INFLUENCES OF WAR TOWARD PAUL'S PERSONALITY ...

INFLUENCES OF WAR TOWARD PAUL’S PERSONALITY

DEVELOPMENT IN ERICH MARIA REMARQUE’S ALL

QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of Requirements

for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

DIWANGKARA

Student Number: 144214026

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS

UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA

YOGYAKARTA

2019

PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI

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INFLUENCES OF WAR TOWARD PAUL’S PERSONALITY

DEVELOPMENT IN ERICH MARIA REMARQUE’S ALL


AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of Requirements

for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

DIWANGKARA

Student Number: 144214026

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS

UNIVERSITAS SANATA DHARMA

YOGYAKARTA

2019


A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis

INFLUENCES OF WAR TOWARD PAUL'S PERSONALITYDEVELOPMENT IN ERICH MARIA REMARQUE'S ALL


By

DIWANGKARAStudent Number: 144214026

Approved by

Dr. FaJar SasmiAdvisor

Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani, M.Hum.Co-Advisor

III

May 10,2019

May 10,2019


A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis



By

DIWANGKARAStudent Number: 144214026

Defended before the Board ofExaminerson June 10,2019

and Declared Acceptable

BOARD OF EXAMINERS

Name

Chairperson : Dr. Fajar Sasmita Aji, M Hum.

Secretary : Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani, M.Hum.

Member I : Dr. Tatang lskama, M Hum.

Member 2 : Dr. Fajar Sasmita Aji, M. Hum.

Member 3 ' : Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani, MHum.

IV


STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY

I certify that this undergraduate thesis contains no material which has been

previously submitted for the award of any other degree at any university, and that,

to the best of my knowledge, this undergraduate thesis contains no material

previously written by any other person except where due reference is made in the

text of the undergraduate thesis.

v


LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAHUNTUK KEPENTINGAN AKADEMIS

Yang bertanda tangan di bawah ini, saya mahasiswa Universitas Sanata Dharma

NamaNomor Mahasiswa

: Diwangkara: 144214026

Demi pemgembangan ilmu pengetahuan, saya memberikan kepada PerpustakaanUniversitas Sanata Dharma karya ilmiah saya yang berjudul



berserta perangkat yang diperlukan (bila ada). Dengan demikian saya memberikankepada Perpustakaan Universitas Sanata Dharma hak untuk menyimpan,mengalihkan dalam bentuk media lain, mengelolanya dalam bentuk pangkalan data,mendistribusikan secara terbatas, dan mempublikasikannya di intemet atau medialain untuk kepentingan akademis tanpa perlu meminta ijin kepada saya maupunmemberikan royalti kepada saya selama tetap mencantumkan nama saya sebagaipenulis.

Demikian pemyataan ini saya buat dengan sebenamya.

Dibuat di YogyakartaPada tanggal3 Januari 2019

Diwangkara

VI


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Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew

When I bit off more than I could chew

But through it all, when there was doubt

I ate it up and spit it out

I faced it all and I stood tall

And did it MY WAY

Frank Sinatra – My Way


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For My Beloved Parents and My

Friends that put faith in me to finish

this thesis


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all, I would like to express the gratitude to God for all His blessings

in my life, and for always be there whenever I feel down while working on this

thesis. I’m powerless without Him and would never make it this far.

I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Gabriel Fajar Aji Sasmita Aji, M. Hum

and my co-advisor Ni Luh Putu Rosiandani, M.Hum, who always support and give

me hope throughout the process of writing this thesis. Thanks for always reminding

me to be more careful and critical in every discussion session. I would not survive

in this “war” without your guidance.

My special gratitude goes to my family for always encouraging and

motivating me to finish this thesis. Thanks to my father for always be there and be

my third advisor when I have no clue working on this thesis, and my mother for

always bringing me up when I feel down and depressed. All my beloved friends in

Sanata Dharma University: Nick, Yudha, Yoyo, Febri, “Bang” Rangga, Tommy,

Nelly, Nena, Jeremy, Zain, Akbar, Erwin, and all my seniors, Sony,Yoga, Fitra,

Ardi Yoga, and Dismas, and all that I am not able to mention. Thank you for all

your supports.

Diwangkara


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE …………………………………………………………............... ii

APPROVAL PAGE ……………………………………………………………. iii

ACCEPTANCE PAGE ………………………………………………………… iv

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ………………………………………….... v

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI KARYA ILMIAH .. vi

MOTTO PAGE ………………………………………………………………... vii

DEDICATION PAGE ……………………………………………………...… viii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ………………………………………………….... ix

TABLE OF CONTENTS ……………………………………………………..… x

ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………………...….… xii

ABSTRAK …………………………………….…………………………...…... xiii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ……………………………………………… 1

A. Background of the Study ………………………………………….………. 1

B. Problem Formulation ……………………………………………………... 3

C. Objectives of the Study ………………………………………….………… 3

D. Definition of Terms ……………………………………………………….. 4

CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE ………………………………… 6

A. Review of Related Studies ….………………………………………..……. 6

B. Review of Related Theories ..……………………………………….…….. 8

1. Theory of Character and Characterization …..………………….……... 8

2. Theory of Personality Development …………………………….…….. 8

3. The Influence of War in Personality Development …………………... 13

a. Theory on the Environment of War Toward Personality Development..13

b. Human Aggression and Violence in War Toward Personality

Development ........................................................................................ 14

C. Theoretical Framework ………………………………………….…….… 16

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY ………………………………………….. 18

A. Object of the Study ………….………………………………….………... 18

B. Approach of the Study ………………………………………….………... 19

C. Method of the Study …………………………………………….……….. 20

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ………………………………………………...… 22

A. Paul Baümer’s Character Development ……………..…............................ 22

1. Characteristics of Paul Baümer Before the War ……………….…..... 22

2. Characteristics of Paul Baümer During the War ………….….........… 26

B. War’s Influences on Paul’s Personality …….....................................……. 34

1. Effect of Environment of War Toward Paul’s Personality ……........... 34

2. Human Aggression and Violence in War Toward Paul’s Personality .. 38


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CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION ……………………………………………….. 47

REFERENCES ................................................................................................... 49

APPENDIX .......................................................................................................... 51


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ABSTRACT

DIWANGKARA. (2019). Influences of War Toward Paul’s Personality

Development in Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front.

Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Universitas Sanata

Dharma, 2019.

This research is conducted to analyze the influences of war toward

personality from the character of Paul Baümer in the novel All Quiet on the Western

Front by Erich Maria Remarque. The story of this novel revolves around an

ordinary guy named Paul Baümer who joined the German army during the First

World War. This novel intrigued the writer to analyze how war develops someone

personality, especially from the perspective of an ordinary soldier.

This research has two objectives. The first one is to find out the

characteristics of Paul Baümer, before and during the war, depicted in the novel.

The second, is to analyze how war contributes to Paul’s personality change as the

main character.

The approach of this research is psychological, conducted with library

research method, and uses the theory of character, theory of characterization, theory

of personality development, theory of violence during the war toward someone’s

personality and the effect of the environment caused by war toward personality.

The result of this study shows that war influences people, especially on

Paul’s personality. He undergoes personality development before the war and

during the the war from his characteristics such as enthusiast, affectionate, obedient,

immature, and rebellious when he was a university student. However, after he

experiences the war, he develops a personality,

such as: realist, sympathetic, selfish, adaptive, selfish, courageous and deviant.

Second, this study finds the effect of war especially from the harsh environment

and exposure to violence can cause a symptom which alters Paul’s perception. From

those factors, although later in the novel he is unable not survive the war, Paul

become a tough soldier, mentally and physically.

Keywords: Influences, Character, Characterization, Personality Development,

War.


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ABSTRAK

DIWANGKARA. (2019). The Influences of War Toward Paul’s Personality

Development in Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front.

Yogyakarta: Program Studi Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra,Universitas Sanata

Dharma.

Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk menganalisa pengaruh perang yang terhadap

kepribadian pada karakter Paul Baumer dalam novel All Quiet on the Western Front

oleh Erich Maria Remarque. Cerita dalam novel ini Novel ini bercerita tentang

seorang pria biasa yang bertempur untuk Kekaisaran Jerman pada Perang Dunia

Pertama.. Penulis tertarik untuk meneliti novel ini karena kita bisa mempelajari

bagaimana perang mengembangkan kepribadian seseorang , bahkan dari perspekif

seorang tentara biasa sekalipun.

Penelitian ini memiliki dua tujuan: Pertama, untuk mencari tahu bagaimana

kepribadian dari Paul Baümer sebelum dan ketika perang digambarkan dalam novel.

Kedua penulis mencaritahu apakah perang berpengaruh terhadap perkembangan

kepribadian yang terjadi pada karakter Paul Baümer sebagai tokoh utama.

Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan psikologis dengan metode

penelitian pustaka (library research).Teori-teori yang digunakan mencakup

beberapa hal, yaitu: teori karakter dan karakterisasi, teori perkembangan

kepribadian, teori dampak kekerasan dalam perang terhadap kepribadian seseorang,

dan pengaruh lingkungan perang terhadap kepribadian.

