In All Quiet On The Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque uses the setting to explore important ideas about humanity and war by showing how ugly war is and its effects on people. This is done through the eyes of the central character - Paul Baumer, a soldier who was fresh out of school when he joined the army. He gradually comes to terms with what war is and how unexplainable it is.

Around the start of the book Baumer talks about how wrong everyone was about how the war is back home. His teachers and parents would tell him how wonderful, heroic and manly going to war was, yet they did not know themselves. They virtually forced Paul and his friends to enlist to the army and being as innocent as they were they had no problems with this. This was shown by Remarque saying, "at that time...