Friday, October 8, 2010
Mueller's boots.
The reason Mueller went there to see poor Franz Kemmerik, in my opinion was to see if he can get anything that Franz doesn't need. In this case, he hit the jackpot by finding his boots. This was one of the many examples of dehuminization used in "All Quiet on the Western Front". It shows the insignficance of Franz Kemmerik to Mueller and basically makes him worthless with the exception of his boots. So far, I like the film and am looking foward to seeing how everything plays out.
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I concur, This proves that you change as a person during wartime.
ReplyDeleteI dont think he necessarily went there with taking what he doesnt need in mind. It just happened when he saw the boots, he decided he needed it.
ReplyDeleteI'm leaning toward Jen on this one, fellas. WHile your comment about Mueller forgetting about Kemmerich very quickly, and it's implications of dehumanization, are accurate, I think you may be overstating the case on the boots. As they are leaving, he tells Paul, "if Franz could use those boots, I'd walk over barbed wire for him, but why should some orderly get them?" This is not exactly the words of a totally cold-hearted person.
ReplyDeleteI think his inital intentiosn were not to scavenge Kemmerick. Mueller is still a friend but, I think Mueller should've let Kemmerick keep his boots. Of course then we wouldn't see the whole scene of how the boots carry on but the soldiers fall, one after another. But in my opinion, the boots are a symbol of life for Kemmerick.
ReplyDeleteI agree that he did say the comment about walking over barbed wire for the boots, however that could have been something he said just to save image. Of course he could have genuinely meant it, but regardless of whether he meant what he said, Mueller didn't take the right course of action in taking the boots.
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