In the greatest war novel of all time, All Quiet on the Western Front, the main character, Paul, is a soldier in the German army during World War I. Throughout the novel, he exhibits a range of emotions and actions that can be analyzed through the lens of Aristotle’s ethics. Paul is unlike his fellow soldiers and comrades. He understands that both sides of the war are in the right/wrong and he is able to feel emotions, such as sympathy and guilt. Aristotle’s philosophy of ethics is centered around the concept and importance of virtue, and the importance of living a virtuous life.  Paul’s actions, behaviors, and thoughts can be evaluated through Aristotle’s ethics and his ideas about virtue, happiness, and moral experience.

Aristotle believed that virtue lies in our power and that where it is in our power to act, it is also in our power not to act. Paul demonstrates this idea when he questions the morals of war and feels sympathy towards the enemy. He understands that both sides of the war are in the right/wrong and is able to acknowledge that the enemy is also human, like him. On page 203 in chapter 9 of the novel, Paul and his friends are discussing who is in the right in the war.  Paul  then says, “Perhaps both.” This quote shows that Paul recognizes that the enemy is fighting for what they believe in and fighting to protect themselves and their fatherland, just as he is fighting for his own beliefs in addition to fighting for himself and his fatherland.

In continuation of the previous paragraph, since Paul recognizes that the enemy is also human, he isn’t mean to them. He broke his cigarettes in half and gave them to the Russian prisoners, along with also giving them two potato cakes that his mother made. Paul’s actions towards the enemy show that he is searching for happiness in his actions. Aristotle believed that happiness is found to be something perfect and self-sufficient, being the end to which our actions are directed. These actions are self-sufficient and provide Paul with a sense of happiness and contentment. On page 184 of chapter 8 of the novel, Paul takes out his cigarettes and breaks them in half to give them to the Russian prisoners. Due to this action, he is thanked by the Russians, and he is comforted by his action.

Throughout the book, Paul’s actions towards the enemy show that he has moral experience and good character. Part of Aristotle’s philosophy is that he believed that moral experience, the actual possession and exercise of good character, is necessary truly to understand moral principles and profitably to apply them. In chapter 9, Paul tries to help aid an injured enemy soldier who he injured because of instinct and survival. In spite of the fact that the soldier is his enemy, he realizes that the soldier is also just a human like him, and he is regretful about attacking the soldier. In Chapter 4 of the novel, when a soldier who is experiencing intense pain and will die soon is helped by Kat and Paul, Kat and Paul discuss whether they should just put him out of his misery, and Paul states, “Yes, Kat, we ought to put him out of his misery.” However, they were not able to do so since more people were around, and they would be caught. This quote shows that Paul has good character and understands that the humane thing to do is to end the soldier’s suffering.

Paul’s understanding of what is the humane thing to do is shown many times. His thoughts throughout the novel, such as when he thinks about how if there wasn’t a war, he could’ve been friends with the enemy, show that he understands what is good for him, but at the same time, he is unable to act upon it due to the circumstances of war. Aristotle believed that one must know what is good or best for them, and yet chronically fail to act upon his knowledge. In chapter nine on page 194, he says that he must suppress his sympathetic thoughts towards the Russian prisoners and must shut them away until the war is ended. This quote shows that Paul knows what is good for him, but he is unable to act upon it due to the circumstances of war.

However, it is important to note that  while he demonstrates a strong moral character in his actions, he also exhibits a lack of courage when it comes to standing up to the wrongs of the war. Aristotle believed that moral virtue lies in finding the mean between excess and deficiency. In other words, one must not have too much or too little of a particular virtue. Paul does not take a firm stance against the war and continues to fight, even though he realizes that both sides are in the wrong.

In addition, Aristotle believed that happiness is the ultimate goal of human life and that it is achieved by living a virtuous life. Paul’s actions throughout the novel reflect a desire for happiness, both for himself and for others. He feels sympathy for his fellow soldiers and the enemy, and his actions demonstrate a desire to alleviate their suffering. Yet, it can be argued that Paul’s actions are not entirely selfless, as he is also motivated by a desire to alleviate his own guilt and emotional pain. He regrets killing an enemy soldier and often thinks about how he could have been friends with the enemy if not for the war.

Aristotle’s ethics can be used to evaluate the morality and ethics of Paul, a soldier in the German army during World War I, from the novel All Quiet on the Western Front. Paul’s actions and emotions throughout the novel demonstrate a strong moral character, as he shows compassion for his enemies and tries to alleviate the suffering of those around him. However, he also exhibits a lack of courage in standing up to the wrongs of the war, and his actions are motivated by both a desire for happiness for himself and for others, as well as a desire to alleviate his own guilt and emotional pain. Ultimately, Aristotle’s ideas serve as a framework for understanding the complex nature of morality and ethics in the context of war and the human experience.