All Quiet on the Western Front
1. Why do the men receive double rations?
They receive double rations because there was 150 men the day before, so the food guy made food for 150 men, but after the
battle there was only 80 men left.
2. What makes the men happy and satisfied? (in the story)
When they all get letters, and they stroll over to the meadow, and food
3. How do Kropp, Paul and Muller enjoy the afternoon?
They play cards, read letters, and take a nap.
4. Why did the boys enlist in the army?
So they would not be called cowards, and there school master told them too.
5. Who was Joseph Behm and what happened to him?
During the first battle he got shot in the eye, and they thought he was dead so they left him in the field, but
he was only unconscious, so he was walking back yelling, and he got shot again and died.
6. What do the men now think of Kantorek and others who hold his same beliefs?
They think that they are stupid for calling them youth, and they hate them, and him told them they would be heros, but there
7. Describe Kemmerich.
He is feverish, and dies from his leg getting amputated.
8. What is shown in the scene with the orderly?
It shows steal.
1. What did Paul often do in the evenings before the war?
Paul reads poems and plays.
2. How do Paul and the other young men differ from the older soldiers?
They do not have wives, children or jobs back at home.
3. What did the men learn as new recruits?
It’s not the mind that matter but the system.
4. What were they forced to do in the training camp?
To make beds, to shovel the snow out of the camp, and train in the snow with bare hands.
5. What does death look like in Franz Kemmerich?
Like he doesn’t want to try to live.
6. What is the doctor’s and the orderly’s attitude toward Kemmerich’s death?
That it was the 17th one today, and they need the bed. They look at his death as another number.
7. Why does Paul run away from the hospital? What does he feel?
He feels sad, knowing his childhood friend died, and he had to write to his mother.
1. Kropp calls the new reinforcements __________.
2. What is Katczinsky’s talent?
Having a sixth sense, and can get things out of nothing.
3. What type of food does Kat find in this chapter?
He finds two loafs of bread and horse meat.
4. What is Kropp’s idea of how wars should be fought?
Put the generals go in the ring, and which ever country wins, gets the victory.
5. Why does Tjaden hate Himmelstoss?
Because the way he had educated him in the barracks.
6. Describe the way that the soldiers "jump" Himmelstoss.
They put a bed cover over his head, and start beating him on the ground.
7. "________ is black pudding."
1. How does the arrival at the front affect the soldier’s physical appearance?
They become “thick-skinned”, and instant human animals
2. What symbolism does the earth have for the soldiers?
It has a battleground, where they lie on for protection, and they bury themselves in.
3. What allows the men to survive?
4. What must be done on a wiring fatigue?
They have to put wire fence up.
5. What does the cry of the horses represent?
It represents the moaning of the world.
6. What is ironic about using the cemetery for cover?
It is ironic because if they die, they will be buried in a cemetery.
7. What do Kat and Paul nearly do to the recruit with the hip wound? Why?
They almost shoot him to put him out of his misery.
8. Why does Paul say the rain falls in their hearts?
He says that because the rain also falls on Kemmerich’s grave, and they are sad.
1. How do the men kill lice?
With a lid of boot polish tin, with a piece of wire, so they can smush them.
2. What does Himmelstoss expect from the group of men?
For them to do whatever he says, and to stand up and salute them.
3. Why does Himmelstoss want to have Tjaden court-maritalled?
He wants him because Tjaden talked bad to him, and Himmelstoss is furious.
4. What is the status of Paul’s class (in the war)?
7 are dead, 4 wounded, one in a mad house, and 3 are lieutenants, and there were 20.
5. What does school have to do with the boy’s lives now?
Nothing to do with the war.
6. What will the men’s lives be like when they return to society?
It will be good and happy when they are done with the war.
7. How does Kropp make Himmelstoss angry?
He makes him angry when he replies to one of his questions with, “A bit longer than you, I fancy” (pg. 81).
8. What types of arrest are used in the German army?
9. What is the similarity between Kat and Paul’s goose escapade and the war?
They are required to be silent.
10. Why do they save the goose feathers?
To make pillows out of them.
11. What is ever-present in the men’s lives?
12. What special feeling does Paul have for Kat? (don’t be silly)
He loves him, and they are close to one another.
1. How efficient is the German army?
Not efficient because low supplies.
2. What are the men awaiting?
They are waiting for the artillery to stop.
3. How does Chance rule their lives?
Not really sure where the shells are going to land.
4. Why do they call the rats "corpse-rats"?
They call them that because they are fat, and live of the dead corpse.