Hasil dari penelitian ini membuktikan bahwa keadaan seperti dalam perang

berpengaruh terhadap banyak orang secara berbeda-beda, terutama dalam karakter

Paul. Pertama, Paul mengalami perubahan kepribadian ketika sebelum dan sesudah

ia mengalami perang. Ini bisa terlihat dari karakteristiknya yang semula antusiastik,

baik, romantis, patuh, kekanak-kanakan, suka memberontak, dan bersahabat ketika

ia masih sebagai seorang mahasiswa. Namun, setelah ia bergabung dengan

ketentaraan Jerman dan mengalami perang, muncul kepribadian seperti penuh kasih

sayang, realistis, bisa beradaptasi, egois, berani, dan menyimpang. Kedua,

penelitian ini juga menemukan bahwa efek dari perang, terutama dalam lingkungan

yang keras, serta dari paparan kekerasan yang terjadi disana berdampak pada

gejala-gejala yang merubah cara pandang Paul.

Pada akhirnya, setelah Paul Baumer mengalami pengalaman dalam perang dimana

lingkungan yang mengerikan, traumatis, serta paparan akan kekerasan ada disana,

ia menjadi pribadi yang baru, dimana ia meninggalkan cara berpikir lamanya yang

idealistis kearah yang lebh realistis.

Kata kunci: Influences, Character, Characterization, Personality Development,

War.


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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

In literary works, character has a significant element which makes it

interesting. M.H. Abrams (1999) stated that the character pictured in the novel is an

interpretation of the reader and has a particular value (p. 32-33). Character has an

importance in literary works to incite reader’s attention, build a tension, and drive

the story.

Character is bound by the environment where he or she lives which includes

family and society around them. This proves that environment plays a big part to

influence personality, since each person lives in different environment results in

different sets of personality from one another (Hurlock, 1974, p.77). Such example

happens when people who lives in a small village experience a considerable leap of

personality change when they live in a rural area with the various influences of

people around them.

Another example is war as an environment. In this particular environment,

every individual who participates in war suffers from the effect of war changes and

adapt with the current situation in order to survive (Holmes, 1998, p.5). This goes

the same for people who are not directly the participant of war. Because war can

cause poverty, sickness, and diseases toward them, as the writer of this novel

mentioned with a metaphor: “…though they may have escaped its shells, destroyed

by the war” (Remarque, 1929, p.5). This grand scale conflict has a significant

impact for people who experience it, because of the constant life-threatening


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situation in war pushes someone to adapt with the situation.

This unlikely happens to people who live in a relatively peaceful situation.

Erich Maria Remarque (1929) in his novel All Quiet on the Western Front

tries to reveal that war has a significant influence on someone’s life. This novel tells

the story about Paul Baümer, a nineteen-year-old man who fought for Germany in

WW1. He was an ordinary guy and joined the war with a vague idea about the war

itself. During the first year on the front, he experiences unimaginable brutality on

the war. Paul realized that the idea of nationalism and patriotism for which he

enlisted was not glorious and honorable. In this war, he witnesses many soldiers

like him died easily and changes many aspects around him. Many traumatic

experiences he encounters made him see the war in a whole different view from

before.

All Quiet on the Western Front made into publication in 1929 with the

original German title Im Westen Nichts Neues. The first publication scores a big hit

with 2.5 million copies sold in just eight weeks. Despite all the success, there are

different opinion about this novel. Western countries generally applaud this book as

a successful anti-war propaganda and praise Remarque’s ability to speak for a

generation that came in the age of the First World War. Different opinion arose,

especially from leftist and pro-Nazi supporters belittle Remarque’s works as

passivity, naivety, and reproach toward German ruling classes and encourage

revolutionary ideology (Chambers,1994, p.377). Despite all the different opinions,

Remarque insists that this novel is meant to be an anti-war novel and successfully

delivers this novel in such a realistic detail based from his interview with the


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veterans and his own experience during the First World War.

The reason why this research focuses on analyzing the personality

development of Paul in Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front is because the

writer finds out that war gives great influences on personality development of an

ordinary soldier. This story proves that Paul experiences a personality development

from before the war to a battle-hardened soldier through a gruesome and violence

environment of war.

B. Problem Formulation

Based on the background of the study, the writer formulates the problem as

follows:

1. How is Paul’s character development depicted before he enters the war and

during the war?

2. After he experienced the war, what are the influences of war toward Paul’s

personality?

C. Objectives of the Study

There are two objectives in this study. The first one is to identify the

characteristics of Paul Baümer in the novel by observing his character development

from before and during the war. With this method, the writer wants to identify what

Paul’s personality that changes or retains because of war. The second part is to

proof whether the environment of war and the occurrence of violence in war

influences personality development in Paul.


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D. Definition of Terms

In a literary study, the writer feels that it is necessary to explain the literary

terms contained in this study to avoid confusion and misunderstanding. The first

term is personality, which according to The American Heritage Dictionary of the

English Language is the outer appearance and behavior of a person. Personality is

different from character which is a totality of an individual’s attributes and

personality traits, particularly characteristic of moral, social, and religious attitudes.

In conclusion, personality is the outer appearance and behavior of a person, while

character refers to a set of moral, social and religious qualities that makes a person

different from each other.

The second is personality development which, according to

APA Dictionary of Psychology Second Edition (2002) can be defined as:

the gradual development of personality concerning characteristic emotional

responses or temperament, a recognizable style of life, personal roles and

role behaviors, a set of values and goals, typical patterns of adjustment,

characteristic interpersonal relations and sexual relationships, characteristic

traits, and a relatively fixed self-image (p.783).

Personality development does not happen instantly. Instead, development is

a systematic and continuous process for a person to distinguish themselves with

another.

The last term is war. Based on The American Heritage Dictionary of

English Language 3rd edition, war is a state of usually open and declared hostile

armed conflict between states or nations (p.7976). For example, German and France

were at war during the First World War. In this study, war as a setting of this story

has something more than a mere background. This thesis focuses on war as a


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significant environment that causes a change in personality. Therefore, the writer

deliberately chooses the word “Paul’s characteristics during the war” instead of

“after the war”, because the word after is more suitable if Paul actually survives the

war and struggles to live in the society and condition post-war period. The end of

this novel says otherwise, because in the end of the story, Paul is presumably dead.

Remarque (1929) stated on the twelfth chapter with the following phrase: He had

fallen forward and lay on the earth as though sleeping. Turning him over one saw

that he could not have suffered long; his face had an expression of calm, as though

almost glad the end had come (p.132). In the end, this thesis is trying to find out

how war influences Paul’s personality development from before the war until the

moment he finally faces his death.


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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

This chapter consists of three parts namely a review of related studies,

review of related theories, and theoretical framework. Review of related studies

explains some previous studies that have been done by other researchers. The

second part, review of related theories is about theories used by the writer to analyze

the novel. The writer uses theory of characterization, personality development, and

the effect of war toward someone's personality from the environment of war and

the occurrence of violence on war in order to answer the problem formulation. The

last part of this chapter is a theoretical framework to inform the readers what's going

to discuss in the analysis.

A. Review of Related Studies

This part discusses two journals and one related thesis. The first study is an

article journal by psychiatrist Nigel Hans (2004) with the title The Contribution of

All Quiet on the Western Front to Our Understanding of Psychological Trauma. In

this journal, Nigel wants to prove that there is a possibility to use literary works as

psychological data in order to determine the effect of psychological trauma toward

a person as he finds out All Quiet on the Western Front was a literary work written

by Erich Maria Remarque based on his traumatic event during the war (p.4). In

response traumatic event on the war, a traumatized person develops a narrative or

story about events they experienced.

The second study is a journal article All Quiet on the Western Front and the

Image of the First World War by John White Clay Chamber. This journal focuses


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on novel’s movie adaptation in 1930. From this journal, he concludes that

this film adaptation exceeds the inner power of Remarque's novel in the way that

this film successfully reimagines antiwar memoirs that recast and bitterly articulates

the failure of the Great War. He concludes the movie adaptation of All Quiet on the

Western Front is not about the heroic story of war, but individual lives that lost for

naught because of war. He also strongly agrees that the importance of All Quiet on

the Western Front in shaping public perception of the war is even more potent

because images of battle in the film is so life-like and close with the reality of war

which happens on the western front.

The third study is an undergraduate thesis written by Kolombanus Vembri

Kristiadi (2008) with the title The Influence of War Toward the Main Character's

Personality as Seen in E.M Nathanson's The Dirty Dozen. His thesis emphasizes

about human being as a dependent creature that inseparable with the environment,

which plays a significant role in shaping their personality; especially, he chooses

the main character John Reisman as his focus. Through psychological analysis,

Vembri concluded war as an environment significantly changes Reisman's

personality development because war has taught Reisman bravery, confidence, wits,

and responsibility.

In order to differentiate the writer's thesis with the journals and thesis

mentioned above, the writer specifies the subject on the psychological effect of war

on how Paul Baümer characterized in the novel based on his personality from before

and during the war. The writer also uses theory on the effect of environment and

occurrences of violence in war to individual.


