1. What is the setting of the story? This setting takes place on the Western Front of World War I, which was a series of trenches that stretched from the Swiss frontier to the English Channel. Between the trenches was "no man’s land" where the actual fighting took place. The characters in the story are currently 5 miles behind the front lines.

2. What does Paul say about men like Kantorek? Paul says that men like Kantorek were small men who tried to make themselves seem big by causing trouble for other people and the world. Paul described him as "more energetic and uncompromising than a big fellow" and as "confounded little martinet."

3. What did the first bombardment and the first killing do to Paul's faith in the adult world? Paul realized that the adults that he trusted to protect and guide him into adulthood had sent him into battle while they protected themselves. They talked to them about bravery and courage but they weren’t the one’s out on the front lines. He always thought of them as having "greater insight and more humane wisdom," but he realized that they only "surpassed them in phrases and in cleverness." He saw how alone each of them was.

4. Is this story necessarily just about Germans? No, not really. It is more directed to people and war than just Germans. Even though the characters are Germans you get a sense of what the war was like for other soldiers. The perspective on war would be true for all soldiers and countries.

5. What is the mood or atmosphere of the story? The mood of the novel is sad and lonely, with people dying and how they cope with the fear and sadness. There is discouragement because the soldiers do not feel connected to what they are risking their lives for and feel helpless to control their lives. At times there is a sense of friendship and some happiness when the mail comes and they have "carefree" times.

6. What is one theme of the story so far? One theme of the story is the transition from youth to adult and how that is changed because of what they are seeing and living in the war. The transition is not helped or guided by the older adults who are supposed to be helping them.

7. What does the theft of Kemmerich's watch represent? The theft of his watch shows that there is an acceptance of injury and death among the soldiers and the feeling that you have to look out for yourself to survive. The person who took the watch probably rationalized that "he wouldn’t need it anyway."

Chapter 2:

1. Why does Paul's generation feel that it is a wasteland? Paul feels that his generation is a wasteland because the war has totally overcome them. They have no family or job that connects them with the real world. The older men have ties "so strong that war cannot obliterate it." He feels that the "war has swept them away" and they are consumed with it so much that they are not even always sad.

2. What kind of person is Himmelstoss? Himmelstoss had a reputation of being a strict disciplinarian and was proud of it. He enjoyed having power over other people to the point of being cruel. He did not just instill discipline to prepare them for war but was a sadist in his enjoyment of his "job." He liked to humiliate the recruits.

3. What have been two important results of Paul's military training? The harshness of the training prepared him for what was to come in the trenches. The training had also given him a sense of esprit de corps, which became the comradeship that sustained them in the field.

4. What is the significance of Kemmerich's death scene? The death of Kemmerich is significant because Paul loses a friend from his childhood, and no one in the hospital seems to care. It is sad that such a young person, only 19 years old, is dying for a cause he doesn’t understand. The death scene is seen through Paul’s eyes and it shows the "horror of war" to him personally in losing a friend and the lack of concern by others that young men are dying. Mueller seems only concerned with getting the boots and the hospital orderly wants the bed.

5. What is the irony in the comment, "We are the Iron youth?" Kantorek used this description to encourage the boys in his class to fight for the Fatherland. He probably didn’t see them as potentially great soldiers, but in the end they did mature quickly and became strong and overcame obstacles physically and emotionally. They were not "young" for very long. They are all being killed, unlike iron, which is strong and hard to bend or mold at all. Their generation is rapidly downsizing. Their youth is being taken from them even if they live through the war.

6. What kind of character is Paul? Paul is quiet and compassionate toward others though he does not show his feeling to others much. He also does what he feels is right, even in confused times. He is also honest to others as much as he can. He is a good friend and tries to be a good soldier. He thinks about events and analyzes what is happening around him.

1. For what does Katzcinsky have a reputation? Katzcinsky has a sixth sense about what is about to happen around him. He understands all occupations and can arrange things. He seems to be able to find things they need, such as straw to sleep on or food to eat.

2. How does Kropp think wars should be fought? Kropp thought that wars should be fought as a festival in an arena where all the world leaders should fight until there is only one winner.

3. What were Himmelstoss's drill exercises? He had the men practice in the barracks the "Change at Lohne" so they wouldn’t get lost changing from the branch-line to the subway. They used their beds as the subway and practiced for hours and hours. He also made them do long drills with heavy packs and repeat it if it wasn’t perfect.

4. What had been Himmelstoss's profession before the war? He had been a postman.

5. What does Kropp say happens to little men like Himmelstoss when they get stars or stripes? Kropp says that getting stars and stripes makes little men bullies. They become corrupt with their new power and abuse it to take advantage of others had done to them. It gives them power they could never have in civilian life.

6. What reason does Kropp give for officers' making drill exercises so difficult? Kropp says that the drill exercises help instill discipline in the men, but it should not be abused.

