Both All Quiet on the Western Front and Slaughterhouse-Five have been referred to as great anti-war novels. Both show the slaughter and violence of war, both deal with anti-war themes, both feature protagonists who question and challenge assumptions about the glory of war. Yet both novels accomplish these end goals in very different ways.
In this essay, we want you to compare and contrast these two novels as representations of anti-war writing. Discuss the similarities and differences in these works and which work ultimately proves more successful as an anti-war novel. Use specific references to both novels to support your analysis.
Topics for body paragraphs that you could consider: discussing the narrative structure of each work and how that structure contributes to the novel’s meaning; analyzing the portrayal of war in each book; discussing the impact of war on the protagonist’s psyche; analyzing the authors’ attempts to portray the horrors of war both on the soldier and on society; explaining how use of point of view affects the meaning in each work. There are other areas you can explore in this essay, of course, but these are a few areas you may wish to compare/contrast in your body paragraphs. Each of these ideas could function as one body paragraph; essays should focus on three areas of comparison (for three body paragraphs total). In your conclusion you should discuss which novel ultimately is more successful in showing the inhumanity of war.
Come at lunch (some enrichment dates may be scheduled). On days where reading is due you may have a reading quiz.
Mon., March 8 – have read Chs. 1-2 (meeting at lunch)
Fri., March 12 – have read Chs. 3-4 (no meeting today, but make sure you have read)
Thurs., March 18 – have read Ch. 5 (meeting at lunch)
Wed., March 24 – have finished the book (no meeting today, but make sure you have read)
Thurs., March 25 – meeting to discuss essay (meeting at lunch)
(You may also see us for help on other days during snack, enrichment or lunch [by appointment].)
Double-spaced, typed, 12 pt. Times New Roman font; 1-inch margins on all sides; about five pages (meaning just a little bit under or just a little bit over is fine). Use parenthetical page references where appropriate. For example, (All Quiet, 39). Essay is due Thursday, April 1. You may use your Procrastinator’s Permit if you have not already used it for another assignment. If you are absent on the day your essay is due, you must use your Procrastinator’s Permit. No essays will be accepted after April 2. Your essay must be submitted to turnitin.com by Saturday, April 3. No late papers accepted. Failure to submit your essay to turnitin.com on time (or at all) will result in a lower essay grade.