Written in 1929 by Erich Maria Remarque, a German veteran of World War I, this novel reveals the extreme physical and mental sufferings endured by countless unnamed German soldiers in war and the detachment encountered by them upon returning from battle.

How does having Paul Bäumer as a first-person narrator instead of a third-person narrator give a better look on this personal toll the war took on the soldiers?

How does this book make the public realize that war being all about patriotism, glory, and honor was nothing more than a false 'bill of goods' sold to us all this time? Remarque described in detail the horror and trauma experienced by Paul and his fellow comrades upon witnessing dehumanizing new military technology. How does this ‘advancement in technology’ affect the soldiers and their notion of their fatal but patriotic duty?

How was the concept of comradeship prevalent and portrayed throughout the story? How does that make you feel in contrast to the betrayal that the soldiers often experienced? In what ways did the soldiers feel betrayal from their mentors, their parents, hospital surgeons and even, ironically, the country they are ready to die for?

What does Corporal Himmelstoss’s relentless focus on power reflect about the military system and war itself? What does the beating he later experienced from Paul and his friends symbolize? How do you judge this move?

Throughout the book, who did the soldiers believe to be their true enemies in war? How about you, and why do you think so?