All Quiet on the Western Front Quiz & Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What do Paul Baümer and the other members of the Second Company do at the opening of Chapter 1?

Resting

What age are Leer, Müller, Kropp, Haie Westhus, and Paul at the opening of the novel?

Who in the company is in the hospital with a thigh wound?

Kemmerich

What does Kantorek call his former pupils in his letter?

The Iron Youth Signup and view all the answers

What do the men give a hospital orderly in return for more morphine for Kemmerich?

Some cigarettes Signup and view all the answers

What is something that Paul did as a young student?

Write poetry Signup and view all the answers

What does Paul think will happen to the younger men after the war?

They will have nothing Signup and view all the answers

What does Paul think the humiliation dealt out by Corporal Himmelstoss has allowed him to do?

To survive Signup and view all the answers

What job did the dying Kemmerich want to have after the war?

Head forester Signup and view all the answers

What does Kemmerich tell Paul to do with his boots once he is dead?

Give them to Müller Signup and view all the answers

What does Kat give one of the new recruits of Second Company?

Some beans Signup and view all the answers

What does Kat believe would happen if every soldier got the same food and the same pay?

The war would end Signup and view all the answers

How do Paul and his friends remember the recruits' barracks?

With longing Signup and view all the answers

What news does Tjaden excitedly report when he returns to the company?

Himmelstoss is coming Signup and view all the answers

What did Haie, Paul, Kropp, and Tjaden do to Himmelstoss as he returned from his favourite pub?

Beat him up Signup and view all the answers

What does Paul believe the roar of guns and whistling of shells has done to the men's senses?

Sharpened them Signup and view all the answers

What, according to Paul, has taken on new significance for soldiers at the front?

The earth Signup and view all the answers

What does Detering think of the use of horses in war?

He loathes it Signup and view all the answers

In the graveyard, what does Paul hide under to protect himself from the shelling?

A coffin Signup and view all the answers

What does Kat suggest they should do with the recruit who has been injured in the graveyard?

Shoot him Signup and view all the answers

Why is Himmelstoss sent to the front?

As punishment Signup and view all the answers

What does Detering say he would do if the war ended immediately?

Return to his farm Signup and view all the answers

What does Tjaden do to Himmelstoss when ordered by Himmelstoss to stand?

Moons him Signup and view all the answers

Which two soldiers are put on trial for insubordination to Himmelstoss?

Kropp and Tjaden Signup and view all the answers

What do Kat and Paul do at the house where they earlier heard geese?

Roast a goose Signup and view all the answers

What is outside of the shelled schoolhouse?

Coffins Signup and view all the answers

What or who do the soldiers have to fight to protect their food?

Rats Signup and view all the answers

What does Paul take as a bad sign when the soldiers are waiting at the front?

Kat's bad spirits Signup and view all the answers

What do most soldiers in the trench do to try to distract themselves from their waiting?

Play cards Signup and view all the answers

What do memories of the past bring Paul?

Sorrow Signup and view all the answers

What do the French-speaking women throw to the soldiers of Second Company as the soldiers swim across the canal?

Clothing Signup and view all the answers

How many days of leave does Paul receive in Chapter 7?

Seventeen Signup and view all the answers

How is Paul's mother when Paul returns to her during his leave?

She has cancer Signup and view all the answers

While Paul is on leave, what noise startles him because it sounds like shells?

The trams Signup and view all the answers

What does Paul learn from fellow classmate, Mittelstaedt, about their former schoolmaster Kantorek?

He has been conscripted Signup and view all the answers

What does Paul think of the Russian prisoners of war he sees picking through German soldiers' garbage?

They are like him Signup and view all the answers

What instrument does one of the Russian prisoners play next to the fence for Paul to hear?

A violin Signup and view all the answers

Who visits Paul before his return to the front?

His father and sister Signup and view all the answers

What do Paul's father and his sister give Paul before they leave?

Jam and potato cakes Signup and view all the answers

What does Paul give the prisoners after his father and sister leave?

Two cakes Signup and view all the answers

When Paul returns to the front, who is arriving shortly to view the army?

The Kaiser Signup and view all the answers

What are the soldiers given in preparation for the Kaiser's visit?

New clothes Signup and view all the answers

What does Paul volunteer to do that requires him to crawl into No Man's Land?

Gather information Signup and view all the answers

After stabbing the French soldier in the shell hole, what does Paul do to the soldier?

Bandages his wounds Signup and view all the answers

What does Paul learn was the French soldier's trade before the war?

Printer Signup and view all the answers

What do Paul, Tjaden, Müller, Kropp, Detering, and Kat guard in the abandoned village?

A supply dump Signup and view all the answers

What does Paul do while the others roast pigs?

Makes pancakes Signup and view all the answers

What animal do the soldiers take back with them when they are moved from the abandoned village?

A cat Signup and view all the answers

After his leg is injured below the knee, what does Kropp resolve to do if his leg must be amputated?

Commit suicide Signup and view all the answers

What do Paul and Kropp bribe the sergeant-major with so they will be in the same carriage to the hospital?

Cigars Signup and view all the answers

In Chapter 11, to what does Paul compare the war?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

According to Paul, the soldiers identify themselves first and foremost as ___?

