Question

According to Paul, how do the young soldiers' thoughts about life after the war differ from the expectations of the older men in "All Quiet on the Western Front - Chapter 7"?

a) The young soldiers are more optimistic about life after the war, while the older men are more pessimistic.
b) The young soldiers are more pessimistic about life after the war, while the older men are more optimistic.
c) Both the young soldiers and older men have similar thoughts about life after the war.
d) The text does not provide information on this comparison.

Answer 1

Chapter 7 of 'All Quiet on the Western Front' demonstrates the young soldiers' pessimistic outlook towards life post-war in contrast to older men who might be more optimistic, reflecting a general disillusionment with the war and its aftereffects.

Step-by-step explanation:

In Erich Maria Remarque's All Quiet on the Western Front, Chapter 7 provides a stark look at the differing perspectives between young soldiers and older men regarding life post-war. The young soldiers, having been directly exposed to the brutal realities of trench warfare, have developed a rather pessimistic view of what life might be like after the war. In contrast, the older men—who either have not experienced the front lines or who harbor memories of past wars less mechanized and impersonal—might hold onto a more optimistic vision, though the text leans towards suggesting a generally somber outlook overall. This reflects a broader loss of innocence and a realization that the pre-war world they knew has irrevocably changed, a theme echoed in the disillusionment expressed in post-war literature by authors like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway.