All Quiet on the Western Front:

All Quiet on the Western Front:

Chapter Four Summary:

Chapter four starts like this, the second company is assigned on a dangerous task to the lay-barded wire on the front. As they are driving they pass a house with a lot of geese. They agree to come back later to get them. Kat and Paul hear gunfire. Kat explains to the recruits how to distinguish which guns are firing. Kat thinks that there will be an ambush/bombardment later in the night. This chapter also talks about how soldiers transform themselves into human animals. There senses heighten in order to keep them alive. Then the soldiers carry wire and iron rods to the front. They lay the wire, and try to sleep until the trucks arrive to drive them back. Kat’s prediction that they would be bombarded is correct. Panic arises and creates chaos and run for cover. Paul talks to one of the recruits and how it is normal for a new solider to poop in his pants and tells him it is essentially normal and ok. The men hear the sounds of wounded and dying horses screaming in pain and torture. Detering is horrified because he loves horses. After the wounded men are gathered, those in charge of shooting the wounded animals do their job. Detering declares with disgust that using horses in war is the “vilest baseness.” On the drive back a swarm of bombs land around them. The men take cover. They put their gas mask on and seek shelter for protection. Paul takes a breath on the valve of the mask, hoping that the mask is airtight. The shelling has stopped. They ending of this chapter is a dilemma, where they don’t know if the should kill a soldier to ease his agony or let him be in pain.