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This research goal is to identify the psychological effect of war toward Paul

Baümer's personality development and examine how war as a large-scale conflict

has a significant effect on human.

B. Review of Related Theories

This section explains the theories to find out the character and

characterization of Paul Baümer in this novel. The first part of this story explains

about theory of character and theory of characterization. The second is theory of

personality development and the last part is a theory about the influences of war on

personality development which contains two sub chapters: effect of environment of

war toward personality development and human aggression/violence in war.

1. Theory on Character and Characterization

Characterization means an author's construction of a (fictional) character in

which he/she has a full consent about how they live, what they know and what they

did not know, which according to Hans P. Guth (1979) characters must be a person-

like, believable and has a capability for being related to the reader's mind to make

a good story (p.52). A character in literary works divides into two categories: flat

and round characters. E.M. Forster (1974) said the flat characters almost have no

change in personality throughout the story and relatively simple, constructed by

single idea or quality (p.47). The round characters are the opposite. They undergo

character development, unlike the flat one. It is necessary for characters to have

some qualities in moral, intellectual to distinguish themselves from the others.

Therefore, in literary works, authors create their characters as unique and human-

like as possible.


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In order to understand a character, Murphy (1972) classifies about how the

author describes character into seven categories.

a. Personal Description

The author describes character personality by their physical appearances.

The example included in physical appearance are face, body, and other physical

conditions.

b. Character as Seen by Authors

The author also describes the characteristics of a character by description

from another character. They comment about the character and explain what they

are thinking, their ideas and physical features.

c. Speech

Character gives the reader clues about their identity based on what he/she

said. Whenever the character has a conversation or gives an opinion about

something, he/she is giving a clue of their personality.

d. Past Life

The past life of a character helps in shaping the personality of a character.

Past life is an essential factor to determine what kind of people from on what they

experienced, met and lived with throughout their life.


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e. Conversation with Others

The fifth is the conversation with others. Through this method, the author

describes the character by how he/she interact between characters in the novel helps

us identify what personality does the character have.

f. Reaction

Reaction from one character to others can help the reader discovers the

character in the novel. In every action done by the character is being seen differently

by other characters, for each person created by the author has a different

interpretation from one another.

2. Theory on Personality Development

Personality makes each people unique on their own because it is a unique

set of behaviors and enduring qualities that influences the way a person adjusts to

his or her environment (Stephen, 1989, p.461). Personality makes people distinct

from each other, as the way each person act or see toward situations different from

one another.

While their basic personality only changes a little, throughout their life

human develop new personality in response to their environment. A psychiatrist

argues that people develop interpretations of events, expectations, and schemas or

frameworks for perceiving situations (Stephen, 1989, p. 463).

In the average person, several causes of personality changes can occur.

(Hurlock, 1974, p.124-129) states that there are conditions which are responsible

for personality changes.


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a. Changes in Self-Concept

Self-concept is crucial for everyone, as when there is a change on it will

significantly change his or her entire personality. Hurlock (1974) stated that

conditions which facilitates the change in self-concept is the use of introspection to

see oneself as one is. Changing from the environment that fosters an unfavorable

aspect of the environment and tries to adopt toward the new self-concept until

eventually becomes accustomed (p.124).

b. Changes in Environment

Change in an environment can cause a shift in personality. In order for

environment to significantly change human personality, Hurlock (1974) states that

there are four requirements (p.70). First, the environment has to improve the status

of a person. Second, the changes must enable the person to be more balanced with

the environment. Third, the change in the environment must enable to change the

person self-concept. Fourth, environment also must help people to see more

realistically about certain situation.

This change in environment also requires the person to be more adaptive in

mind and way of thinking. It emphasizes that any person who cannot understand

and apply a fresh method of thinking will be less successful than his other potentials

may indicated (p.124).

c. Changes in Significant People

Change in significant people can affect in individual personality change.

People who were affected by this significant person will try to motivate and adjust


12

his or her personality toward it. The term significant people refer to parents, friends,

partner, and family. The personality changes in individual depend on how the

attitude and values of the significant people for the individual (p.125).

d. Changes in Social Pressure

Intense social pressure also contributes to the change of personality. Since

everyone has a desire to be accepted, he or she will try to change his or her

personality depends on how society around the character wants him or her to be

(p.125).

e. Changes in Role

Change in the role also has a significant impact on individuals. How

impactful the change is based on of the change are more favorable toward

individuals. The change also has a positive and negative effect depends on how the

roles can fit the needs of the individuals or not (p.128).

f. Strong Motivation

Strong motivation can ignite a personality change. When someone's need is

already fulfilled, their motivation to improve their life is less needed compared with

someone in much harsher condition. In a typical situation people are strongly

motivated to change their personality in order to cater what the society wants them

(p.129).

Development is a broad term, but it can be understood as a series of

sequential change in an organism leading to maturity, involving metabolic changes,


13

structural increments, unfolding of functions, and increasing of achievement as a

result of experience (Pikunas, 1961, p.22). Human experiences personality

development since their early age. This development process is dependent, which

cannot be done without any supporting factors. Pikunas (1961) stated that

hereditary and environment play a significant role that influences a personality

(p.54). Hereditary can be described as a mental or genetic characteristic that passed

down from the parents to their child. Influences from family is the first thing which

occurred in every human since the family becomes their first society for them.

3. The Influences of War in Personality Development

War is act aggression which each participant plays a role as a representative

of certain belligerents — as the reason why war is waged because when political

leaders conclude that it is the most effective way to achieve a political goal. War’s

environment can affect people’s aggressiveness, inexperienced people, mental, and

relationship with their past life. War is also a form of organized violence, which

allowing consensus of violence in a process because each participant of war

believes fight for a noble cause. Shaver stated that exposure to the battlefield's

violence and stresses may arouse a notable psychological change.

a. Theory on the Environment of War Toward Personality Development

The environment of war contributes a significant portion in someone

personality. The actual warfare gives unprecedented effect toward war participants.

Therefore, theory proposed by Wendy Holmes (1998) Shellshock, the

Psychological Effect of War, classifies the effects of war into two aspects (p.12-35).


14

i. Effect Toward Trauma

Primary to minor neuroses caused by artillery shells that strike with

incredible speed. How deadly the artillery shell's strike presences is highly

associated with the sign of death may come. One who experiences a constant horror

of artillery strikes may associates a similar sound and incite the person's traumatic

experiences. Traumatic experience is also able to incite an aggressive behavior

toward something or someone.

ii. The Effect for the Inexperienced People

People who are inexperienced with war in have more tendencies toward

mental breakdown. Inexperienced soldiers are usually too young to join the war.

They are entering the war with vague ideas in mind, such as appeal to patriotism, a

promise of a better living (promotions, better foods, clothing's, payments) or as

simple as avoidance of ostracized for being ‘coward.' The effect of war can be

various, from mental breakdown because of their inability to adapt to the nature of

the battlefield and constant stress during their first deployment

b. Human Aggression and Violence in War Toward Personality

Development

War and violence cannot be separated. Violence in war was initiated by

some triggering event(s) which escalated after series of conflict-based interaction

where two (or more) parties trade a retaliatory behavior back and forth

(Shaver, 2011, p.23). War creates a dichotomy of good and evil, and people become

caught in a malice which perceive that their own behavior is the respond based on


15

the situation at hand, and each side tries to justify or hide their act of violence, to

create an image that they are fighting for a great cause. In this context, violence also

offers clear resolution of a conflict of pronouncing the winner and losers, and a

better future following the victory.

However, the reality of war is cruel and merciless, and violence in war

comes in many different shapes. As Shaver (2011) stated in his book Human

Aggression and Violence, person and situation inputs are proximate cause and the

most guiding force behind violence and aggressive behavior (p.20). Social

psychologist identified that a vary situational factors in the battlefield such as:

enemy provocation, exposure to weapon, physical pain and artillery shells are

bound to arouse a notable psychological change. Further, Shaver mentioned the

following cause as the most common cause from the violence in war:

i. Sense of Depersonalization

War can make a state in which one's thoughts and feelings seem unreal or

not belong to oneself, or in which one loses all sense of identity. They may lose

their own identity as a human because of the strong feeling he or she belongs to a

greater community. Many leaders of the oppositions believe men and soldiers in

war count no more than pawns to achieve a particular political goal.

ii. Impaired Sense of Self-Worth

Psychological changes created by stress in combat affects our sense of self-

worth. This phenomenon happens because war individuals are less substantial than

a group or community which represent a specific ideology. Therefore, consensus to


16

commit violence, justification to fight and die honorably can be achieved, especially

when someone feels that he/she is fighting for a noble cause.

iii. Impairments in Memory and Perceptual Functioning

Constant stress during warfare also contributes in soldier's inability to relate

his action on the battlefield with his experience when he or she was a civilian before

the war. This occurrence happens because, in the battlefield, there is no familiar

source of security which is similar to what they had during peacetime.

iv. Partial Loses of Abstract and Moral Standards

Under the harsh condition, person's perception of his/her surroundings

begun to disintegrate. This condition is a result in confusion of common senses and

moral standards in the battlefield.

