When I see them here, in their rooms, in their offices…
““When I see them here, in their rooms, in their offices, about their occupations, I feel an irresistible attraction in it, I would like to be here too and forget the war; but it repels me, it is so narrow, how can that fill a man’s life, he ought to smash it to bits; how can they do it, while out at the front the splinters are whining over the shell-holes and the star-shells go up, the wounded are carried back on waterproof sheets and comrades crouch in the trenches. – They are different men here, men I cannot properly understand, whom I envy and despise.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The speaker is torn between admiration for civilian life and horror of war, feeling both attraction and repulsion, and questioning how such narrow existence can fulfill a person.
In simple terms: War creates a clash between longing for normal life and the harsh reality of conflict.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the conflict between desire for peace and the brutal truth of war.
Themes
war
existence
contradiction
humanity
envy
Mood
conflicted
reflective
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- frontline experience
- civilian life
- psychological reflection
Key Concepts
disillusionment
psychology
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we reconcile admiration for normalcy with the trauma of war?
- What does “smash it to bits” suggest about rejecting narrow roles?
A Different Perspective
The quote may romanticize civilian life without acknowledging its own struggles.