All Quiet on the Western Front Revenge Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #1

We had sworn for weeks past to do this. Kropp had even gone so far as to propose entering the postal service in peace-time in order to be Himmelstoss's superior when he became a postman again. He reveled in the thought of how he would grind him. It was this that made it impossible for him to crush us altogether – we always reckoned that later, at the end of the war, we would have our revenge on him. (3.62)

Himmelstoss seems like more of an enemy than anyone else in this novel.

Quote #2

Returning to the barracks he had to go along a dark, uninhabited road. There we waited for him behind a pile of stones. I had a bed-cover with me. We trembled with suspense, hoping [Himmelstoss] would be alone. At last we heard his footstep, which we recognized easily, so often had we heard it in the mornings as the door flew open and he bawled: "Get up!" (3.66)

Paul and his friends spend quite a bit of time coming up with a way to take revenge on Himmelstoss. Why do you think it is so hard for them to just let him be? Why must they execute this last act of revenge?

Quote #3

He put himself in position with evident satisfaction, raised his arm like a signal-mast and his hand like a coal-shovel and fetched such a blow on the white sack as would have felled an ox. (3.71)

Covered in a sheet, this isn't exactly a fair match. The soldiers aren't just having fun with Himmelstoss at this point – there seem to be some heavy emotions involved in this abuse.