All Quiet on the Western Front: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox book
[[File:All_Quiet_on_the_Western_Front_(1930_film)_poster.jpg|thumb|210px|right]]
| title = All Quiet on the Western Front
[[File:All_Quiet_on_the_Western_Front_modern_cover.jpg|thumb|190px|left]]
| original title = Im Westen nichts Neues
| image = All_Quiet_on_the_Western_Front_modern_cover.jpg
| caption =
| author = Erich Maria Remarque
| central theme = [[War Is Hell]]
| elevator pitch = The story of a young German man who volunteers to fight in [[WW I}}, told from his perspective.
| genre = War novel
| publication date = 29 January 1929
}}


{{quote|''"This book is to be neither an accusation nor a confession. It will try simply to tell of a generation of men who, even though they may have escaped its shells, were destroyed by the war."''}}
{{quote|''"This book is to be neither an accusation nor a confession. It will try simply to tell of a generation of men who, even though they may have escaped its shells, were destroyed by the war."''}}


'''''All Quiet on the Western Front''''' ('''''Im Westen Nichts Neues''''') is a 1929 anti-war novel, set during [[World War I]], by famous German author and war veteran Erich Maria Remarque. It's considered to be one of the greatest and most important works in the genre.
'''''All Quiet on the Western Front''''' ('''''Im Westen Nichts Neues''''') is a 1929 anti-war novel, set during [[World War I]], by famous German author and war veteran Erich Maria Remarque. It's considered to be one of the greatest and most important works in the genre. The book was a best-seller when it was first released.


Many of the elements of the narrative correspond to Remarque's own experiences, and the book has strong autobiographic undertones.
Many of the elements of the narrative correspond to Remarque's own experiences, and the book has strong autobiographic undertones.

The book was a best-seller when it was first released. In 1930, an American film adaptation was made, directed by Lewis Milestone. It won the Best Picture [[Academy Award|Oscar]] and is often considered to be the [[Trope Maker]] of the modern war drama. An equally good TV adaptation was made in 1979.


''All Quiet on the Western Front'' is narrated by a young soldier, former grammar school student [[The Everyman|Paul Bäumer]]. [[War Is Hell|The horrors of trench warfare are described in a brutally realistic fashion]]. Further themes are [[Band of Brothers|comradeship]] and the soldiers' detachment from civilian life.
''All Quiet on the Western Front'' is narrated by a young soldier, former grammar school student [[The Everyman|Paul Bäumer]]. [[War Is Hell|The horrors of trench warfare are described in a brutally realistic fashion]]. Further themes are [[Band of Brothers|comradeship]] and the soldiers' detachment from civilian life.


'''Adaptations:'''
{{tropelist}}
[[File:All_Quiet_on_the_Western_Front_(1930_film)_poster.jpg|thumb|210px]]
* [[All Quiet on the Western Front (1930 film)|In 1930, an American film adaptation was made]], directed by Lewis Milestone. It won the Best Picture [[Academy Award|Oscar]] and is often considered to be the [[Trope Maker]] of the modern war drama.
* [[All Quiet on the Western Front (1979 film)|An equally good TV-movie adaptation]] was made in 1979.
* [[All Quiet on the Western Front (2022 film)|Another film of the novel]], which won four Oscars, was released in 2022.

