Earth, OUR MOTHER

In the novel All Quiet On The Western Front the earth represented a motherly figure. When Paul and his fellow soldiers Kat and Muller went to the front to set up bared wires. A HUGE bombardment started and there was nothing to protect Paul, except for the earth's natural features. All the bullets passed Paul and hit the ground, the trees, and the rocks. The earth was protecting Paul, like a mother protecting her child. Paul was emphasizing that the earth was a lifesaver for him. Paul even says during the bombardment “I creep under the yielding thin, cover myself with it, draw it over me, it is wood, cloth, cover.” (67). This shows that during all those bombs are falling and everyone is dying, Paul feels alone, but he always remembers that he has a friend with him, THE EARTH!  He feels that the earth is always with the soldiers, even when the soldiers die, the soldiers are buried on earth. Paul tries to show that the earth never lets go of anyone; it holds them tight and secure. He even says, “To no man does the earth mean so much as to the soldier. When he presses himself down upon her long and powerfully, when he buries his face and his limbs deep in her from the fear of death by shell-fire, than she is his only friend.” (55). I believe that Paul is also trying to show that the earth is also like a good soldier that always looks for others, helps other, protects others, and has a friendship with others. Without the earth Paul would probably say war is like hell, where death and loneliness occurs commonly! Earth is like an angel to these young soldiers, and if you think about now you know why God has created Earth and it’s beautiful features.