The Goose

Kropp and Tjaden are in jail temporarily while Kat and Paul went out to steal a goose for themselves. Paul breaks into the farm’s backyard while Kat waits outside and stands guard. Paul struggles to capture a goose, having to keep a hold on flailing birds while fighting off a ferocious bulldog. Eventually Paul succeeds to capture a goose and him and Kat bring it back to their hut and roast it. I wondered why Remarque included this in the book. What does the goose represent?

In the incessant struggle of marching, building trenches, fighting battles, and more, Paul and Kat found a way to enjoy themselves with some freshly roasted meat. Originally I thought this could mean that war could still be enjoyable, but then I remembered that previously in the chapter, Paul came to the realization that the war had ruined their lives for the future. They would no longer be able to believe in a life of discovery and wonder after seeing their comrades blown up into pieces before their very own eyes. To me, the goose represents the only true enjoyment these men will have for the rest of their lives, because the only place that they can feel accomplishment any more is at war. The goose is gone after being consumed by Paul and Kat, just like their lives have been consumed by the war.