Lesson Overview 

As always the class begins with a quiz.  Reminder: Grade or glance through the quizzes right away - students that have not done the reading, should not be in a group.  They can finish their reading in class and do the Group Work for homework (in addition to whatever reading is assigned).  Please remind the students to bring one specific (with a page number if applicable) comment, quote, question or takeaway about the novel as a whole - for our next lesson - the closing discussion.

Please see the actual Group Work below for precisely what's in it and my page on Group Work for more of the "why" do it.  Here are some of the points that the Group Work goes over.

Some main points of the Group Work

• The mixture of the "profound" with "levity" - not only in All Quiet - but in the other works we've studied as well.

• The horror of the doctor at the hospital and Martin's (from Candide) view of the world.

• The nuns at the hospital and their ignorance of the mens' "world of the front".

• The idea of a "shooting license" and being able to do what you want with impunity.

• The dying room - how it is important here - its possible biblical allusions - and hints of the future.

• The accommodations that the men in the ward make for Lewandowski with regard to the visit from his wife - and how there is another world here - the world of the "hospital"

• What is the effect of this part of the book's optimism on the reader?

Of course there is much more in the actual Group Work.

Remote Enhancements 

Group Works are great for Remote Learning - but they do take a lot of logistical preparation.