C. Theoretical Framework

In this section, the writer would like to explain the theories that are used to

answer the problem of this study. The theories that are used in this study are theory

of characterization, theory of character development, theory of the influence of

environment in war and theory of human aggression and violence in war.

The focus of this study is to analyze the influences of war toward the main

character, Paul Baümer. Therefore, there are several steps in order to apply this

theory in analysis. First, the writer read the novel thoroughly in order to gain a better

understanding of the story and the characters in the novel specifically, the writer

analyzes how Paul Baümer is portrayed in the novel and identify his personality


17

before the war until his participation during the war. In order to identify the effect

of war toward personality development, the writer relates the war as an

aggression/violence committed by human that necessary for their survival from

Philip R Shaver and Mario Mikulincer's book titled Human Aggression and

Violence to explain how humans are strongly related to violence throughout their

life. Lastly, in order to get a proper understanding of the influence from the

environment of war toward personality, the writer uses Walden Holmes's book

titled Shell Shock: The Psychological Impact of War.


18

CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

A. Object of the Study

All Quiet on the Western Front is a historical-fiction novel written by Erich

Maria Remarque in 1928 with the original title Im Westen Nichts Neues. The

English version of this novel was published for the first time in 1929 by Little

Brown and Company which consisted of 150 pages and grouped into 12 chapters.

This novel was a success and made into movie adaptation in 1930 by Lewis

Milestone. This film was a big hit and won academy awards for Outstanding

Production (Carl Laemmte Jr), Best Director (Lewis Milestone) and nominations

for Best Writing and Best Cinematography. All Quiet on the Western Front by Lewis

Milestone also became the first voiced war film to win an Academy Awards.

This novel emphasizes the futility of war with perspective taken from the

ordinary German soldier, Paul Baümer. With first-person perspective, Remarque

wants to invite readers to be in same consciousness as Paul during the gruesome

time of the First World War. All Quiet on the Western Front is Paul’s diary about

what Paul experienced during the war.

The story began with Paul’s narration about the reality on the battlefield

during the First World War. For him, war was a vague thing, and he joined the

German Imperial Army with seven of his colleagues to avoid being ostracized when

he dares to refuse. The following events, Paul as well as his colleagues experience

harsh training by their instructor, Himmelstoss. After experiences the constant


19

physical terror of war, Paul and his friends start to ask themselves whether the

idea of nationalism and patriotism for which they taught during enlistment are

simply empty clichés. Throughout the story, Paul learns the value of life, family,

love, and friendship which torn away little by little because of the gruesome

reality of the First World War.

Using Paul’s perspective, the story of All Quiet in the Western Front

revolves around his experiences as a soldier in The Frist World War. Sometimes,

Paul takes a liberty and therefore, from the first until the eleventh chapter in this

story was not.

B. Approach of the Study

The writer uses a psychological approach which is applicable to analyze the

novel and answer the questions. The psychological approach is one of the

approaches that can be uses to observe and analyze a person’s characteristic or

personality. Sigmund Freud proposed this theory to cure a mental illness and

disorders caused by war.

Elizabeth Hurlock (1974) in her book Personality Development writes about

an individual’s personality can be affected by the changes in individual’s

environment, significant person, social pressure, roles, strong motivation and self-

concept (p.124).

War is an environment where collective violence is organized for specific

purposes (Shaver, 2011, p.7). Therefore, the theory of war as organized violence

taken from the book Human Aggression and Violence by Philip R Shaver and Mario

Mikulincer. This book also explains the effect from the stress of war toward


20

personality.

However, an additional theory is required, because violence in All Quiet on

the Western Front is specific on the context of the First World War.

In Wendy Holmes’s book Shellshock: The Psychological Impact of War gives a

proper comprehensive understanding of how the environment of the First World

War as violence can significantly affect someone personality.

C. Method of the Study

This study uses library research to collect any related data. It means the

writer finds the data taken from the library, eBook and online articles. The primary

source of this study is a novel All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria

Remarque. The secondary means to provide a theoretical ground to explain the

theory behind the influences of war toward the personality of the main character

which is: Personality and Problem of Adjustment by Kimball Young and

Personality Development by Elizabeth Hurlock. Lastly, the writer uses research

taken from the online article written by Nigel Hans (2004) with the title The

Contribution of All Quiet on the Western Front to Our Understanding of

Psychological Trauma and Henarath Opatha’s (2014) Personality Development.

To answer the questions that have been formulated, the writer took some

steps. First, a continuous and comprehensive reading was done until getting a deep

understanding of the literary work. The second step, the writer collects all the

necessary secondary sources, online sources, samples, theories and approaches

related to the topic that helped the writer to answer the question in problem


21

formulation. The writer examined how the effect of war can influences the

personality development of Paul Baümer with theories mentioned in the second

chapter. Lastly, the writer makes a conclusion based on the analysis.


22

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

This chapter consists of answers from the formulated questions in the first

chapter. There are two sections in this analysis. The first section discusses the

personality development of Paul Baümer which consists of two sub-chapters about

Paul Baümer’s original personality before and during the war. The second section

discusses about how environment of war, aggression and violence causes Paul

personality development.

A. Paul Baümer’s Character Development

1. Characteristics of Paul Baümer Before the War

Paul Baümer is a character with a set of personality, and all his personality

is a product of his interaction with family, society and environment around him.

When those factors diminish or shift into something else, his personality change

occurs. In this novel, writer found that Paul receives a huge personality

development from his time before and during the war.

a. Enthusiastic

Before the war, Paul expresses his enthusiasm in his hobby of reading. The

definition of enthusiasm based on The American Heritage Dictionary of English

Language 3rd Edition (1998) means a great excitement for or interest in a subject

or cause (p.2468). The subject in Paul case is his collection of books, and his hobby

acts as self-fulfillment of his desire. The writer uses characterization by telling his

past life in the following passage.


23

The books I bought gradually with the money I earned by coaching. Many

of them are secondhand, all the classics, for example, one volume in blue

cloth boards cost one mark twenty pfennig. I bought them complete

(Remarque,1929, p.78)

The writer concludes that Paul takes a high seriousness in his hobby, which

can be seen when he bought a collection of books he loves using his own earnings.

He is also very specific about what the book he bought. This can be seen from the

description of his action when he becomes very selective about what he bought and

his desire to be separated from them.

I preferred the other books, the moderns, which were of course much dearer.

A few I came by not entirely honest, I borrowed and did not return them

because I did not want to part with them. (Remarque, 1929, p.78).

His enthusiasm in his hobby also turns into an inseparable part for him.

Paul’s inability to access this self-fulfillment turns into an agonizing experience

during his life on the battlefield.

b. Affectionate

Based on his conversation with other character, Paul Baümer can be

classifies as a kind person. Kind is an attitude of a person which is friendly,

generous, or warm-hearted (The American Heritage Dictionary of English

Language 3rd Edition, 1998) shown by Remarque his interaction with his family

back home.

I go and fetch my pack to the bedside and turn out the things I have

brought—a whole Edamer cheese, that Kat provided me with, two loaves of

bread, three-quarters of a pound of butter, two tins of livered sausage, a

pound of dripping and a little bag of rice. (Remarque, 1929, p.74).

The affection of kindness shows by Paul when he voluntarily gives anything


24

he has to his family at home, for him also has nothing else to spare for them other

than foods he has because his family is significant for him.

c. Obedient

The meaning of obedience according to The American Dictionary of English

3rd Edition (1998) means: Dutifully complying with the commands, orders, or

instructions of one in authority. Before Paul enters the war, he experiences a

laborious process of military training when the absolute obedience toward superior

is necessary. One must not dare to refuse, or else another punishment awaits. Paul’s

obedience is shown by his reaction toward direct order given by his superior.

I have stood at attention in a hard frost without gloves for a quarter of an

hour at a stretch, while Himmelstoss watched for the slightest movement of

our bare fingers on the steel barrel of the rifle (Remarque, 1929, p.16).

Paul chooses to steel himself from harsh treatment rather than severe

punishment from disobedience. His harsh training has a significant effect for Paul,

for that would be proven useful later in the war. Without this period of training,

most of us would undoubtedly have gone mad.

Only thus were we prepared for what awaited us. We did not break down

but adapted ourselves. (Remarque, 1929, p.17)

Training helps him sane and more prepared for the upcoming war. From the

training, he gained a sense of discipline, confidence, and sense or esprit de corps

toward his fellow soldiers.

d. Immature

When the war broke out, Paul is too young to join the war and he is the only

son in his family. He has a feeling of detachment from the moment he decided to


25

enlist for the German army. In the beginning of the story, Paul contemplates a lot

about the young and old generation in war. For him, everything is still an

extraordinary vague, especially for the young man of twenty like Paul. In contrary,

the older soldiers have more strong bonds to their previous life (family, child,

occupations).

