World War I was known as "the war to end all wars" and was also labeled "the Great War" . It started in 1994 and was fueled by militarism and nationalism across Europe. Tensions were rising within countries due to strained alliances, and competition to usurp lands from colonies was setting the stage for a major conflict that would change the course of history. European countries chose to align themselves with allies consisting of Great Britain, France, the United States or with the central powers consisting mainly of Austria-Hungary, Germany and the Ottoman Empire. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay On the Western Front, these two sides clashed in trenches that stretched for hundreds of miles. People did not foresee that the war would last so long. False hope, which promoted the glory of heroism, political propaganda and the development of new technologies, drove millions of young people into war. Tens of millions of lives were lost to hand-to-hand combat, poisonous gas, and machine gun fire. Erich Maria Remarque became a troubled man after fighting in the Great War himself and decided to write a novel using his own personal experiences to shed light on the horrors of combat and the tragic effects on the soldiers who fought in the war. In the novel All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque, the author uses symbolism to show that World War I changed the lives of the surviving soldiers mentally and emotionally, highlighting how the soldier's mind and spirit are destroyed by brutal nature . of war.Remarque uses symbolism to reveal the feeling of entrapment that soldiers develop as the war progresses. Paul Baumer, the main character and narrator, takes time to reflect on his war experiences throughout the novel. He shares how “the front is a mysterious vortex. Although [he is] in still waters, far from the center, [he] feels] the vortex of the vortex sucking him slowly, irresistibly, ineluctably into itself” (Remarque 55). Here, the “vortex” represents the Great War, which historically proved to be one of the most brutal and deadly wars in history. Often a “vortex” is associated with mass destruction and the quote reveals how it is affecting life and how it will always be there. By using the word "suck" as an action performed by the vortex, Remarque is able to demonstrate the soldiers' feeling of being mentally trapped or dragged into the conflict, whether the youth wants it or not. The author is able to reiterate this when he says how the vortex managed to suck him "inevitably into itself". The symbolism in this quote demonstrates how there is no way for young soldiers to escape war, and how war will always be with them. This really gives insight into the mind of Paul and the other soldiers. Furthermore, this sheds light on the fact that they have lost all hope and motivation to continue fighting, as they describe themselves as trapped in an unending disaster. Remarque's use of symbolism evokes a sense of sadness when analyzing the true nature of war and its widespread negative mental effects on the young soldiers who fight in it. Another example where symbolism is used by Remarque is how he depicts war by dehumanizing soldiers, one explosion at a time. The “bombs” represent ongoing violence, which literally destroys their virility. When Paul states how they “flee from [themselves],”.