Charpter Two Review

 Summary

In this chapter, the reader is presented with situations that beg for explanation. The cruel training of Himmielstoss that Paul remembers along with the patriotism that was instilled upon the men as they trained. There is a world of chaos around them at all times and they are stuck to make sense of it all for themselves. When Paul visits Kemmerich before his death, the novel shows Paul completely dumbfounded by the meaningless loss of his friend. The situation with the boots is a symbolic theme throughout the novel. In this chapter, the boots represent the hard truth to death or the inevitable. This also shows the humane nature of man even at his worst.