All the older men are linked up with their previous life. They have wives,

children, occupations, and interests; they have a background which is so

strong that the war cannot obliterate it. We young men of twenty, however,

have only our parents, and some, perhaps, a girl—that is not much

(Remarque,1929, p.14).

Parents have little influences on him. During adolescence age, parents

influence has become weaker compared with his previous years since Paul has an

urge to seek their freedom from his parents.

e. Rebellious

There is one time during his harsh training when Paul decides to do a

rebellious act toward his senior officials, Himmelstoss. Definition of rebellious

according to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language 3rd

edition, means a show of defiance toward an authority or established convention

(p.6014). Based on Paul’s dissatisfaction of the unjust treatment done by

Himmelstoss, he commits a rebellious act to make the harsh training less torture,

shown by his intentional

"Prepare to advance, advance" and "Lie down." We obeyed each order since

an order's an order and has to be obeyed. However, we did it so slowly that

Himmelstoss became desperate. (Remarque, 1929, p.16).

His rebellious act is a form of disagreement toward Himmelstoss’s way of

command, not for the general regulations in the German army. Moreover, he never


26

commits his rebellious act alone. Paul is aware of the consequence when he

disobeys an order.

2. The Characteristics of Paul Baümer During the War

War is not just a conflict on a grand scale. War’s power to change many

human aspects in life is tremendous. Paul is no exception, as the condition of war

helps him adjust his personality to survive in this cruel situation. In this section, the

writer wants to explain Paul’s personality development after he experiences war

with the theory of personality development by Elizabeth Hurlock.

a. Affectionate

Paul’s still has an affectionate personality with a little adjustment. Hurlock

(1974) stated on his research, that change in significant people can affect an

individual personality. Especially people who experience a change in their closest

friends will automatically adjust their personality toward them (p.125). In Paul’s

case, this can be seen from the shift on his expression of kindness. Before the war,

Paul as a family-oriented guy shows his kindness mainly toward his family. This

can be seen when he gives his rations to his family during his convalescence rest

(Remarque, 1929, p.74). However, the irony happens when Paul realize how war

has severed Paul’s relationship with his people in his hometown.

They are different men here, men I cannot correctly understand, who envy

and despise. I must think of Kat and Albert and Müller and Tjaden, what

will they be doing? (Remarque, 1929, p.78).

Paul’s contemplation is a result of his greater attachment toward his fellow

soldiers on the battlefield in comparison with his family at home.

For every soldier, experience in the battlefield demonstrates how war


27

has unable them to relate with their previous life.

b. Obedient

Since his early years in the army until his action in the battlefield, Paul’s

obedience only changes a little. Mainly because there is no change in society around

him (especially in military).

"Twenty paces backward, double march!" he commands. I am mad with

rage. However, I cannot say anything to him; he could put me under arrest

if he liked. So I double back and then march up to him.

(Remarque, 1929, p.75).

From the scene above, it can be concluded how Paul still obediently

followed the order from his officer, despite Paul and his officials were not in the

battlefield context (particularly, this scene happens during Paul’s leave to his

hometown). Elizabeth Hurlock (1974) stated in his book Personality Development

that the change on the role of people can affect the development of personality

(p.128). The officer who orders Paul around is a postman before the war, but he

successfully climbs up his rank until a major. Therefore, the role of people during

wartime is not determined by their past-life occupation and status, but by their

military ranks.

c. Friendly

The camaraderie on the battlefield enables Paul to withstand the horror of

the war. Paul tries so hard to treasure his time together with his friends because he

tends to seek a familiar source of security around them (Shaver, 2011, p.267). For

Paul, the source of his security is his brother in arm. He tries to maintain his

relationship with his fellow friends by being friendly to them.


28

I raise him, he stands on the uninjured leg and supports himself against a

tree. I take up the wounded leg carefully, then he gives a jump, and I take

the knee of the sound leg also under my arm. The anguish of solitude rises

in me. When Kat is taken away, I will not have one friend left

(Remarque, 1929, p. 130).

This can be seen from Paul’s action and conversation with another character,

and in this case, it is Katczinsky (or Kat) which has been a close friend to him since

the beginning of the war. His act of friendliness shown when he helps badly injured

Kat who just got hit by a stray bullet. Paul’s act which voluntarily committed by

him is under specific motivation in order not to lose Kat as his significant people

for the loss of it can devastate Paul morally and mentally (Hurlock, 1974, p.125).

d. Realist

From Paul conversation with his fellow soldiers shows that war makes him

see something more realistically. According to Hurlock (1974) This personality is a

result of the change in environment (p.124). In result, Paul is bound to adapt with

the current situation in order to survive and utilize everything that available for him.

The example in this novel happens when Paul and his friend’s topic of

conversations are mostly about how their past life before the war, from their latest

achievement in combat, their family back home, or even just a joke.

We do not like that because we are in good humor: we are in good humor

because otherwise, we should go to pieces. Even so, we cannot hold out

much longer; our humor becomes more bitter every month (Remarque,

1929, p.65).

During the cruelty of war, humor or joke can be useful to ease the mind and

lessen the burden after or before the battle, because the topic of joke or humor meant


29

to tell the human folly. However, if the situation in the war became much worse,

Paul realizes that good humor or joke never save them in the battle. Paul’s realistic

way of thinking also can be seen when he realizes that his romantic way of thinking,

chivalrous deeds toward his country is only a mere illusion. In the gruesome

environment of war, he realizes the fact that war can take his life anytime without

his knowing.

taught that duty to one's country is the greatest thing, we already knew that

death-throes are stronger (Remarque, 1929, p.11).

This personality also results in Paul’s depressive attitude, especially when

he starts to feel hopeless with the uncertainty of war.

e. Symphatetic

Paul’s sympathy grows when he realizes that he only kills his fellow human

beings all this time. Unlike professional soldiers, volunteers who enlisted in military

services still roots themselves on peacetime circumstances. Therefore, either he

kills the enemies, or they kill him first. He only has one life to lose, as he has become

a wild beast, defend himself against annihilation (Remarque,1929, p.53). However,

Paul began to question himself when he forced to kill a person directly in hand to

hand combat.

"Comrade, I did not want to kill you. However, you were only an idea to me

before, an abstraction that lived in my mind and called forth its appropriate

response. It was that abstraction I stabbed. However, now, for the first time,

I see you are a man like me (Remarque,1929, p.101).

Paul’s character development from a cold-blooded killer in the battlefield

turns into sympathy as he finds out he only kills an innocent people where he has

no personal grudge. Hurlock’s theory about personality development from the


30

change in self-concept can be seen when Paul develops his into sympathy as later

as he finds out much information about him become hesitate to kill him. His

behavior is the result of the unconscious desire to help a fellow human being.

f. Adaptive

Paul’s adaptability is the key for his survival during the war. This can be

seen from his reaction and Paul’s conversation with others, especially when his

mother questions about whether Paul had enough foods in the front. Since it is an

instinct of human to adapt to the situation. War rations had become worse since

Germany has a problem to sustain her troops from the prolonged war.

"Well, how are things out there? Terrible, terrible, eh? Yes, it is dreadful, but

we must carry on. And after all, you do at least get decent food out

there, so I hear (Remarque, 1929, p.76).

Food is critical for human survival. As a primary basic need, it plays a

significant role as something which human cannot be separate since their existence,

especially during the war. Even when the food is scarce, Paul is struggling to keep

up with everything available to him.

Paul’s adaptive personality also shown from his capability to keep up with

the harsh condition of the battlefield. The fact that war is an uncomfortable place to

live in, he looks for another way to stay comfortable during this horrifying moment.

The example can be seen from his spontaneous idea to make cushion only with

available material for him indicates his increase in creativity and his capability to

adapt.

Kat plucks and cleans the goose. We put the feathers carefully to one side.

We intend to make two cushions out of them with the inscription: "Sleep

softly under shell-fire." (Remarque, 1929, p. 75)


31

According to Hurlock’s (1974) theory, the change in environment pushes

someone to make an adjustment in order to survive (p.125). Therefore, Paul’s

strengthen his responds toward life-threatening aspect of war since modern trench

warfare demands more than basic knowledge of military training. In this era, the

invention of many mass destruction weapons can easily kill lots of life. Ability of

each person to survive depends on their experience in war.

Modern trench-warfare demands knowledge and experience; a man must

have a feeling for the contours of the ground, an ear for the sound and

character of the shells, must be able to decide beforehand where they will

drop, how they will burst, and how to shelter from them.

(Remarque, 1929, p. 60).

He believes that the most essential thing to survive in war is experience after

Paul witnesses many young people lost their lives during the war. They died quickly

because of their inability to comprehend the situation they are in. This kind of death

usually common for fresh recruits when they arrived for the first time in the

battlefield. Because they are too young and inexperienced, they died easily. It brings

more trouble to seniors such as Paul and his friends.

g. Selfish

Paul’s ego also adapts with the nature of war. From his self-narration, he

would care less about war which brings a great number of dead people around him.

This happens because, under the extreme stress of battle, one may lose his sense of

moral standards (Shaver, 2011, p. 301).

