Group Project: 19th Century Literature

Our group ( Kelly, A.J., and Matt ) met at the library to create a slide show about 19th century literature. We all discussed what each person will present, and we all contributed with creating the presentaion.

19th Century Literature

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Five Talking Points

• A great read which displays a side of war often unknown.
• A post theatre war movie shines on the big screen.
• The hardships of common soldiers are revealed in this one of a kind novel.
• A heart-breaking ending to a wonderful novel.
• The loss of one's friends during an already tragic time.

Stanislaus Katczinsky

Stanislaus Katczinsky, also known as Kat, is the oldest of the main characters. He is almost forty years old, and with his age, brings experience and leadership into the lives of the other young main characters. Kat was the only main character to have a career back home. He was a cobbler. In a way, he represents the differences between the older soldiers and the younger soldiers. This is due to his age, which has given him more time than the other main characters to live a life and have life experiences. Kat is also known to have a sort of sixth sense. He is always able to scavenge up food and supplies even when no one else has any such luck in doing so. Kat is the best friend that Paul, the novels main character and narrator, makes throughout the novel. Kat is also the final friend of Paul’s to die in the novel. Kat becomes wounded in battle, and Paul carries him on his back to safety, only to find out that he perished along the way due to a splinter that struck him in the back of the head. It is Kat’s death which finally breaks Paul. He no longer is concerned whether he lives or dies in the war. He knows he is now alone, and faces the world without any sense of fear.

The experience and leadership that Kat shows throughout the novel is truly remarkable. He is a great leader, and does whatever he can for the rest of the character throughout the novel. He shares heart touching moments with the main characters in the novel, especially Paul. He always provides a positive influence on the battlefield, and is more knowledgeable about battle tactics than anyone else. It is his leadership qualities which make him such a vital character throughout the novel. He is the type of leader that any comrade would want to have, and he is the type of friend that anyone would like to have.

Chapter 6 All Quiet on the Western Front

Chapter six of the novel All Quiet on the Western Front is truly eye opening. This chapter is the first chapter to really describe just what type of conditions that the soldiers were facing while being engaged in trench warfare. The chapter is brutally realistic and graphic with its descriptions. The reader feels like they themselves have been placed into the midst of battle as description after description depict the harsh and relentless conditions of World War I trench warfare. The characters in this chapter are first faced with the issue of rats. The rats continually eat their food in the middle of the night. Along with the rats, the French enemy continually fires artillery upon the German troops. Trench after trench is destroyed, only to be quickly repaired, even though this is almost useless. Finally, the French army charges the trenches of the Germans. A bloody battle occurs. Hand grenades are thrown throughout the battle field, tearing full limbs clean off from their former bodies. The Germans withstand the French attack, and deliver a counter attack of their own. The Germans quickly overtake the French trenches, and take all of the food and supplies that they are able to before heading back to their trenches. That night, the German soldiers recover their strength and stamina with some well-deserved food and drink. They also take the moment of silence to reflect upon childhood memories, wishing that they were able to return to them. Their visions are cut short however, as a fresh French bombardment begins. New recruits are mowed down due to their inexperience. After this second barrage, which the Germans once again prevail through, the Second Company is relieved. The Second Company is the company which stars the main characters of the novel. The end of the chapter reveals that the Second Company has been cut down from one hundred and fifty men to just thirty two men throughout the course of the trench warfare.