5. How do the men end the rat attacks?
They kill them with a shovels.
6. What foreshadows a rough battle for the men?
The constant shelling by the British and French, and lack of food.
7. Why do the men use spades rather than bayonets?
Spades are easier to use, and more efficient for hand to hand combat.
8. How does the bombardment wear on the men?
It makes a lot of the recruits nervous.
9. Describe the recruit’s fit.
He runs away, and banging his head against the wall.
10. How are the attackers described?
They have smooth, distorted faces.
11. Why does Paul hesitate before throwing the grenade?
Because he sees his face, that he is going to kill.
12. How do the men react after waiting days for this attack?
They react calmly when they are attacked
13. How de the men react to the wounded?
They help as many as they can.
14. What do the men take from the French before returning to their lines?
They take food and equipment.
15. What are Paul’s memories while he stands sentry duty?
He remembers being in school and learning about war.
16. How have Paul’s feelings toward his memories changed?
That he is here to fight and nothing else.
17. Why do the soldiers search so thoroughly for a wounded man?
They do because they are short on men.
18. What happens to the dead?
The rats get to them.
19. Why do the soldiers search for driving bands and parachutes?
For extra artillery.
20. How has nature reacted to the war?
It grows dark, and animals start running around.
21. Why are the reinforcements killed so rapidly?
Because they’ve had no training.
22. What happens to Himmelstoss during the attack?
He gets scared and tries to hide.
23. How well do the new recruits learn front-line warfare?
Not very well.
24. What is the result after days of fighting?
Paul gets a break from the war.
1. How do Himmelstoss and the men reconcile?Himmelstoss realizes that they all could die at the front. When he replaces the
cook, he gives the men extra rations and easy cookhouse duty (138).
They are friends.
2. Why do the soldiers forget about the front-line fighting when they are behind the lines?
So they don’t worry about dying.
3. Why do the men only rest behind the front?
They do not have to worry about an attack.
4. What does Paul say will happen with memories of the front after the war?
They will be vague, except for the friends they made.
5. Why are the men interested in the theater poster?
Because of the women on it.
6. How does Paul feel when he has nothing to remind him of being a soldier?
He feels out of place.
7. Why is Paul unhappy after the evening with the women?
Because he doesn’t feel satisfied.
8. Why is beer more than just a drink?
Because they don’t get it in war.
9. How does the Frenchwoman react to Paul’s leave?
She wants to go with him.
10. How does the red-cross sister act toward Paul?
Nice and sweet.
11. Why does Paul cry when he arrives home?
Because he is happy, and his mother is sick so he is sad.
12. Why does Paul feel strange in his own home?
Because he hasn’t been there in so long.
13. Why does Paul lie to his mother about the reality of war?
He doesn’t want her to worry.
14. Why do the major and Paul conflict?
Because Paul did not salute him.
15. Why does Paul change into civilian clothes?
So no one knows he is a soldier, or so they don’t recognize him.
16. Why can’t Paul talk to his father about the war?
Because he is scared.
17. What is the headmaster’s opinion of the war?
It is brutal.
18. What does Paul realize about the people around him?
That they love him.
19. What happens when Paul tries to retrieve his familiarity with his books?
He doesn’t know how to read.
20. How does Mittelstaedt treat Kantorek?
Like a prisoner.
21. What is leave to Paul?
Some days of rest.
22. What does Paul tell Kemmerich’s mother about her son’s death?
That is was a peaceful death.
23. Why can’t Paul understand Mrs. Kemmerich’s anguish?
Because he didn’t die.
24. What does Paul wish for as his mother speaks to him on his last night home?
That she doesn’t worry about him.
25. Why does Paul regret coming home on leave?
Because he has to leave his home again.
1. What does Paul observe during training drills?
His breath in the wind.
2. What does Paul think of the Russians?
That they are just men like in Germany.
3. How do many of the Germans treat the Russians? How do they trade with them?
They treat them as prisoners. They trade boots for bread and stuff like that.
4. How do the Russians differ from the Germans?
They don’t get as much food as the Germans do.
5. Why does Paul not feel more sympathetic toward the Russian prisoners?
Because they don’t get as much food, and one dies almost everyday.
6. Why are these men enemies?
They fought against them in the war.
7. What is Paul’s sole aim?
To get the Russians to like him.
8. Why doesn’t Paul’s father ask the surgeon about the cost of the operation?
They would think of him differently.
1. What is a flying division?
2. How does Paul feel when he finds his friends?
Relieved and happy
3. How does the army prepare for the Kaiser’s visit?
They get new clothes and stuff to make the front look nice.
