Final answer:
Paul and his friends in 'All Quiet on the Western Front' feel alienated and fundamentally different from other soldiers due to the brutal realities and the psychological toll of trench warfare which stripped them of any youthful idealism.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Erich Maria Remarque's novel All Quiet on the Western Front, Paul and his friends feel fundamentally different from other soldiers because their youth and inexperience stand in stark contrast to the desensitizing brutality and fatalism of the older soldiers.
The young soldiers, fresh from school, quickly lose any idealism they may have had about war as they are enveloped in the harrowing reality of trench warfare. This transformative experience profoundly alters their perceptions, creating a generational rift between them and those who have not experienced the front lines, as well as a sense of alienation from the older soldiers.
The shared suffering and horror of trench warfare yet provide a way for them to form a strong bond with each other, one that becomes a defining part of their identity. They see the war not as a heroic endeavor but as a relentless machine of death, stripping away the chivalric notions that might have been instilled in them.
Instead of heroism, they discover that survival often comes down to luck, making their courage and abilities seem irrelevant.
Throughout All Quiet on the Western Front, Remarque vividly captures the emotional and psychological toll of World War I on these young soldiers. The novel serves as an enduring commentary on the dehumanizing effects of modern warfare, the breakdown of traditional values in combat, and the profound impact of war on the human psyche.