However, our comrades are dead, and we cannot help them, they have their

rest— and who knows what is waiting for us? We will make ourselves

comfortable and sleep, and eat as much as we can stuff into our bellies

(Remarque, 1929, p.65)

His self-narration means that self-empathy would only hinder their survival


32

in battle. Environment of war makes a conception when weeping over their lost

friend will eventually become a burden. Therefore, according to the theory of

personality development by Hurlock, Paul ought to learn and adapt with the change

in environment, and eventually develops a selfish personality. The only way for

Paul to survive is by disconnecting himself from his feelings, suppress their

emotions and accepting the conditions and the horror of war with their lives. Paul’s

ego also projected by Remarque when he no longer pauses to mourn fallen friends,

Kemmerich on his deathbed

Kemmerich will die; it is immaterial who gets them. Why, then, should

Müller not succeed to them? He has more right than a hospital orderly. When

Kemmerich is dead, it will be too late. Therefore, Müller is already on the

watch. We have lost all sense of other considerations because they are

artificial. Only the facts are real and important for us. Moreover, good boots

are scarce. (Remarque, 1929, p. 14).

From Paul’s direct comment, it is not the mourning of his friend that

important for him. Instead, his concern among his friends is whoever inherits

Kemmerich’s boots.

h. Courageous

Military contributes significant change to Paul’s courage. Courage is

different with bravery. Bravery by definition which means showing mental or moral

strength to face a danger without any feeling of fear, while courage is a capability

to take an overwhelming difficulty despite unavoidable presence of fear (APA

Dictionary of Psychology 2nd Edition,2007, p.261). His courage shown by his

action which often associated with luck or chance given to him to live for another

day.

We have neither flesh nor muscles any longer, we dare not look at one


33

another for fear of some incalculable thing. So we shut our teeth—it will

end—it will end—perhaps we will come through (Remarque, 1929, p.53).

According to Hurlock (1974) A strong motivation within Paul makes him develops

his courageous act (p.129). Therefore, the term courage is more suitable to describe

Paul, since he is unable to omit the feeling of fear of himself, as he tries to live with

it. He chooses to move forward, despite the unfavorable odds during the battlefield.

i. Deviant

Hurlock (1974) stated, the effect of social pressure attributes in the change

of personality, since a human being has a desire to be accepted by the society where

he/she lives (p.75). In order to be accepted with the society around him, Paul needs

to adapt himself. This includes deviant attitude which done by him together with

his friends on the battlefield. What can be identify as deviant, according to The

American Heritage Dictionary of English Language 3rd edition is something departs

from norm or accepted by standards. Based on this definition, this novel indicates

that Paul commits a deviant attitude.

A glass of beer stands in front of me, I've learned to drink in the army. The

glass is half empty, but there are a few good swigs ahead of me, and besides,

I can always order a second and a third if I wish to (Remarque, 1929, p.76).

His deviant attitudes are normal for soldiers on the battlefield. Since during

the stress of war, one usually seeks pleasure for a temporary escape from the harsh

reality of war. Another deviant action also committed by Paul from his interaction

with another character. This can be seen from when Paul collaborates a plan to steal

a goose altogether with his senior, Kat.

When we break it up, Kat says to me: "What do you say to some roast


34

goose?" "Not bad," I agree. We climb up on a munition-wagon. The ride

costs us two cigarettes. Kat has marked the spot exactly. The shed belongs

to a regimental headquarters. I agree to get the goose and receive my

instructions. (Remarque, 1929, p.44).

The result of his attitude implies that slight deviance in a strict, monotonous

environment in the military can give him a little bit respite and strengthen the bond

with his friends. Before the war, this act is high unlikely committed by Paul.

B. The War’s Influences Toward Paul’s Personality

Paul’s personality is a product of war. He had been on the battlefield for

years and struggles to adapt with the environment of war. Therefore, after

previously observing Paul’s personality before and during the war, this section

explains what war’s influences on Paul’s personality is based on the environment

based on Holden’s (1998) theory on Shellshock, the Psychological Impact of War

and violence’s occurrences in war using Shaver’s (2011) theory in his book Human

Aggression and Violence.

1. Effect on Environment of War Toward Paul’s Personality

In this section, the writer shows the effect from the environment of war

toward Paul personality. Using the theory taken from Wendy Holmes book

Shellshock: The Psychological Impact on War, writer further divides the impact of

environment of war on Paul into two section: the effect of trauma toward Paul’s

mental and the effect of war on Paul’s early wars.

a. The Effect of Traumatic Experiences Toward Paul’s Personality


35

In this novel, Paul develops an aggressive behavior because of the traumatic

experience caused by environment of war. The definition of trauma according to

The American Heritage Dictionary of English Language 3rd Edition, means an

emotional wound or shock that creates substantial, lasting damage to the

psychological development of a person, often leading to neurosis (p.7558).

For example, it occurs when Paul hospitalized after an injury on his leg.

Together with his friend, Kropp, the army sends him to the Catholic hospital.

He is fortunate to be sent into that hospital, because Catholic infirmaries are famous

for good treatments, great beds and good foods. However, his wound makes him

feels uneasy as he needs a full time and rest dedicated to heal up completely. In

Catholic hospital, it is common for the nurses in there to hold a morning

prayer/morning devotion with the ward’s door open, but since Paul and many

patients are hardly sleep at night, he finds it annoying. However, the nurses persist

to keep on praying, and insists by saying: “Prayer is better than sleeping”. Infuriates

by her responds, Paul decides to do an aggressive act by breaking an empty bottle

as a sign of protest.

I feel savage, and say: "I'm going to count up to three. If it doesn't stop

before then I'll let something fly. Then I take hold of a bottle, aim, and heave

it through the door into the corridor. It smashes into a thousand pieces. The

praying stops. A swarm of sisters appear and reproach us in concert.

(Remarque, 1929, p.114)

His aggressiveness which Remarque portrays by Paul’s action indicates that

aggressive behavior can occur when person is expose to the constant life-and death

situation, especially during an hours of artillery barrage (Holmes, 1998, p.12). This

case is unlikely to happen in the peacetime period, furthermore it is Paul’s own


36

volition to commit this act despite one of the sisters says that they are praying for

Paul and others whom sick in the hospital (Remarque, 1929, p.114).

Another Paul’s aggressive behavior is when he recollects his experience in

the past. War physician Wendy Holmes (1998) proves that constant artillery strikes

may associates a similar sound and incite the person's traumatic experiences. This

example can be seen during Paul’s return to his home. Paul is scared because the

tramcar which passed across him resembles sound of shrieking artillery in the front

(p.7) His reaction is unlikely happens during normal circumstances. War’s

environment forces Paul to be more alert and responds to upcoming danger quickly,

and he has a difficulty to leave this kind of mindset, even when he is not in the

battlefield.

Therefore, his traumatic experience in war has makes him prone to commit

aggressive behavior yet also helps with to be more adaptive with the current

situation he lives in. He develops personality such as deviant and selfish when he

decides to expel the nurse in order to get a comfortable rest. On the other hand,

traumatic experience makes Paul able to be more alert and responds to upcoming

danger which helps him to cope with the situation in the battlefield, therefore he

develops an adaptive personality.

b. Environment of War’s Effect When Paul was an Inexperienced Soldier

Although later he proves himself as a skillful soldier who can survive most

of the battles, Paul does not come from the military background. He has a military

training altogether with many volunteers across Germany during the enlistment

process. Paul himself joins the army after his lecturer gives him a patriotic speech


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and as a Germanic people, he feels responsible to enlist himself in the army,

although the idea about war and military are something that still unclear for him.

Paul’s first year in war is important because it becomes his stepping stone which

initiates his personality development,

Wendy Holmes (1998) in his book Shellshock, The Psychological Impact of

War explains a tremendous effect caused war can affect someone personality from

mental breakdown because of their inability to adapt to the nature of the battlefield

and constant stress during their first deployment (p.7) Paul is so clueless and

without a slight knowledge about the war, other than a romanticized story which he

often heard from his books. He went to war because he loves his country (Remarque,

1929, p.11) he proud because he can serve as soldier.

All those experiences are hard for Paul for the first time, but he adapts to

the situation of war for a quite long time. There is only a little story about Paul’s

early development in war, however, he tells a lot front his veteran point of view

(when Paul is already on the second year in the war) he explains the effect of war

toward inexperienced people through many young recruits he encounters during the

war. Young recruit tasks are to relieve and strengthen the power of the frontline

soldiers; however, their actual role in the war says otherwise. They die quickly and

have no proper knowledge about the condition on the battlefield. Constant shelling

can cause a mental breakdown on them quickly, makes them give up on life easily.

The environment of war on Paul’s early deployment opens his eyes to see

the war in more realistic way. Back before the war, Paul is a romantic person who

sees war as a heroic act to save his nation from the invaders, but his experience in


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war changes his perspective. He strongly believes after his long experience in war,

that inexperience and clumsiness only bring more death like what the young recruits

did.

