ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT
Erich Maria Remarque
Discussions Questions:
1. Did the capacity for fighting and war exist in man before the Fall or is it a result of original sin? Was Adam a warrior before the Fall? Should he have physically protected Eve from the Serpent? (Remember the great scene in 'Perelandra' when Ransom engages in physical combat with the 'devil') Aquinas says that carnivores were created with sharp teeth and mosquitoes with stingers, which were used ordinately before the Fall (i.e. in the correct manner, on the correct victim, at the correct time, etc.). Does this same theory apply to man and his fighting instincts?
2. Are fighting and warfare always the result of vice (envy, anger, pride, etc)? Are they a mark of civilization or barbarism?
3. Fighting obviously corresponds to something deep within the male. Are there born warriors, men who by nature are designed for this purpose? Is every man capable of being a warrior? If not, is that a deficiency?
4. How should we handle this 'fighting instinct' with our boys?
5. How does the natural instinct to protect become inordinate? What are the effects of this inordinate passion? (think back to 'The Great Santini')
6. What psychological effects does war have on the loser? The victor?
7. Should war be avoided at all costs? Has modern warfare gone "too far"? Can war be regulated? What happens, for instance, when one party refuses to play by the rules? Looking at history we see that it is often the party who is willing to break the rules who ends up victorious. Is this honorable or dishonorable; is it a question of the end justifying the means?
8. Is demanding 'unconditional surrender' a wise policy? To what extent should we seek to completely annihilate our enemies? Is there a difference between spiritual and material warfare in this regard?
Further Reading:
- 'The Great Santini' by Pat Conroy