{{franchisetropes}}
* [[An Arm and a Leg]]: Paul's former classmate Albert Kropp has his leg amputated when they're wounded together. This makes him contemplate suicide, but he eventually accepts his fate. Earlier, Franz Kemmerich, another classmate of Paul's has his leg amputated, but he doesn't survive.
* [[An Arm and a Leg]]: Paul's former classmate Albert Kropp has his leg amputated when they're wounded together. This makes him contemplate suicide, but he eventually accepts his fate. Earlier, Franz Kemmerich, another classmate of Paul's has his leg amputated, but he doesn't survive.
* [[Badass]]: Kat. Also, that one guy who was mortally wounded and lived long enough to make sure the enemy fleet was wiped out.
* [[Badass]]: Kat. Also, that one guy who was mortally wounded and lived long enough to make sure the enemy fleet was wiped out.
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{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
<!-- MOD: Literature templates and categories are listed below; be sure to move them to the novel's works page once "All Quiet on the Western Front {novel)" is written -->
{{The Big Read}}
{{The Big Read}}
[[Category:Lit Fic]]
[[Category:Literature of the 1920s]]
[[Category:German Literature]]
[[Category:School Study Media]]
[[Category:Military and Warfare Literature]]
[[Category:World War I]]
<!-- MOD: Film templates and categories are listed below; be sure to move them to any or all of the films' works pages once those pages are written -->
{{Academy Award Best Picture}}
{{Academy Award Best Picture}}
[[Category:{{PAGENAME}}]]
[[Category:Epic Movie]]
[[Category:Epic Movie]]
[[Category:Films Based on Novels]]
[[Category:Films Based on Novels]]
[[Category:Films With Recuts]]
[[Category:Films With Recuts]]
[[Category:Films of the 1930s]]
[[Category:Films of the 1930s]]
[[Category:German Literature]]
[[Category:National Film Registry]]
[[Category:Lit Fic]]
[[Category:Films of the 1970s]]
[[Category:Literature of the 1920s]]
[[Category:Films of the 2020s]]
[[Category:Military and Warfare Films]]
[[Category:Military and Warfare Films]]
[[Category:Military and Warfare Literature]]
[[Category:National Film Registry]]
[[Category:School Study Media]]
[[Category:World War I]]

Revision as of 16:35, 3 July 2023

{{Infobox book

| title = All Quiet on the Western Front
| original title = Im Westen nichts Neues
| image = All_Quiet_on_the_Western_Front_modern_cover.jpg
| caption = 
| author = Erich Maria Remarque
| central theme = War Is Hell
| elevator pitch = The story of a young German man who volunteers to fight in [[WW I}}, told from his perspective.
| genre = War novel
| publication date = 29 January 1929

}}

"This book is to be neither an accusation nor a confession. It will try simply to tell of a generation of men who, even though they may have escaped its shells, were destroyed by the war."

All Quiet on the Western Front (Im Westen Nichts Neues) is a 1929 anti-war novel, set during World War I, by famous German author and war veteran Erich Maria Remarque. It's considered to be one of the greatest and most important works in the genre. The book was a best-seller when it was first released.

Many of the elements of the narrative correspond to Remarque's own experiences, and the book has strong autobiographic undertones.

All Quiet on the Western Front is narrated by a young soldier, former grammar school student Paul Bäumer. The horrors of trench warfare are described in a brutally realistic fashion. Further themes are comradeship and the soldiers' detachment from civilian life.

Adaptations:

The following tropes are common to many or all entries in the All Quiet on the Western Front franchise.
For tropes specific to individual installments, visit their respective work pages.
  • An Arm and a Leg: Paul's former classmate Albert Kropp has his leg amputated when they're wounded together. This makes him contemplate suicide, but he eventually accepts his fate. Earlier, Franz Kemmerich, another classmate of Paul's has his leg amputated, but he doesn't survive.
  • Badass: Kat. Also, that one guy who was mortally wounded and lived long enough to make sure the enemy fleet was wiped out.
  • Big Eater: Tjaden.
  • Bread, Eggs, Milk, Squick: Paul muses that they didn't learn anything useful at school: "nobody ever taught us how to light a cigarette in a storm of rain, nor how a fire could be made with wet wood - nor that it is best to stick a bayonet in the belly because there it doesn't get jammed, as it does in the ribs."
  • Bring My Brown Pants: A new recruit craps himself in his first fight. The veterans quietly tell him how to deal with it, and ask if he really thinks he's the first soldier ever to get the gun-shits.
  • But for Me It Was Tuesday:
    • At the beginning, Paul sits at the bed of his friend, Kemmerich, who had his leg amputated. When he realizes that Kemmerich is dying, he runs for the doctor:

Paul: Come quick, Franz Kemmerich is dying!
Doctor: (to an orderly) Which will that be?
Orderly: Bed 26, amputated thigh.
Doctor: How should I know anything about it? I've amputated five legs today!