2. Human Aggression and Violence in War Toward Paul’s Personality

War is a complex environment because there are many aspects involved in

it. Some which are inevitable in every war is the presence of violence, because

humans are bound to hurt each other in order to stay alive. Shaver (2011) said the

occurrence of violence happens after series of conflict-based interaction in which

two parties trade retaliatory behaviors back and forth in escalating cycle (p.23). The

initial triggering event occurs can be serious or not, and people become caught in a

malice which perceive their own behavior as an appropriate respond based on the

situation at hand.

War brings the term violence to a much greater scale, in a way of lots of

people are involved in this chaotic event. Especially on the early 20th century,

development of industrialization in weaponry makes a mass killing weapon more

potent than ever. First World War has become the first global conflict which costs

millions of lives in the process.

Quite fortunate, human has an ability to learn and adapt even on the harsh

situation like war. Human can make an adjustment in order to survive on the

environment where we live. Such example can be seen in timid and bashful kid

during elementary school turns into delinquent and deviant student in high school

because of constant bullying and his society demands him to be like that.


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In this story, Paul experiences many cases of violence in war and he tries

to adapt with his current situation. With the theory proposed by Shaver about effect

of violence toward personality, writer applies this theory to Paul’s case into five

sub section: Paul’s moral standards, Paul’s self-worth, Paul’s intellectual decline,

Paul’s depersonalization and Paul’s perceptual function.

a. War on Paul’s Depersonalization

Paul joins German army because he wants to protect his fatherland.

The same goes for millions of German people whom enlisted in the First World

War. Paul and many people were told countless time with propaganda that they are

fought to prevent the annihilation of German race, and therefore, it proves the

Shaver’s theory that a consensus for fighting to a greater cause will makes people

lost their mind and wants to give everything he has, even his life

(Shaver, 2011, p.76). In normal circumstances this consensus cannot work by one

or two people, however, war involves many people to follow this way of thinking.

Many people were mobilized, directed, and forced to follow certain ideology.

Consequently, each side in every war have their own version of good and evil,

which emphasizes highly that they are being threatened by opposing side. Singular

identity has no purpose, sense of worth and uniqueness in each person has

diminishes; war has pushes men to a great extent which depersonalized them.

Shaver’s theory (2011) in his book Human Aggression and Violence, he

defined war as a potent cause on depersonalization (p.76). However, we

need to understand the definition of depersonalization.

The American Heritage dictionary of English Language 3rd edition defined


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depersonalization as: a state in which the normal sense of personal identity and

reality is lost, characterized by feelings that one’s actions and speech cannot be

controlled. The term ‘cannot be controlled’ can also means inability for someone to

move at his own will because a pressure from the society or stimulus which forces

someone to do specific thing in some situation. Depersonalization on Paul can be

seen when he degrades himself as human animal because of his desperate situation.

Such example can be seen from the following passage:

We are not youth any longer. We don't want to take the world by storm. We

are fleeing. We fly from ourselves. From our life. We were eighteen and had

begun to love life and the world; and we had to shoot it to pieces. The first

bomb, the first explosion, burst in our hearts. We are cut off from activity,

from striving, from progress. We believe in such things no longer, we

believe in the war (Remarque, 1929, p.43).

Paul has a strong belief that he only live, fight and die only for war, yet he

also admits that his age is still too young to experience. The example from the

application of this idealism can be seen with in symbol ‘iron youth’ which Paul

mentioned afterwards (Remarque, 1929, p.43). This mannerism uses by the German

army to make young people willing to enlist. It was rooted in nationalism and

excessive pride of German people to be a representative of youth that would defend

their fatherland.

Paul’s depersonalization in this novel happens when he justifies a violence

as an act to defend himself. Such example happens when he faces with life or death

situation during war from incoming threat from his enemy. During one offensive,

Paul and his company are suffering a heavy bombardment by the enemy. He is

anxiously waiting if the shell may explode near him. This experience terrifies some

of Paul’s friend and results, he tries to run from the battlefield. Paul who was aware


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of the situation quickly seized that soldier before he endangered his life and makes

other soldiers imitate him. The bombardments fell short afterwards with huge

column of enemies charging on Paul’s position. When his life threatened, he had an

urge to retaliate and do something.

We have become wild beasts. We do not fight, we defend ourselves against

annihilation. It is not against men that we fling our bombs, what do we know

of men in this moment when Death is hunting us down—now, for the first

time in three days we can see his face, now for the first time in three days

we can oppose him; we feel a mad anger. No longer dowel lie helpless,

waiting on the scaffold, we can destroy and kill, to save ourselves, to save

ourselves and to be revenged. (Remarque, 1929, p.53).

Naturally, Paul has a strong will to survive, and he justifies all he did was

an act to defend himself. When he enters the situation that would cost his life, Paul

sees his opponent only as an object. Paul no longer lies helplessly, as he uses the

metaphor ‘wild beasts’ to describe himself. Burned with anger, he can destroy and

kill in order to survive.

In result, violence in war can cause a depersonalization which which can be

seen when he starts to degrade himself as a “tool” of war and justifies a killing other

human and violence as an act to defend himself. He learns to be braver and more

adaptive with the situation. The harsh reality in war also develops his personality

to be more realistic and only believes on something which is more practical in war.

b. War on Paul’s Impaired Self Worth

The American Heritage Dictionary of English Language 3rd Edition

defined self-worth as person is having a sense of being worthy. However, self-worth

can impair on the situation where a person life. In setting such as war, which can

cause desperation upon many people in the form of battle stress after they realize


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their hopelessness in war. People with an uncertain condition like war has no exact

estimate about his life.

In this example, Paul calls himself a burden. During this scene, he gets a

chance to return home and meet his family. However, after he stays in his home for

some time, he has begun to realize that condition on his home back then and now

is on a whole different level.

Everything which he knows back then has crumbles little by little because

of war. Especially his mother who is unable to have proper medical treatment and

become terminally ill. Despite her sickness, she still treats Paul lovingly, as if

nothing happens. After discovering the truth, Paul becomes uneasy. Uncertainty

about his life and his reason to return home has gone. He wants his mother to live

peacefully during his last years of her life, however, war makes everything difficult.

His inability to overcome back from this situation results in Paul calls himself a

burden for his mother.

War severs Paul relation with his past; therefore, he resorts to camaraderie

with his friends in front. Because his relation he made in the military has more

meaning to him in comparison with all years with his family. Therefore, his friend

has become his last hope in order to survive. In the latter part of the war, the

condition of the German army become dire than ever. Paul’s friends die one by one,

until his best and the last one, Kat dies on his hand. The grim truth about the

loneliness makes him realizes, that he has nothing to live anymore. War has taught

him to let go things, results in Paul’s loneliness.


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Therefore, violence in war causes an impairment on Paul in the form of

desperation and hopelessness. While he retains his affectionate attitude toward his

mother, his realization when he cannot do anything to change his terminally ill

mother impairs his self-worth and calls himself a burden. His hopelessness when

all of his friends dying, and he has nothing else left makes him become more

realistic.

c. War on Paul’s Loss on Memory and Perceptual Functions

It is a common understanding that an individual has a different perception

of something from one another. Factor, why each person has a different perception,

can be various, such as hereditary factors, social influences or particular events.

War is one example of a particular event which can significantly impact the

perception of someone. This occurrence explained by Shaver (2011) after his

interview with American soldiers who fought in Vietnam, that occurrence of

violence during the war incite the feeling of insecurity in their mind (p.76).

Therefore, soldiers always feel threatened, and in some extreme way, American

soldiers even dare to kill Vietnamese civilians out of suspicion. War has changed

the American soldier’s perception that all the Vietnamese is the enemy.

In Paul’s case, rain of bullets, a charge of enemies and thousands of artillery

barrages pose as a threat to take his life at any moment. Therefore, it is natural for

Paul to consider those upcoming attack as a threat. He even uses an expression such

as beasts, evil, and monster to describe the enemy as an exaggeration on how he

despises them so much. War and military have build-up his perception about the


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opposing side in a way threat for his survival, he is ready to fight it. This can be

seen when he would not hesitate to fling a bomb at his own father when he charges

on with the enemy. Paul’s perception of the enemy has turned him into a merciless

soldier that he would kill anyone who would take his life.

His perception of his enemies did not last long, especially after his encounter

with a Frenchman. Since Paul is a complex character, he continually develops

throughout the story. Especially about his perception of killing another human. His

perception has significant changes after he realizes the truth and consequences of

killing another human. This novel shows a deep regret from Paul after he killed a

person first-handedly and suffers a long-traumatic experience by watching the

person he killed in a slow agonizing death. When he searched at his victim’s pocket,

he finds a photo of his family and his identity card. Paul never thought what will

happen to the family that the Frenchman left behind. He realizes the cause of his

attitude only brings calamity to a fellow human.

