Death as a Cycle: The Stones Cry Out Vs. All Quiet on the Western Front

The cycle or the sickle:
Death in the war novel
Death is a familiar character in stories of war. One might even make the
argument that it is an integral being to any war account. However, rarely
does Death assume so important a role as in Okuizumi’s The Stones Cry Out
and Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front. Not only does it take on the
role of an individual, it is also shown in a cycle, structurally in Stones
and literally in All Quiet.
Death ends All Quiet and begins Stones. Paul’s literal death in All Quiet
is the end of his life and the end of his story. He is relieved and at
peace with death. It is a benevolent entity, ending his struggles and
strife. “…his face had an expression of calm, as though almost glad the end
had come” (Remarque, 296).
Stones’s Manase’s metaphorical death in the cave ends his life and thus
begins his life of memories, dreams, and stones. Too, death is a sense of
calm to those soldiers who are kil...