Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Five Talking Points about "All Quiet On The Western Front"
- The war was a very harsh war.
- It shows definite effects on people that are involved in a war.
- It shows the things and the pressure that people go through when they are making there decision about joining the war.
- It easily defines the values of life and how easily they can be taken away.
- It also shows the effects of their conditions after the war is over.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Eleven
In chapter eleven of the novel All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque, many tragic events are described. This chapter is one of sorrow and despair, filled with death. Each word in this chapter makes the reader feel the pain of the solider, the pain of loss and death of those around him. It condemns the characters worst fears of losing those that he has come closest to on the battlefield.
“War is the cause of death like cancer and tuberculosis, like influenza and dysentery”. (pg271) This quote alone sets the stage for this chapter of gloom. The main character talks of how each day passes practically unnoticed. How each of them have grown so accustom to the war their minds have ceased to think of nothing else. How no man remembers what life outside the war could possibly be like. “It is as though formerly we were coins of different provinces; and now we are melted down, and all bear the same stamp”. (pg272) The main character goes on to talk about how the death all around them has left them as animals.
This chapter tells of how Detering, having seen a cherry tree, goes, in a sense mad, for his longing of home has surpassed his control. The main character, Paul, tells of how one morning Detering was gone. He goes on to say that Detering had absurdly gone toward Germany, and so was caught by the field gendarmes; military police. We then hear no more about Detering, for the main character himself hears nothing of him. Müller, one of the main charcters, we learn is dead. We go on to find out that he was shot at point-blank in the stomach. He lives for a short time longer, but in utter agony.
“Germany out to be empty soon,” says Kat’. (pg 281) At this point in the book the characters seem to be loosing hope that the war will ever end. German forces do not have the food, the artillery, or any such supplies to match the competitors. “For one hungry, wretched German soldier come five of the enemy, fresh and fit” (pg286).
Leer, a character that went to school with the main character, Paul, has been shot. The boy bleeds out, at the same time Bertinick the Company Commander is shot. Soon after, the main character and Kat have been hit, Kat is hit in the bone, and bleeds fast. Paul carries Kat over his shoulder, stopping to get out of the way of the firing that is over them. Paul makes it to the shelter where the doctors and surgeons can tend to Kat, but only to find that his work has been for nothing. Kat is dead. “Only the Militiaman Stanislaus Katczinsky has died. Then I know nothing more” (pg 291).
Part 2: Stanislaus Katczinsky
Stanislaus Katczinsky from be beginning looks to be a father figure. In the beginning he seems to have a positive or at least a not-defeated view of the war stating it would not be such a bad war if only they could get some sleep. He is described as the leader of the group. A man who is “shrewd, cunning and hard bitten...” with “a remarkable nose for dirty weather, good food and soft jobs.”(pg03). Later it is said that he has to have a sixth sense for finding supplies. During most of the hard times he and his comrades go through he is the one to find something to cheer up his comrades, most of the time it is either food or somewhere to sleep. Though the story behind it is not mentioned in the novel it is said his greatest accomplishment in the area would be to finds a few crates of lobster for the men. At one time while being bombarded and running low on food there are multiple attempts to get food to the front. Then it is stated “Finally Kat tries, and even he reappears without accomplishing anything” (pg107) Food great necessity in the book and because of this Kat is a great friend to have. One such occasion when they were going hunger he and Paul go and steal geese to eat and use the feathers for a pillow. However it is not just good times for Kat. He seems to also have to make hard decisions in order to protect his younger followers. One such example would be when after rescuing a soldier and he realizes that the soldier is going to die, he asks the hard question to end it for him so as to keep the young soldier from suffering.
Most of the time Kat has a veteran like position to him. Where most of the men in the story are somewhere near 18 or 19 years old Kat is 40. Most of the time the narrator seems to talk about the older soldiers in jealous nature. He and his friends were thrown into the fray at a young age with no life experience to help them after the war and little to cling onto to keep sane such as a wife or children. However Kat often gives helpful advice and is shown to be like a sort of wise elder to listen to and respect even though he does not out rank them. Other times he seems to be in a daze. One such time is when he is talking about men getting literally getting blown out of their clothes by mortars. He is killed in the end by a stray piece of shrapnel to the back of his head as he was being carried by Paul back to the medical area in order to treat his leg. He is the last of the group to die besides the narrator Paul, and was probably Paul’s closest friend. After Kat dies the book skips some time to when Paul is sent to rest for inhaling some poison gas which to me is a sign that Paul has given into depression and most likely does not care too much about the time after Kat dies.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Political parties
I was assigned to the group that
was supposed to find information on all the parties that the other groups
researched and our group was supposed to find information on other parties in Germany.
As a group we got together on Wednesday after class and we decided that Kari
would set up a document on Google so that when we found information we could
post it to the document, that way we wouldn’t have to worry about meeting
anywhere because of such uncoordinated schedules between all the group members.
After we gathered all the information about particular parties we decided as a
group to put it all on a PowerPoint to present to the class.
For the project I helped with all
the parties we found and I just brushed up the information to try and find
interesting facts that the other members of our group never found; if any. I
found most of the flags and symbols for the parties and made sure that everybody’s
information was cited. Most of my work was done on the NPD (Nazi Party), there
was a lot of information on the Nazi party that I found mainly because I feel
it had to do with Hitler and it was happening around his era.