1. What is the importance of the "earth to a soldier?" Paul says that the earth is what saves a soldier when he lays down flat on it or in holes dug out of it. The earth was his "only friend, his brother, his mother… shelters him and releases him for 10 seconds to live."

2. What influence does the front have on soldiers? It makes them desensitized from all the horrible things that are going on around them.

3. What two situations in battle serve a comic relief from the grim battle being waged? One comic situation was when the new recruit messed his pants during the bombardment. The helmet placed on his behind must have looked funny. The discussion between Paul and Kat about the finding the geese and potential food was also humorous.

4. What does the death of the horses’ represent? The deaths of the horses represent the innocent who suffer at the cost of war, they were not there for any purpose but as transportation for someone and yet they died anyway.

5. What does the graveyard scene say about the value of human life? The graveyard scene shows that human life isn’t all that important when you yourself are trying to stay alive.

6. Why is this such an important chapter in the novel? It sets the stage and gives you a sense of what is to come. It shows you what the war was like.

1. How does the first sentence tell us that the mood of this chapter will be very different than that of the previous chapter? The sentence is about the "killing" of their lice instead of the killing of the enemy. This chapter is more about the relationship between the men instead of their battles.

2. What do the following plan to do after the war is over?

a. Kropp: Kropp plans to get drunk.

b. Detering: He wants to go back to harvesting his farm.

c. Haie: Haie says he would get himself a woman, but if he could he would serve out his time in the military.

3. What does Muller try to make them realize about their goals? He tries to make them realize that their goals are empty and will not happen because they will not make it out of this war alive. They can’t think past getting drunk and getting a woman because they cannot imagine themselves in the regular world.

4. Why does Kropp feel that "The war has ruined us for everything?" Kropp believes that they are permanently ruined by the war and will not be able to adjust to a normal society. The war had taken their enthusiasm for wanting to live life and "shot it to pieces." They were "cut off from activity, from striving, from progress" because all they believed in was war.

5. How does Paul explain his close relationship with Kat? It was a brotherly relationship because of the closeness that they had gained by being in the war together. He also looks up to him because of his age and how he takes care of him.

Chapter 6:

1. How does the first paragraph of this chapter indicate that the mood of this chapter will be different than the previous one? The paragraph talks about the "offensive" and describes shelled schoolhouse and lots of coffins stacked high, just waiting for the dead. The mood will be more focused on battles and death.

2. The front was referred to as a whirlpool. What does Paul call it now? Paul calls the front "a cage in which we must await fearfully whatever may happened."

3. Why is "Chance" capitalized? Chance is referred to as if it was a person or an entity. It is similar to the use of Fate or Lady Luck.

4. What does the incident about rats say about how man compares to the animals? Man resembles animals in that they both will do whatever is needed to survive. They cannot allow the rats to take their food so they must kill them to survive.

5. How do new recruits react to their first combat? The new recruits are frightened and mortified. Many of them get sick to their stomachs. Some of them suffer from claustrophobia and panic when they cannot leave the trenches. One of them has a fit and tries to escape. Many of them die because of their lack of experience.

6. Paul longs for his youth, but what does he realize about it? Paul realizes that his youth is gone and he would not know what to do with it if he had it back. They had expectations which are now gone and they have become indifferent. "We are forlorn like children, and experienced like old men…I believe we are lost."

Chapter 7:

1. Baumer says the men become animals at the front. What do they become when they rest? Baumer says that the men turn into loafers when they are not at the front because they must have total relaxation and isolate themselves from what is around them.

2. What is Paul's attitude about those who die? Paul says that he is sorry they are dead, but he must move on because he is alive. He realizes that if he dwells on these things he will risk his own life.

3. Why do the men make jokes? The men make jokes to relive the tension around them.

4. How does Paul feel when he first enters his home? When he talks to his mother? When Paul first enters his home, he feels strange, helpless, and overwhelmed. He starts crying. When he talks to his mother he keeps reminding himself that he is home, but he cannot relate to the things that are there even though he is glad to be there.

5. How do his father and mother's attitudes toward his fighting differ? His father feels proud of his son, and wants him to wear his uniform so he can show him off. He constantly asks Paul questions even though Paul does not want to talk about the war. His mother wants to remember him as he was before the war so she doesn’t ask him questions and likes him to wear civilian clothes.

6. What does his room represent to Paul? Paul’s room represents his past life and his youth. It has his butterfly collection, newspaper clippings, sketches, and his collection of books that he had worked and saved for. Paul wants to be happy there but it only makes him realize how much he has changed.

7. Who is Boettcher? Who was he? Boettcher was the porter from Paul’s school. He is now in the home guard, and Mittelstaedt uses him as a way to humiliate Kantorek during training by using him as a model.

8. What does Paul tell Kemmerich's mother? Paul tells Kemmerich’s mother that he died quickly and painlessly. She makes him swear that what he says is true, and he makes up a story to convince her.

