1. All Quiet on The Western Front Chapter Two questions

2. Why does Paul refer to his generation as a wasteland? – (in this edition the word is hardened) – They should be standing on the threshold of life and getting ready for all those wonderful things that await a young adult – but instead they have been ‘swept away’ and ‘hardened’ by the experience – ‘cut off’ from everything they knew before. (p14) – They are without any opportunity to have any meaningful human relationships and any opportunity to enjoy life.

3. Who is Corporal Himmeltoss? – The commander of the squad that Paul and his friends ended up in – Number Nine Squad.

4. What prejudice does Paul have against small men? Why? – Paul thinks that the ‘miseries of the world are caused by short people – they are so much more quick tempered and difficult to get on with than tall ones…usually they are complete bastards’ (p7) – Himmeltoss and Kantorek are both short men, both symbols of authority over the boys, both short men who have abused that power in some way.

5. How do Paul and Kropp get revenge on Himmeltoss? – They ‘accidentally on purpose’ poured the latrine (poos and wees) bucket on his ‘poshed up’ outfit. They also obeyed all of his orders but at snails pace – infuriating him. (p18)

6. According to Paul, what is the finest thing to arise from the war? – ‘Comradeship in arms’ – the feeling of solidarity with your fellow soldiers. (p19)

7. What is significant about Kemmerich’s telling Paul to take the boots for Muller? – It means that Kemmerich knows that he is going to die (and also that he was aware that Kemmerich would want them).

8. What is the great hunger that Paul feels after Kemmerich’s death? – It is a hunger for life - to do all those things that Kemmerich can’t do now that he’s dead.

9. Kemmerich's death illustrates part of the central message of the novel. What is it? – The harsh reality of war does not allow for sentimentality or charity. – Only the facts are real. – This also underscores the idea of ‘comradeship’ being so important.