E.M.Remarque "Läänerindel Muutuseta"
enjoys bullying them.
Himmelstoss forces his men to stand outside with no gloves on during a hard frost, risking
frostbite that could lead to the amputation of a finger or the loss of a hand. His idea of a cure
for Tjaden's bed-wetting--making him share a bunk with Kindervater, another bed wetter--is
vicious, especially since the bed-wetting results from a medical condition and is not under
Tjaden's control. At this stage of the novel, Himmelstoss represents the meanest, pettiest,
most loathsome aspects of humanity that war draws out. But when he is sent to fight at the
front, Himmelstoss experiences the same terror and trauma as the other soldiers, and he
quickly tries to make amends for his past behavior. In this way, Remarque exhibits the
frightening and awesome power of the trenches, which transform even a mad disciplinarian
into a terrorized soldier desperate for human companionship.
Summary
annaabi.ee 
