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When Paul, Müller, and Albert visit Kemmerich in the hospital, Müller is more concerned with getting Kemmerich’s boots than comforting Kemmerich. Müller, Paul points out, is not being rude: the war requires that soldiers abandon social niceties and think realistically about their own interests. Even the hospital orderlies have their eyes on Kemmerich’s boots. The boots command as much, if not more, respect and attention than the man to whom they belong, and in this way symbolize the cheapness of human life in the war.
Kemmerich’s Boots Quotes in All Quiet on the Western Front
The All Quiet on the Western Front quotes below all refer to the symbol of Kemmerich’s Boots. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Chapter 2
Quotes
Though Müller would be delighted to have Kemmerich's boots, he is really quite as sympathetic as another who could not bear to think of such a thing for grief. He merely sees things clearly…We have lost all sense of other considerations, because they are artificial. Only the facts are real and important for us. And good boots are scarce.
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Explanation and Analysis:
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Kemmerich’s Boots Symbol Timeline in All Quiet on the Western Front
The timeline below shows where the symbol Kemmerich’s Boots appears in All Quiet on the Western Front. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1
...divide up his possessions. Müller tries to persuade Kemmerich to give them his beautiful leather boots, but Kemmerich resists. Eventually, Paul steps on Muller’s foot, getting him to drop the subject.
(full context)
Chapter 4
...The usually moody Muller is in particularly good spirits, as he is wearing the new boots he has inherited from their dead friend Kemmerich.
(full context)
Chapter 11
...is conscious of his intense suffering. Before dying, Müller gives Paul his pocket-book and his boots—the very same boots that once belonged to Kemmerich. Paul promises that once he dies, the...
(full context)
