All Quiet on the Western Front

Main Ideas

• Reflection and critique of war as madness that destroys human lives and souls
• Depiction of the suffering of ordinary soldiers caught in the grinder of World War I
• Destruction of myths about military glory and patriotism fostered by pre-war society
• The concept of the 'lost generation,' for whom the war became a dividing line between 'before' and 'after'
• A critical view of the social and political structures that led to the war
• Demonstration of mutual aid, camaraderie, and humanity among soldiers on the front as a means of survival in unbearable conditions
• Deep dive into the psychology of wartime, showing changes in the inner world of the main characters
• Exposure of the hopelessness and tragedy of young people sent to the front without understanding the true causes and goals of the war