All Quiet on the Western Front by Maria Remarque: Paul's Interaction with His Parents

Essay by vanilla_roseHigh School, 12th grade April 2004

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The Novel "All Quiet on the Western Front" by Erich Maria Remarque is about a man

named Paul who has gone to war. When Paul arrives home from his leave he finds his

household is having a hard time. His mother is suffering from cancer. She is in a lot of

pain and she is always trying to please Paul and the rest of the family. Aside from the just

the house, the civilians are lacking food which is hard on the whole community.

As we read in chapter 7 about Paul visiting his family and his mother being sick,

we see that Paul has a close relationship with his mother. She really loves him. When he

first walks in the door she asks Paul if he is injured, she is worried about her son, and

then it seams she is pleased when he replied to her saying that he got a leave and that is

the reason he is home.

When Paul is told that his mother is ill he sits by her side and they

do not speak much. This scene in the novel shows us that Paul cannot handle what is

going on at home. There is too much pain and suffering, and after what he has gone

through in the war it is hard to take in more pain. It hurts Paul so much to see his mother

in such pain.

Paul's mother and father ask him a few questions about the war. Paul clearly does

not want to discuss what went on at the war. He feels as if it is not possible for people

who have not experienced the horrors to understand what it is like. During Paul's time he

got for leave he should be relaxing and trying to recuperate from...