Answer questions or comment on the second chapter that seem interesting to you--no more than one or two is necessary.

• In Chapter two the author writes  "...the finest thing that arose out of was --comradeship" 
• Notice this chapter ends with the death of a soldier again - Kemmerich.  This is hard reading for us.
•  We meet Corporal Himmelstoss,in Chapter 2.  Tell me what you think of him?  Why has Remargue   given so many words to describing his attitude and actions?
•   In Chapter two the author writes  "...the finest thing that arose out of was --comradeship"
•   Notice this chapter ends with the death of a soldier again - Kemmerich.  This is hard reading for us. This death is more graphic than in Chapter One.  The deaths are getting harder to read. 

Anyone want to comment or mention something else in this chapter?

Chapter 3 tomorrow!  Are you with us John?

A difficult message

This novel is difficult to read - not because of the word choices, although there are some words we don't use, either because the world is different now or because a translation (which this is by a man from England) has its own choice of words, but because the novel is trying to imitate some of the very negative aspects of war from a lot of down time to time that is scary and life-threatening.  It is considered to be extremely bleak and realistic. 

Universal concern

I know that you already realize the the author does not mention sides in this war, and rarely do we know that it  is the German perspective.  We know that this attempt to just report on the setting and the horrors of the situation tells us that the author is more interested in our realizing that there is a UNIVERSAL lesson to be taught to all people.  That lesson will become stronger as the novel goes on.
We begin to meet the answer (the author's purpose in a young person's death, and sadness already by the end of the first chapter).

Point of View

The novel is told in the first person (I) voice by a German soldier, Paul Baumer.  It is through him that we learn EVERYTHING.  Why does Remarque choose to only give his point of view?   

The First Death

I would like all of you to think about the first death in Chapter one that is personalized and detailed. The author concentrates on his boots and that Muller seems unduly crass about grasping for K's boots at the end. How would you describe Muller? Indifferent? Non-caring? realistic? playful? pragmatic? Choose a word or make up one that you feel really describes the way the author Erich Maria Remarque wishes us to "see" Muller?

Any questions or confusion or detail you would like to discuss?

Daniela: Behm

What makes his death ironic?

Claritza: Tone

Claitza, there is a change in tone in the chapter. Quote a few sentences in the beginning of the chapter and contrast with a sentence ot two at the end.

Tanaka: Attitude

Tanaka, talk about the attitude of the young men and their parents about going to war in the beginning of the chapter. In what context is the word "coward" used? 

Suraj: Words

Suraj, talk about the words while the author does not use them, that the soldiers use categorically that allows Paul to say, "Our families and our teachers will be shocked..." .

Yadley: Young Men

Describe who these young men are.

Chapter One

The author has a lot to do. I am going to mention some of what I notice in this first chapter and I hope you will repsond with things you noticed

First, let's go back to only the Prussian soldier being named. The less we point out specific countries, the more universal the story seems. We have talked in class about one of the main qualities of a significant story is its pertaining to everyone. In other words, this book as you now know is about the fear of war, the desire to live, the pain of wounds, the pangs of hunger,etc. that we all would fear were we in the "trenches" as Krystian talks about.

Nationality

 Why do you suppose that there is only one mention of a nationality in chapter one?   The Prussian is spoken of as not being particularly giving to others.

The Author

Those of you well into the book, isn't it surprising that the author hardly lets us know he is speaking from the enemy's side in the voice of Paul Baumer, the first person narrator?

Krystian's contribution

The United States declared war on Germany April 6th 1917. The United States deployed nearly 5 million troops and sided with Britain, France, Russia, Italy and Japan. The war was titled trench warfare and submarine warfare due to the similar warfare tactics every army used. Trench warfare occurred in nearly all battles when soldiers would dig trenches and hide in there to give themselves cover. Many deaths occurred in these trenches when a grenade would go of in one. Out of all the warfare and fighting, shockingly 60 thousand American soldiers died which is a large number but smaller when looked at it ratio wise between deaths and deployment. A key type of gun that emerged for all sides was the machine gun, it was heavy but it had a deadly rate of fire and the bullets carried a lot of damage. Another gun which is credited with the title of the deadliest gun the United States ever manufactured is the Browning, to this day modern versions of it are used in warfare.

Webpage with Database Links

History Databases good for this Project
Specific History Databases  (I will send the password sheet to all)


http://www.stamfordhigh.org/resources.aspx

Orient yourselves to the time of World War I

 Ms. George has held my hand through creating this blog!  However, now to business.  Some of you have not responded to her invitational email sent a while ago.  Others are seeing theirs for the first time.

I hope you will respond as I suggested in the first two writings.
Let me refresh you on some of the ideas gleaned from the author's choices so that we his readers understand his motivation for writing.