4. According to the men, why does war exist?
Because two people are mad at each other.
5. What is the difference between the volunteers and the drafted soldiers?
Volunteers do not know how to fight in war, and drafted soldiers went to class to learn.
6. What do trench mortars do to soldiers?
Tears them to pieces.
7. Why is Paul afraid on patrol?
Because it’s easy to get killed.
8. What does friendship mean to Paul?
It means everything in war.
9. How is Paul’s fear different as he tries to get back to his friends?
He just wants to live so he’ll go back.
10. What is the new fear that holds Paul?
11. What does Paul do when the French soldier stumbles into his shell hole?
Stabs him three times.
12. Why doesn’t Paul leave the shell hole after he has stabbed the Frenchman?
Because he might get shot by the French.
13. How does Paul react to the dying Frenchman?
He feels horrible.
14. How does the Frenchman look at Paul?
Like he is afraid.
15. What does Paul do for the Frenchman?
Gives him water and tries to make him feel better.
16. Why does Paul think he must bandage the wounds?
So he feels more comfortable, and because he gave him the wounds.
17. What does this hand-to-hand killing do to Paul?
Makes him sad, and afraid of dying.
18. What does Paul say and realize in his madness?
That this is war, and this is what he has to do.
19. What does Paul promise when he is calmer?
That he will write to his wife.
20. What does Paul think of this experience after he is safe?
That it was what he had to do.
21. How does Sergeant Oellrich react to killing?
It is war, it is what he has to do.
1. Where are the men stationed?
At a church.
2. Why do they set up an idyll of eating and sleeping?
So they don’t get hungry.
3. How do the men get caught under fire and bombing?
When the French see smoke coming from a home.
4. How do the men guard the supplies?
With their arms and chest.
5. How do the men react to all the luxury?
There bodies can not take the tender meat of the pig.
6. What do the men take back to the front with them?
Pig, pancakes, and green beans.
7. What happens to Paul when the bombing begins?
He gets shot in the leg.
8. How are Paul and Kropp able to save themselve?
They run for cover
9. What does Kropp decide about his wounded leg?
It will be amputated.
10. How does Paul react in surgery?
He moves, so the surgeon can not amputate.
11. How do Kropp and Paul manage to stay together?
They give the surgeon cigarettes.
12. Why doesn’t Paul want to get into bed?
Because of his lice.
13. How does Paul get off the train with Albert?
He pretends he has a fever, and puts the thermometer up to a candle.
14. Why are the hospital patients angry at being awakened in the morning?
Because they want to sleep.
15. How do the men get the doors shut?
By throwing glass out the door.
16. Why does Josef Hamacher claim he threw the bottle?
He has a license saying he can not be guilty for his actions.
17. What is the dying room?
Where men go when their dying.
18. What does Josef warn the boys with flat feet against?
That the surgeon just wants an excuse to practice.
19. What happens to Albert?
He gets a fever.
20. What does Paul think of the world as he views the wounded?
That war should not be going.
21. How does Paul view himself and his generation?
The war generation.
22. Where does Paul go from the hospital?
Back to the front.
1. How do the men see the war now?
It is the cause of death like cancer and tuberculosis.
2. What are the men’s lives and thoughts like?
They are clay.
3. What brotherhood do the men feel?
Feeling desperate loyalty to one another.
4. What is life (to them)?
Hard exsistenceof the utmost superficiality.
5. How are men like a flame?
Poorly sheltered by frail walls against the storm of dissolution and madness.
6. What does Detering do?
He leaves the army unexpectedly.
7. What is happening to the German lines?
They are falling back.
8. How does Bertinck save his men?
He gets out of cover and starts shooting.
9. What is the summer of 1918 like?
\The most bloody and terrible summer.
10. Are the Germans beaten?
No, they are just simply crushed and driven back.
11. What is Paul’s reaction to Kat’s injury?
He is nice and kind to Kat, since they are the only ones left in there original regiment.
12. Why do Paul and Kat exchange addresses?
So they can do something later on after the war.
13. Why does Paul repeat to himself twice that he and Kat are not related?
He repeats it because they are not related, but it felt like they were during war time.
1. What does Paul want after the armistice?
To go home.
2. What are the fates of the various generations?
The generation that hrows up after them will push them aside.
3. Why is the book titled All Quiet on the Western Front?
Because in the end Paul is very quiet and is on the western front.
4. Why does the book describe Paul’s face as calm?
Because it is showing that Paul can have nothing else taken away from him.