All Quiet on the Western Front

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. World War I changed society in many ways and ushered in the modern age. What were some of the impacts of WWI? How did this conflict change society as people knew it?

Teaching Suggestion: It may be beneficial to help students categorize the various impacts of WWI—technology, social consciousness and belief systems, disillusionment with government and leaders, the sociopolitical landscape, etc.

• “Origins, Outbreak, and Conclusions” from the British Library provides some resources about the origins and impacts of WWI. Other relevant pages on various aspects of the war are linked from this page.
• “100 Years After WWI: The Lasting Impacts of the Great War,” an interview with Syracuse professor David H. Bennett, discusses the lingering effects of WWI a century after the war’s outbreak.

2. The novel’s protagonist, Paul, sometimes struggles to process the violence and conflict around him. Many people grappled with the devastation brought on by the war; artistic expression changed as a result. In this unit, you’ll be exploring some poetry inspired by the events of WWI alongside your reading.