As soldiers Signup and view all the answers

What does Detering take that reminds him of his orchard at home?

A cherry tree branch Signup and view all the answers

What happens to Detering after he is caught while deserting the army?

Unknown Signup and view all the answers

What happens to Kat while he is returning with scavenged food?

He is wounded Signup and view all the answers

In the autumn of 1918, what seems likely to happen if the war does not end soon?

German citizens will revolt Signup and view all the answers

What injury leads to Paul receiving fourteen days recuperation time?

Inhalation of poison gas Signup and view all the answers

How does Paul imagine his generation returning home after the war?

As living corpses Signup and view all the answers

What happens to Paul in October of 1918?

He dies Signup and view all the answers

What is the expression on Paul's face after he has died?

Calm Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Setting and Characters

Chapter 1 begins with Paul Baümer and the other members of the Second Company resting amidst the chaos of war.
Paul and his comrades, including Leer, Müller, Kropp, and Haie Westhus, are all 19 years old at the start of the narrative.

Hospitalization and Relationships

Kemmerich, a character in the company, is hospitalized with a severe thigh wound.
Kantorek refers to his former students as "The Iron Youth" in a letter, showcasing his romanticized view of young soldiers.

Experience of War

The men barter with a hospital orderly, exchanging cigarettes for more morphine for their injured comrade.
Paul reflects on his past, recalling that he wrote poetry as a young student, a stark contrast to his current grim reality.
Paul expresses concern that while older generations will forget the war, younger men like him will be left with nothing.

Discipline and Survival

Corporal Himmelstoss's humiliating discipline is perceived by Paul as a necessary means for survival in the harsh conditions of war.

Personal Aspirations and Death

Kemmerich had dreams of becoming a head forester, illustrating the ambitions lost to war.
Just before his death, Kemmerich asks Paul to give his boots to Müller, highlighting the transient nature of life and possessions amid the war.

Kat, a resourceful character, provides beans to a new recruit, illustrating camaraderie among soldiers.
Kat believes that equal treatment in food and pay could end the war, pointing to systemic inequities.

Memories and Distractions

Soldiers in the trenches remember the familiarity of their barracks with nostalgia.
Tjaden brings news of Himmelstoss’s impending return, igniting excitement among the men.
Paul and his friends once retaliated against Himmelstoss by beating him up, indicating their resistance to tyranny.

Psychological Impact

The roar of guns and whistling shells sharpen the men's senses, a survival mechanism forged in war.
The earth takes on a new significance for soldiers, representing both a refuge and a grave.

Impressions of War

Detering, a character who despises the use of horses in warfare, symbolizes a heart within the machinery of war.
Paul finds shelter under a coffin during shelling, highlighting the constant threat of death.

Morality and Decisions

After a severe injury in the graveyard, Kat suggests the harsh decision to shoot the injured recruit, reflecting the grim realities faced by soldiers.
Himmelstoss is sent to the front as punishment for his prior behavior.

Reflections on Home

Detering dreams of his farm, showcasing the minds of soldiers often wandering to loved ones and homes.
Paul experiences mixed emotions upon hearing familiar noises, such as trams, which remind him of the battlefield.

War's Human Cost

Paul empathizes with Russian prisoners scavenging through refuse, seeing them as mirrors of his own plight.
A haunting moment occurs when a Russian prisoner plays the violin, echoing the shared humanity amidst conflict.

Visits and Offers

Paul's brief leave from duty is marked by a visit from his father and sister, who provide him with homemade gifts.
After their departure, Paul shares his scarce food with the prisoners, demonstrating kindness despite scarcity.

Returning to the Front

On returning to combat, Paul prepares for a visit from the Kaiser, indicative of the façade presented to figures of authority.
Paul’s role requires him to gather intelligence from No Man's Land, emphasizing the risks soldiers undertake.

Combat Experiences

After wounding a French soldier, Paul chooses to bandage his wounds, highlighting a complicated morality amidst violence.
Paul discovers the fallen soldier was a printer, humanizing the enemy combatant.

Supply and Survival

Paul and his comrades guard a supply dump in an abandoned village, showcasing the strategic and mundane aspects of war.
While others prepare food, Paul makes pancakes, revealing moments of normalcy amidst chaos.

Descent into Despair

Kropp resolves to commit suicide if his leg is amputated, illustrating the despair faced by soldiers when confronting severe injuries.
Kat’s injury while scavenging food emphasizes the constant peril soldiers experience.

War's Toll and Future

By autumn 1918, the sentiment of revolt among German citizens suggests the fragility of morale and support for the war effort.
Paul receives recuperation time due to a gas inhalation injury, reflecting war's physical toll on soldiers.

Endgame of the Conflict

Paul envisions a future where his generation returns home as "living corpses," underscoring the spiritual and emotional devastation wrought by the conflict.
Ultimately, Paul dies in October 1918, with a calm expression on his face, representing a tragic end to his tumultuous journey.

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Test your knowledge on 'All Quiet on the Western Front' with these flashcard questions. Dive into Chapter 1 and explore key characters and events that shape the narrative. Perfect for students looking to reinforce their understanding of this classic novel.

All Quiet on the Western Front Quiz