9. Why is he willing to swear a lie? He is willing to swear to this lie because he feels that it is better that she not know the truth about what really happened.

10. Why does Paul regret having been on leave? He regrets it because he knows the war has changed him and he remembers his home differently. He had already been thinking that he had lost his connection with the world, but now he has absolute concrete proof that he doesn’t fit in and cannot understand the people at home. It doesn’t feel like "home" anymore. Also, seeing his mother and sister and their worry just gives him one more thing to think about himself.

1. What description in this chapter proves to Paul that he is no longer indifferent, but that he is sensitive? The description of the Russians and sharing his cigarettes with them shows that Paul is still sensitive to others.

2. Are the descriptions of the Russian prisoners sympathetic or unsympathetic? They are sympathetic in that he tries to understand them and feels like he can relate to them. They remind him of German peasants and he realizes that they are just like other soldiers doing what they were ordered to do.

3. According to Paul, how do the Russians seem different from the Germans? According to Paul, the Russians are different than the Germans because they are "more human and more brotherly towards each other."

4. According to Paul what has made these "silent figures" his enemies and what could make them his friends? The Russian prisoners became his enemies by "a word of command" from the rulers and the same word could make them his friends. This would apply to them being ordered to go against them or ally with them.

Chapter 9:

1. What has changed about his regiment when Paul returns? Paul’s regiment has become one of the flying divisions and is sent out "wherever it is the hottest." They have been suffering heavy losses.

2. Why is Paul disappointed in the Kaiser? Paul is disappointed by the Kaiser because he thought from the pictures that he was a big and powerful man. He was surprised that he is just an ordinary man to have so much power.

3. What do the men conclude about the causes of war? The men discussed the causes of war and concluded that the "regular people" like them have no control over it. Wars are caused because the rulers of countries are offended by each other’s actions, and even though no one really wants it a "fever " takes over and everyone ends up in a war. They also discuss that the war brings power to the rulers and generals and is encouraged by propaganda.

4. What happens to Paul as he is out on patrol? When Paul is out on patrol, a bomb lands close to him and he has to jump into the bowl. He is totally terrified and frozen with fear since it is his first patrol since his leave. Later he ends up in a shell hole and has to kill a man.

5. What thoughts does he have as he lies in the "bowl?" He has thoughts of doubt and wonders what he should do. He feels guilty about hiding in the bowl but whenever he tries to get out he ducks back in. He is overcome by "terrible loneliness and fear of death" until he hears the voices of his friends.

6. How does Paul react differently to this killing than to the others? Most of the time when he had killed someone it was from a distance and they died quickly. This incident is different because he is up close and sits by and watches him die, with his noises and moaning. He looks through his papers and really knows his name and about his family.

7. What contrast does the author draw at the end of the chapter when Paul returns to his lines? The contrast is how Paul changed his views on killing the man by relating it to the snipers on his own side.

Chapter 10:

1. What assignment are Paul and his comrades given? They have to guard a supply dump in an abandoned village.

2. What criticisms are made of the wartime medical practices? There are not enough surgeons and nurses to work on people. The medical personnel are as desensitized as the soldiers are because they see so much death. Some of the doctors use the war to further their own needs by experimenting on the men.

3. Why does Paul say the war is a glorious time for surgeons? Paul says it is a glorious time for surgeons because they can experiment on the men. One doctor was doing surgery on the men with flat feet that would leave them with clubfeet.

4. How does the hospital show "what war is?" Paul says that the "hospital alone shows what war is." The hospital shows how evil and cruel war really is because it puts human faces on the shattered bodies. The Dying Room reminds the men of those who will not survive, which they had seen on the battlefield. The hospital also shows the men about the long lasting injuries the men have to live with forever.

5. To what is a soldier's knowledge of life limited? Paul says "our knowledge of life is death." The soldiers do not have any understanding of the real world because they are surrounded by "despair, death, fear" and everything to do with weapons and war. Their generation has done the killing for the older generation.

1. Why does Tjaden eat fast? He eats so fast because he is afraid of dying and realizes that each meal might be his last.

2. What happened to Detering? He becomes homesick when he sees the blooming trees. He runs away and is later captured and court martialed, but the men don’t know any thing else after that.

3. What is ironic about the factory owners in Germany? The irony is that the factory owners are becoming rich off the war and sending bad food, which makes the soldiers sick.

4. What is the only thing the men have to look forward to? The only thing the men had to look forward to was the hope that the rumors of armistice were true and it would all is over.

6. How does Paul react to Kat's death? He is saddened and has no more friends left, he is totally distressed that his friend who he looked up to is now gone.

7. Why is Paul no longer afraid? He is so alone and has no hope anymore for anything of the future he has nothing left to live for.

8. What is the irony of the book's final sentence? The irony is that he was almost glad that he had died. The war was over and he had fought to stay alive for so long and had nothing left.