All Quiet on the Western Front: Catalyst for Change All Quiet on the Western Front is a book written by Erich Maria Remarque. It was a book written to reflect the human cost of war. It shows us how war has a hidden face that most people don't see until it's too late. In the novel he describes a group of young people who initially think that war is glorious. But as the war drags on, the group discovers that the war is not all it was cracked up to be. As the war continued, they saw their friends die or become permanently injured. Then comes the end when only one person remains. All Quiet on the Western Front is set in Germany, where a group of boys are encouraged to join the army for the first time. Thinking it would be a great adventure, they enlisted, not knowing the fate that awaited them. Initially, the group is sent to training. They are not in a serious mood, they think that the war conditions are not as serious as they really are. When the boys are sent to the front, it is only then that they begin to realize how bad war is. This is when the boys get packed into the trenches. Some soldiers were in shock due to the continuous shelling. When one of the boys was injured, he was taken to a hospital where there were many wounded soldiers. Some soldiers had to have body parts amputated to survive. When Kemmerich was in hospital, Müller asked for his pair of boots. The boots clearly reminded the boys of the cost of war. Paul must then face his conscience when he kills one of the Frenchmen. He does not see the face of an enemy but only the face of another human being. He tries to console himself by promising to help the fallen soldier's family. After Paul is relieved from the front, he decides to go on leave and return home. But when he tries to tell each of the horrible conditions in the trenches, everyone laughs at him or calls him a coward. Paul returns before his leave actually ended, wishing he had never returned home. Ultimately, when Paul loses Kat, he realizes that the war has destroyed his way of life.