Sign Up Now
Get instant access to over 1 million+ study documents
OR
Already registered? click here to login
By creating your account, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and student honor code.
Psycological Effects of War
Erich Maria Remarque's novel "All Quiet on the Western Front" discusses matters regarding the effects that warfare can have on an individual. The writer wants to emphasize the fact that war is frequently overvalued and that leaders are typically ignorant concerning the experiences of simple soldiers. Warfare makes it possible for one to enter a world that is very different from the one that he or she is accustomed to, influencing the respective person in slowly but surely detaching him or herself from the normal part of society. The novel provides readers with the idea that it is very difficult and practically impossible for someone who experienced warfare firsthand to return home and reintegrate society, given that he or she had experienced traumatizing episodes while fighting.
Virtually every scene of the book puts across feelings related to the horror of war, as the writer refrains from continuing a trend that was typically employed by individuals who wrote...
Remarque thoroughly discusses the concept of warfare and associates it with things like dread, hopelessness, and slaughter. The novel's ending further contributes to the belief that it is impossible for warfare to end in a happy note, considering that almost all of the characters are dead.
Paul Baumer, the protagonist, and his companions are constantly subjected to intense stress as a result of knowing that it is likely for them to be killed at any given moment. This influences them in focusing on their instincts and in practically becoming animals that simply want to make it through the day. Their nerves are severely affected as they acknowledge the fact that their distinction prevents them from knowing anything about the general context of the war or about their chances of survival. While he initially concentrates on trying to live, his experiences turn him into an invulnerable individual who feels that he has nothing left to lose.…
Horror and misery dominate battlefields as Baumer sees his friends dying one by one and as he is continuously forced to live in horrible conditions that further damage his psyche. Baumer's everyday experiences involve staying in trenches containing water, rotting corpses, and rats that "have shocking, evil, naked faces, and it is nauseating to see their long nude tails" (Remarque 46). The soldier has no choice other than to put normal feelings behind and accept that he faces terrible conditions. Although it might seem that this can be somewhat beneficial for an individual because it assists him in being better prepared in dealing with circumstances, it actually damages his humanity and his emotional side as a whole. Baumer knows that he has no future beyond warfare and he has difficulty thinking about his past life as a civilian. He is unable to converse with his family members at the time when he returns home, this making it possible for readers to understand his complete emotional detachment. The only feelings that Baumer manages to keep are related to the connections that he forms with his companions, given that he considers that warfare has become a part of his life and that his friends are like family to him.
Remarque highlights that there is nothing glorious about the war, as killing someone and seeing other people killed can have a particularly damaging effect on an individual. Baumer is desensitized as a result of his experiences on the front and his insignificance is stressed in the last part of the novel, as it is revealed that conditions are peaceful of the Western Front, even with the fact that he is dead.
Maria Remarque, Erich. "All quiet on the western front and related reading," Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2000
This is mostly experienced in case where the trauma caused psychological disorders, phobias, and depression, and this may go as far as inhibiting the maturation process of the child and even interacting with the emerging personality. According to Newman (1976) three factors can be used to predict the psychological effects of disasters on children, these are; the child's developmental level, the child's perception about the family's response to the
This point also emphasizes a cardinal aspect in the recent literature. There has been an increasing research focus on a more discursive and holistic approach which should be adopted in dealing with PTSD and related areas of psychological concern. At present the research into the field is an ongoing process which must be continually updated. The literature also leaves little doubt that PTSD and other related psychological problems as result
768). Yet the widespread slaughter of people in the name of total war was a principle varying point between Asian and Western powers during the 19th century. Despite whatever moral and philosophical objections Clausewitz might have raised to total war, he certainly saw value in involving as much of a population as possible in its martial efforts. In this respect, he conceived of war from a decidedly nationalistic viewpoint, in
Civilians lose their civil liberties in times of war. Thousands are arrested, often only for associating with suspects. The rights of those arrested are often suspended or denied. Others are harassed because of their very opposition to war and policies of oppression. Unquestionably, war robs society of resources that can otherwise be used constructively. It diverts the energy of those who can make significant contributions to the security and
It is also interesting to note that the correlation between depression and childhood sexual abuse was found to be higher among females in many studies. However, the issue of the relationship between depression and sexual abuse may not be as clear-cut as the above studies suggest. Recent research has begun to question this correlation and has produced findings that suggest that there are many other parameters and variables that should
psychological effects of incarceration on inmates are very profound. The effects can be grouped into two main categories. The first category relates to the effects that the inmates experience while they are still in prison. The second categories of effects are the ones that are post-incarceration related. The psychological effect of incarceration is a problem that should be addressed with utmost urgency and due care since the inmates are