Summary:
In the book All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque, Katczinsky is generous, realistic, and father-like as shown through actions, dialogue, and narration.
Salvador Sali said, "Wars have never hurt anybody except the people who die." Salvador Sali's quote means the people fighting the war are mainly hurt instead of others outside the war. In All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque, the story is being told by Paul Baumer, a German soldier, and his point of view of war. Along with his friends from school, Kropp, Muller, Leer, Kemmerich, and Behm, they enlist into the German army with encouragement from their schoolmaster, Kantorek. At the Front, he makes new friends, Katczinsky aka Kat, Tjaden, Detering, and Haie Westhus, and becomes the best friend of Stanislaus Katczinsky, the commander, wise old man, and friend to the recruits. He develops brotherhood-like bonds with his friends whom are more important than his own family in the time of war, whom he depends on for emotionally. Paul is trained under Himmelstoss, a strict, power abusing commander that dislikes Paul and his friends. At the Front and in battle, Remarque gives graphic descriptions of Warfare such as when Paul stabs a Frenchman. Paul learns that the Allies are also scared soldiers, like himself, after stabbing a French soldier, Gerald Duval, whom has a family. One by one, his friends die and Paul loses a bit of emotional stability each time. In the end, Paul is the only survivor out of his classmates and becomes emotional unstable. He dies quietly at the Front a month before the armistice. All Quiet on the Western Front demonstrates the physical and emotional hardship of World War I. Erich Maria Remarque demonstrates Katczinsky is generous, realistic, and father-like as shown through actions, dialogue, and narration.
Katczinsky's generosity conveys through his actions. Paul and soldiers arrive to an unknown spot with empty stomachs. Kat disappears in the middle of the night, "We are just dozing off when the door opens and Kat appears. I think I must be dreaming; he has two loaves of bread under his arm and a bloodstained sandbag full of horse-flesh in his hand," (39). Through his actions, Kat returns to the unknown location with food. His actions exemplify he is a generous person when he shares his food warmly with the other men. This also shows that Kat is thinking of others before himself, thus making him a generous person. Another example is when Kat and Paul catch a goose. Kat prepares the goose, then cooks it. "We carve off a portion and wrap it carefully in newspaper. The rest we thought of taking over to the huts. Kat laughs, and simply says: 'Tjaden," (96). As shown through his actions, in agreement with Paul, Kat shares his food with Tjaden and Kropp. When he gives his food to his friends, his unselfishness shows that Kat is a generous person.
Katczinsky is shown to be realistic through dialogue. The soldiers are at rest five miles behind the front. They gather together at the cook-house for food. The cook, Ginger, has made food for a hundred and fifty men. "You might be generous for once. You haven't drawn food for eight men. You've drawn it for the Second Company. Good. Let's have it then. We are the Second Company," (5). In the dialogue, Kat is shown to be realistic. When Kat says, "You haven't drawn food for the eight men. You've drawn it for the Second Company. Good. Let's have it then. We are the Second Company," this demonstrates that Kat is thinking realistically about the food and who it should go to. Katczinsky realistically believes that the eight men should have the extra food since the other soldiers are either dead or at the dressing station, which shows that Kat is a realistic person. Reluctantly, every soldier receives the extra rations. Afterward, at the graveyard, after the shelling has ceased, Paul, Kat, and Kropp find a wounded shoulder that is severely shot on his hip joint. The wounded soldier is the fair-headed boy that wet his trousers. "Shouldn't we take a revolver and put an end to it," (72). As shown through dialogue, Kat realistically believes the fair-headed boy should be mercifully killed. Realizing the boy will die an agonizing, painful death, Kat considers that fair-headed boy should be put out of his misery. This explains how Kat is a realistic thinker.
The father-like personality of Katczinsky demonstrates through narration. The soldiers face a bombardment and shelling in the graveyard. "The hand shakes me, I turn my head, in the second of light I stare into the face of Katczinsky, he has his mouth wide open and is yelling. I hear nothing, he rattles me, comes nearer in a momentary lull his voice reaches me. 'Gas-Gaas-Gaaas-Pass it on," (67-68). As shown through narration, Kat is shown to be a father-like when he instructs Paul to "pass it on." Katczinsky makes sure his comrades are safe from the poisonous fumes. This conveys that Katczinsky knows that is best just like a father knows what is best for his son, which shows that Katczinksy is father-like. Later, Paul and Kat steal a goose for dinner. Kat prepares the goose and cookie it while Paul watches. " I love him, his shoulders, his angular, stooping figure and at the same time I see behind him woods and stars, and a clear voice utters words that bring me peace,"(95). In the narration, Paul's description of Kat illustrate that Kat is father-like in his eyes. Paul's narration denotes affection when looking at Katczinsky. This demonstrates Kat is father-like when Paul feels his son-like affection for Kat.
In conclusion, Erich Maria Remarque shows through actions, dialogue, and narration that Katczinsky is generous, realistic, and father-like. Through dialogue, Katczinsky demonstrates to be a realistic thinker when he considers situations to be handled a certain way. His actions exemplify he is a generous person, exemplifying his generosity that he gives to the soldiers by giving food. His father-like attitude is shown through narration, illustrating his care for his fellow comrades. The importance of Stanislaus Katczinsky is comradeship he displays with his friends and with Paul, the main character and best friend. Erich Maria Remarque intends us to learn how much Paul emotionally depends on him for support and stability and Paul becomes emotionally distraught when Katczinsky dies. Understanding Katczinsky helps understand the comradeship that keeps Paul emotionally stable throughout the war. To follow Katczinsky's example, a person must always be there for another friend in bad and good times. If someone was just there for a friend, they could help their friend be happy, sane most of the time, and a difference in a friend's life. Following Katczinsky's generosity, father-like personality, and realistic attitude will enable people to become unselfish human beings by being there for others in a time of need. If people became friends with other people and obtain the comradeship of the German Soldier on the Western Front, emotional stability will be secured and no one will be suffering alone. Comradeship will demonstrate dependency, but it will also demonstrate a difference in that person's life.
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