this book. What is the column? How does is apply to this theme?
answer
the column are the trucks and men. It shows that they are no longer individuals but instead are just columns
question
What is the horrible howling after the bombardment?
answer
the horses screaming
question
What are paul and his company doing when they are hit by shell fire?
answer
they're on their way back after finished lacing the barbed wire
question
Where is paul when the bombardment hits?
answer
in the graveyard
question
What does paul use for cover?
answer
a shell hole behind a coffin
question
How should one breath when wearing a gas mask?
answer
as lightly as possible
question
What does Paul compare the gas cloud to?
answer
a big, soft jellyfish
question
What does Kat consider doing to the recruit? why? what stops him?
answer
he thinks about killing him to put him out of his misery, he is stopped when he sees a group of people watching him and he doesn't want to frighten them
question
What are the men busy killing at the beginning of the chapter? What does this tell about their living situation?
answer
they are killing lice which shows they are living in a dirty enviroment
question
How does Himmelstoss get in trouble? What is his punishment?
answer
He was pushing the recruits too hard and someone told their dad who was a government official and he got him introuble. his punishment was he has to go to the front.
question
What does Tjaden do to himmelstoss? What is his punishment?
answer
he refuses to stand up when Himmelstoss tells him to and he moons him. His punishment is 3 days of open house arrest.
question
Why is Tjaden punishment not really a punishment?
answer
Because he gets to rest for 3 days and doesn't have to go to the front
question
What is the conversation between men early in the chapter? Why are they having such a hard time answering the question?
answer
They are talking about what they would do if the war ended. They are having a hard time because everyone except Kat and Detering don't have much back home. They realized they don't have a clue about what to do when they get back home
question
What do the men see stacked up against the school house
answer
Yellow unpolished brand new coffins that still smell of the wood theyre made from
question
Why are paul and his friends sometimes wounded by their own fire?
answer
Their barrels were so worn out they could be firing in a completely different direction than they desired
question
What does chance have to so with war? What is pauls experience with chance
answer
A soldier only gets a thousand chances but they will eventually die. Paul was once inside a dugout and left to go to another dugout to see some people. When he came back to the first dugout he was in it was blown up and he would have died if he stayed there
question
Why are the men given cheese and rum
answer
Theyre going to the front soon so they give them good food incase its their last meal
question
Why does the soldier begin to go crazy? What must paul and Kat do to subdue him
answer
He is claustrophobic and they give him a hiding and they punch him a few times
question
IPTW for the following quote: "we have become wild beasts. We do not fight we defend ourselves against annihilation"
answer
Paul says this when they are fighting back at the front. It means they want the war to be over and the only reason theyre fighting back is because they dont want to die. So far the entire book they see no reason in fighting
question
Describe 2 scenes from chapter 6 which describes the atrocities of war
answer
The soldier going mad and the guys arms getting stuck in the barbed wire. Also knowing theres a soldier out there dying and knowing they could do nothing about it and couldnt help
question
What is an automaton? Relate it to the comments about columns?
answer
Automatons are robots made to imitate humans. It relates because this shows the impersonalization of war because they are called automatons because they have no identity or feelings anymore
question
What has Paul lost at the front
answer
Hes lost some memories, feeling of childhood and feelings of calmness
question
Who are the men searching for? Why is this frustrating
answer
A certain soldier because they know he must be terribly wounded by his screams and groans
question
Where do the butterflies land? Why is this such a powerful symbol
answer
On the teeth of a skull. Butterflies are symbols of change and hope
question
Why do the men hate the observations planes
answer
They know that is a sign of bombardment
question
Why are the recruits almost more trouble then theyre worth?
answer
They often dont know what theyre doing, they fall like flies and get in the way
question
Discuss the quote about knowledge of trench warfare on pg 129
answer
Pauls says this when talking about the recruits. He is saying that it takes skill to be in a trench. It is important because it shows another reason why the recruits are more trouble then theyre worth
question
How many recruits die for every experienced soldier who died
answer
5-10 recruits die for every experienced soldier who dies
question
Why do the young men mistakenly take off their masks too soon
answer
They do not know that the gas stays in low areas
question
Why are the young recruits sent up to the line so soon?
answer
Germany is in desperation of soldiers in the front
question
How does himmelstoss try to avoid another battle? What does paul do to stop him?
answer
He overreacts to a small scratch and acts like he cant fight. Paul forces him out
question
What happens to Haie westhus?
answer
He has a bad wound in his back and his lungs are hardly working
question
How do Paul and the others try to help the young soliders? Does it work?
answer
They give them many helpful tips to help them survive at the front. Once theyre actually back in action they do everything wrong
