All Quiet on the Western Front
Great book, not-so-great war.
- Course Length: 3 weeks
- Course Type: Short Course
- Category:
- English
- Literature
- High School
Schools and Districts: We offer customized programs that won't break the bank. Get a quote.
When we think of war—and of books about war—we think of glory, of sacrifice, of heroism. And, of course, of death. True, war has all those things in spades. But war also defies every cliché in the book. After all, it's real life. And real life is anything but cliché.
So what to do when you want capture how the soldiers really feel, without sugar coating or exaggerating or glossing over the messy stuff? If you're Erich Maria Remarque, you write All Quiet on the Western Front.
In this course, through Common Core-aligned activities and lots of loaded readings, projects, and quizzes, you will
- understand the nature of World War I and its effect on the soldiers who fought in its battles.
- explain shell shock and its modern descendant: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
- close read key passages from All Quiet on the Western Front for meaning and significance.
- identify significant themes from the novel and from war literature in general.
- understand the living conditions the soldiers faced in their daily lives, and how these conditions impacted their mental state.
And you'll finally see why All Quiet on the Western Front is widely considered one of the most important war novels ever written.
Unit Breakdown
1 All Quiet on the Western Front - All Quiet on the Western Front
All might be quiet on the western front, but nothing's quiet about this unit. In fifteen lessons, we'll tackle pretty much every tough issue known to man, all through the lens of All Quiet on the Western Front.
Sample Lesson - Introduction
Lesson 1.06: All's Not Fair in Love and Trench Warfare
Welcome to the latest RPG: World War I: Your Mind in Combat.
That's right, Shmoopers. We thought it was high time we zero in on one of the most harrowing and horrific effects of World War I: the effect on the minds of these soldiers.
You'll see that in this lesson's readings, we finally get to truly experience (through the written word, of course) just how much of a mental and emotional impact trench warfare is having on these soldiers. In All Quiet on the Western Front, Remarque really highlights the effect of Shell Shock on the average kid in the trenches. Shell Shock affected every aspect of their lives, and in many instances, even threatened their survival.
In this lesson, we'll see why.
Sample Lesson - Reading
Reading 1.1.06: The Real Deal
We got our first taste of combat in Chapter 4. But that, ladies and gents, was just the tip of the iceberg.
In Chapter 6 (our version's page 99-136)—your reading for the day—Remarque really shows us the ropes. It is, in a word, traumatic.
To keep your feet under you, check out our summary.
Sample Lesson - Activity
Activity 1.06a: Role Play
In this chapter, we do a deep dive into the psychological state of mind of these soldiers. And it ain't pretty.
Frankly, it's also a bit hard to imagine what these men are going through. Sure, the descriptions are vivid and the language stirring, but it's not like the majority of us have seen anything approximating combat—let alone the trench variety.
We think the best way to combat that problem (sorry, we couldn't resist) is to try to get into the mindset of these soldiers through a little bit of close reading. Below, we've included some key passages from Chapter 6. We think these passages really capture the essence of what Remarque is trying to describe through Paul's eyes.
For each passage, we want you to imagine you're there by Paul's side—literally imagine you are a soldier in World War I—and answer two questions:
- In this moment, how do you feel physically?
- In this moment, how do you feel emotionally?
It sounds simple, but it can be hard to get those empathy juices flowing when we're talking about something as unfamiliar as war. You've got to really use your imagination here, Shmoopers.
If it helps, do a Google image search for "trench warfare." The visuals should give you a pretty good idea of what we're dealing with.
And remember: you should write this in the voice of the soldier. Don't say "If I were Paul, I would feel…" Act as if you are Paul, or Kat, or any other one of these dudes. 1-2 sentences per question, please.
Creative Written Representation Rubric - 25 Points
Sample Lesson - Activity
- Course Length: 3 weeks
- Course Type: Short Course
- Category:
- English
- Literature
- High School
Schools and Districts: We offer customized programs that won't break the bank. Get a quote.