Therefore, Paul’s perception is without a doubt changes by war when he

becomes more braver, yet also learns to be more sympathetic. He experiences

personality development from a person who is still naïve about the war, turned him

into a merciless soldier and he could kill anyone who would take his life. However,

war also opens his eyes and develops sympathetic personality when he learns the

consequences when he takes another man’s life.

d. War on Paul’s Loss of Moral Standards

Moral exists to determine the attitude of a person and concerned with the

principle of right and wrong. Moral also has a strong connection with the value,


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code of behavior that considered acceptable in a particular society (The American

Dictionary Heritage of English Language 3rd Edition, 2011, p.2000).

In All Quiet on the Western Front, Paul obtain many things which he never

been able to find before. His environment gives him more access toward items

which he cannot obtain before. During the war, soldier’s prosperity provides by the

military in order to make soldiers feel ease during the war. Supplies given by the

military are various. Paul receives rations, clothing, and alcoholic beverages.

Because war provides those items and society around Paul pushes him to follow

their lifestyle, Paul jumps into the fray and follows that attitude.

A glass of beer stands in front of me, I've learned to drink in the army. The

glass is half empty, but there are a few good swigs ahead of me, and besides

I can always order a second and a third if I wish to. (Remarque, 1929, p.76).

Elizabeth Hurlock (1974) in his book Personality Development stated that

people change because society around the person also changes. The role of society

becomes a reference for how a person should act or behave, despite the existence

of moral standards refrains them. Deviation from moral standards also triggers by

other factors such as battle stress and mental health. Acts of violence which

frequently happens during the war purports Paul’s battle fatigue which results in his

deviant behavior in drinking and smoking.

Another war’s effect on Paul’s moral is when he allows the consensus of

killing as something acceptable. In a normal situation, this attitude considers as

unacceptable and taboo. Every man on the battlefield has a right to kill others in

order to survive.


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Through the years our business has been killing;—it was our first calling in

life. Our knowledge of life is limited to death. No longer do we lie helpless,

waiting on the scaffold, we can destroy and kill, to save ourselves, to save

ourselves and to be revenged. (p.53)

When the war broke out, the consensus of killing other humans can be

allowed. Shaver (2011) stated in his book that people would do everything he could

in afraid their life could be taken (p.75). In war, the same occurred with Paul where

he learns that killing another human and being merciless is necessary in order to

survive the war.

War makes Paul can get more freedom to pursue things he cannot have

before while and alters his moral. He learns a deviate attitude to drink and smoke.


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CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

In this chapter, the researcher concludes the discussion of problem

formulation. The first formulation focuses on the depiction on Paul’s character

development from before he enters the war until he experiences the war.

Firstly, the writer applies the theory of characterization by M.J Murphy, and

find the characteristics of Paul as enthusiast, affectionate, obedient, immature, and

rebellious before he enters the war. Those pre-war personality are built by his family

and his strangeness to war. Further, the writer uses the theory on personality

development by Elizabeth Hurlock and finds out that after his enlistment in military,

war has changed his personality although some of his old personality still retains

such as affectionate and obedient, but mostly, war has more contribution to his

ability to survive on the battlefield and thus, awakens Paul’s new personality such

as friendly, realist, sympathetic, adaptive, selfish, courageous and deviant.

This personality development happens in the context of environment of war.

Therefore, this brings to the second question from problem formulation, which is

the effect of war on Paul’s personality. To explain this problem, the writer uses the

theory by Wendy Holmes. Based on his theory, the writer finds out that traumatic

experience and Paul’s experience in the early years of war have a shock effect to

inflict a change in his personality.

Another prominent element in the war environment is violence. For this

problem, the writer finds symptoms such as decline in moral standards,


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depersonalization, impaired self-worth and decline in intellectual function after he

experiences the violence in war.

Through war, Paul develops a new personality while retains some which are

affectionate and obedient before the war. His personality is mainly the one which

will benefit him or helps him survive in the war. Environment and violence in war

also have proven to affect Paul’s personality, from the example, when violence in

war causes an impairment on Paul in the form of desperation and hopelessness and

develops personalities such as realist, sympathetic, adaptive, selfish, courageous

and deviant. When he lost most of his friends and has nothing else left makes him

to accept the reality and be more realistic about his current situation.


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REFERENCES

Abrams, M.H. (1999). A Glossary of Literary Term. Seventh Edition. Boston: Earl

McPeek.

Chambers, J. W. (2006). ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ (1930): The Antiwar Film

and the Image of the First World War. London: Routledge.

Forster, E. M. (1974). Aspect of the Novel and Related Writings. London: Edward

Arnold Ltd.

Guth, H. P. (1981). The Literary Heritage. Lexington: DC Hearth and Company.

Hans, N. (2004). The contribution of All Quiet on the Western Front to our

Understanding of Psychological Trauma. Retrieved from

https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/european-psychiatry/vol/19/issue/8.

Holden, W. (1998). The Psychological Impact of War. London: WHINC.

Hugh Holman and William Harmon.(1986). A Handbook of Literature. New York:

Macmillan Publisher.

Hurlock, E. B. (1974). Personality Development. (J. H. Dunham, Ed.) New York:

McGraw-Hill Book Company.

Kristiandi, K.V. (2008). The Influence of War Toward the Main Character

Personality as Seen in E.M Nathanson's The Dirty Dozen (Undergraduate

Thesis). Yogyakarta: Universitas Sanata Dharma.

Murphy, M. (1972). Understanding Unseens: An Introduction to English Poetry

and the Novel for Overseas Students. London: George Allen and Unwin.

Opatha, Henarath .(2004). Personality Development. Retrieved from

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282698731.

Philip R. Shaver, M. M. (2011). Human Aggresion and Violence, First Edition.

Washington DC: American Psychological Association.


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Pikunas, J. (1976). Human Development: An Emergent Science. New York:

McGraw Hills Company.

Remarque, E. M. (1929). All Quiet on the Western Front. London: Little, Brown

and Company.

Soukhanov, A.H. (Ed.). (2013). The American Heritage Dictionary of the English

Language, Tenth Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

VandenBos, G.R .(2015). APA Dictionary of Psychology (2nd Edition).Washington

DC: American Psychological Association.


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APPENDIX

Appendix: Summary of the All Quiet on the Western Front

The story of All Quiet on the Western Front is narrated by Paul, a 19 years

old German soldier who fights during the First World War. He and his colleagues

joined the war after his lecturer’s patriotic speech. However, Paul’s experience on

the war proves that those nationalistic and patriotic ideas are only empty clichés as

Paul and his colleagues live in constant physical terror.

His time during the military training until beginning of the war shapes his

attitude to become a battle-hardened soldier. During the arduous and exhausting

military training, he learns a discipline and obedience which he never gets in his

previous life as a student. From the military, he learns to cooperate with his friends,

and sometimes, pranks their senior officer, Himmelstoss. From war, Paul also


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realizes that prolonged sadness won't help him survive in battle, especially when he

blatantly wishes to inherit Kemmerich’s boots, his dying teammates.

Years after the first debut in war, new recruits come and go to reinforce

Paul’s company. However, they provide less help than they supposed to do because

new recruits are too inexperienced and died too quickly. During this desperation on

war, Paul and his company start to argue about the goal of the war, and whether the

war only benefits company and higher-ups in military at the cost of millions of lives.

During one mission near the graveyard, the artillery pounds hard on Paul

and his company. The explosion causes the buried corpses on the cemetery flung

everywhere and fell around them. Traumatized, Paul and his friends return to the

camp, they began to think about their future after the war, but all of them seems to

agree that war’s end is nowhere near.

Paul fights in a bloody battle with French infantrymen. In this place, his

wits and bravery are highly tested. He feels that he must become a battle animal to

survive. After the battle, Paul and his company enjoy a brief rest. They swim and

hang up on a group of French girls.

In order to avoid prolonged stress during the extended exposure in the

battlefield, Paul gets a chance to return home. During his return, he feels

uncomfortable instead of happy. His father forced him to tell his son’s story in the

the battlefield, but Paul refuses to talk about. Furthermore, he learns about his

mother is terminally ill, despite she tries to hide it from Paul.


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After his left, Paul reunited with his friends on the battlefield. During one

offensive, he is separated from his company and forced to hide in one of the shell

holes. One Frenchman leaps on it, and Paul quickly stabbed him. Unfortunately, he

fails to kill him instantly. As the man died slowly, letting out his agonizing death,

Paul finds himself with remorse and guilt after he finds out that this Frenchman is

just an innocent soul with child and family back home.

During one assignment, Paul and his friends were asked to guard a supply

depot. However, an enemy shell lands near him and its shrapnel wound his knee.

Consequently, the military sent him to the military hospital.

He successfully undergoes surgery and asked to return to the battlefield

while his friend who threw to the same hospital became devastated after the surgeon

decides to amputate his legs.

In 1918, the German army began to crumble after waves of allied attacks.

Paul’s company died one by one, even the last of his friends, Kat. He was killed

after unknown shrapnel hit his head while Paul was carrying him to safety.

Therefore, Paul becomes aware that he is the last survivor from his colleagues.

Peace talks, he heard it everywhere, but he realizes that he cannot return to normal

life even when the war ends. In October 1918, Paul was killed, wearing a calm

expression as though relieved that the end of the war has come.


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