The party that seemed most
interesting to me was the Pirate party. The pirate party seemed like a party
that kind of gave you free will for anything you wanted to do within the boundaries
set by the party. The Pirate party wasn’t a real strict party at all; I learned
some things about it when I was listening to the presentations that totally
caught me off guard. When I first read “Pirates” I thought that it meant a
group of people that dress up like actual pirates with peg legs and eye patches
and ship, later I found out it was a group that was more like the pirating that
you would do on the internet.
I like doing group work even though
it was very hard for our group to actually meet in person, I loved Kari’s idea
of making a Google document. The Google document was a lot easier to add
information that it was to try and set up a time to meet and worrying about
conflictions. If I was to do another group project; which I’m sure we will do, I
would do it through a Google document again. I think that are grouped worked
together well to get the task done. The link to the PowerPoint is posted on the top of this page, you can access it if you click on Political parties.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Bremen, Germany
Population: 660,706
Men: 321,940
Women: 338,766
Size: 126.15 sq miles. (Smallest amongst Germany's 16 States)
http://www.citypopulation.de/php/germany-bremen.php,
Aug. 30, 2012
Main
Industries
Car Production-2nd largest in Europe
-Manufactures many vehicle models which include Chrysler and Mercedes Benz
-Has a workforce around 13,000 people
Aerospace and Aviation Industry
-One of the leading centers in Germany's for aerospace
-employs around 4,000 employees
(http://www.big-bremen.de/en/daten_fakten_inhalt_text?sv[id]=141678)
Food and Beverages -Home to many well known names such as Kellogg’s, Kraft, and Anheuser-Busch.
(http://www.big-bremen.de/en/daten_fakten_inhalt_text?sv[id]=141678)
Information Technology, Mobile and Wireless Technology
-Very technologically advanced city
(http://www.big-bremen.de/en/daten_fakten_inhalt_text?sv[id]=141678)
City
GDP: Approximately $39 billion in 2011
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_German_states_by_GDP
-Bremen is located on the northwest side of the Weser River in Germany.
-Bremerhaven has Germany’s second largest port, following Hamburg.
-Bremerhaven's products include: ships, aircraft, steel machinery, electrical equipment, textiles, and beer.
-It is a commercial and industrial center in trading cotton, wool, tobacco, and copper.
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/world/A0808837.html,
Aug. 30, 2012
A Brief
History of Bremen
-In 787 under the rule of Charlemagne,
Bremen became bishopric and a base for missionary activity. In 847 it became
archbishopric. -Bremen joined the Hanseatic League in 1358, then the Free Imperial City in 1646.
-In 1806, the Free Imperial City of Bremen became an sovereign state title Free Hanseatic City of Bremen. Their currency was the Bremen thaler until 1873.
-In 1827 Bremen bought land from Kingdom of Hanover, where Bremerhaven (literally translates as Bremen's Harbor) was established.
-Bremen became part of North German Confederation in 1867, then an autonomous component state of the German Emprire in 1871.
-Under the Third Reich, Bremen became a regular city in 1935 and wasn't reestablished as a state until 1947.
-In 1949, Bremen joined the Federal Republic of Germany.
http://www.indianchieftravel.com/en/germany/bremen/bremen/bremen-germany-1,
Sep. 2, 2012
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bremen_%28state%29,
Sep. 2, 2012
Places to
See
Bremen Town
Hall
-dates back to
the15th century
-one of the most
important examples of Brick Gothic architecture in Europe
http://www.euratlas.com/Atlas/germany_north/bremen_city_hall.jpg
Becks
Brewery
-Well known brewery around the world. Dates back
to 1879.
http://cdn-locations-images.tripomatic.com/img-poi9120-qVcwyO-m.jpg
Bottcherstrasse
-known as the "museum street"
-very famous for its unusual architecture
http://www.kunsttrip.nl/images/bremen/het%20bottcherstrasse%20bremen.jpg
http://gogermany.about.com/od/citiesandregions/tp/Bremen-Travel-Germany.htm, Sep. 3, 2012
http://gogermany.about.com/od/citiesandregions/tp/Bremen-Travel-Germany.htm, Sep. 3, 2012
Bremen Town Musicians
-Featured in Brother's Grimm story
-Rumored if you rub the donkey's leg while making a wish, the wish will come true
-Featured in Brother's Grimm story
-Rumored if you rub the donkey's leg while making a wish, the wish will come true
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/14/Bremen.band.500pix.jpg/250px-Bremen.band.500pix.jpg
Ratskeller
-Germany's oldest wine cellar
-Dates back to 1409
-Featured in a verse of a poem by Heinrich Heine
-Setting for Phantasein im Bremer Ratskeller by Wilhelm Hauff
St. Peter's Cathedral
-99 meters tall
-No structure in Bremen is taller than the Cathedral
http://www.bremen-tourism.de/bremen-at-a-glance,
Sep. 2, 2012
Statue of Roland -Medieval hero, Bremen's city protector
-Erected in 1404 as symbol of city's freedom
-Born April 18th, 1926 in Bremen, Germany
-Played Mr. Slugworth in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory in 1971
-Died of heart failure in Berlin at the age of 68 http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0577070, Aug. 30, 2012
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi77eFZBqhPBlDuze5KAcc_BdZx4hBoqXI6WloQTCdU1RsSip4WXH2qnYkule2yzDkgyg8AEp-gRwjwhqC2pUJ-jsh-lbh_rWZChTVDf_YcRcMYAOk1J2gktPEKWGaTSX6ew5-bWHlcqDKQ/s320/slugworth.jpg
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