Gender Stereotype Breakdown in the Trenches: A Study of All Quiet on the Western Front

Abstract

In his novel All Quiet on the Western Front, Erick Remarque’s portrayal of young male soldiers fighting in the trenches of World War I is considered brutally accurate. The time young men spent in the trenches robbed them of their innocence as well as their assumptions about manhood, forcing them to learn new ways to protect one another physically and psychologically. This study’s analysis of Remarque’s male characters reveals the novel’s subtle exploration of traditional gender stereotypes and their limits. In context of research on the experiences of World War I soldiers, this paper examines key character-interactions, as well as protagonist Paul Baumer’s internal processing of his experience, revealing that under extreme circumstances, traditional gender stereotypes fall short and nontraditional behaviors are necessary for survival.