1. What did Paul Valery mean in saying that the mind of Europe doubted itself
profoundly?
Before 1914, people in Europe believed in progress, peace, prosperity, reason,
and rights
of individuals. During that time, people began to believe in the
Enlightenment, industrial developm
ents were just starting and scientific advances
began to take place. People then really believed in
progression and further
developments.
Unfortunately, World War I broke out. Neverth
eless, the optimistic people of
Europe still did not doubt the outcome and were so convinced that i
t was not going to
have any long term effects. They looked toward happier times and hoped life will
go
back to where it was before. But little did they know, as a result of the war, total war
broke
out and crushed all the hopes and accomplishments that the people had
established. This shocking r
eality was unbearable and uncomprehending to the
people's hopes and dreams. And as this lasted over
the years, the age of anxiety was
created. People didn't know or what to expect anymore. They did
not know what was
going to happen after the war. They're so devastated by the war that many who wer
e
still alive lost faith and all hopes. Many intellectuals began to doubt the
Enlightenment and ev
en the future of Western civilization. This state of uncertainty
and unpredictability brought out m
any modern philosophers of that time. One of them
was a French poet and critic Paul Valery. He stat
ed that 'Europe was looking at its future with dark foreboding.' In his writings, he said that 'The
storm has died away,
and still we are restless, uneasy, as if the storm were about to break.' The s
torm in
this case was the war. People were so terrified by it that they were still in shock and
un
sure of its outcome and consequence and the possibility that it might cause another
war to break ou
t. Valery saw that many people suffered from anxiety. He argued that
the people looked at the futur
e with great unease and discomfort for what the war had
done and what the war will cause. He also s
uggested that 'Europe doubted itself
profoundly' because of all the lost of all optimistic ideas an
d accomplishments.
People did not have to strength or will to believe in themselves anymore. They w
ere
too devastated by the war. They also saw no hope and thus doubted themselves for
making any mo
re progress.
2. Why do you think many veterans felt that they were part of a lost generation?
Veterans during the war were just realizing what the war is all about. They saw
what
the war had done to people's lives and body parts. They sometimes couldn't
even believe that such
shattered bodies were once human beings lived happily among
them. Most of them grew up in the war k
nowing nothing of life but despair, fear,
death, and sorrow. These veterans felt that they were par
t of a last generation upon
whom which the war was caused by. Now these young man must carry on the
blood
shed and fight for their fathers and country. Most of them didn't even know what the
war wa
s about and why they were fighting. And yet it didn't not stop them from
innocently slay one anothe
r obediently. I don't think they know how to stop the war
and not knowing what will happen next.
3. What reasons can you think of why many Germans were attracted to
paramilitary organizations
immediately after the war?
Germans were attracted to paramilitary organizations immed
iately after the
war. The war had brought violence, pleasure, and the excitement of survival for
t
housands of soldiers. During these years of excitements, soldiers began to gain new
ideas of life a
nd moral judgements. After returning home from the war they were
bored just sitting around not fulf
illing their thirst for more blood shed and adventure.
It was the war that held them together as a
union, that never discharged them, that
will always provide a home and excitement for them. The Ger
mans saw a great
opportunity and gain their gasp on these soldiers. They knew that these soldier
c
ouldn't resist the excitement of war and thus posted appeals on the street corners for
volunteer un
its to defend Germany's eastern borders. In a way, the soldiers fulfilled
both Germany and themselv
es.
4. How did Sigmund Freud describe the prevailing mood in Europe just prior to
the war. How
did the war alter this mood and create a 'legacy of embitterment'?
Life prior to the
war was full of joy and happy things to look forward to.
People were making progress, developments
were taking place, and western
civilization was beginning to make some real progress and establishm
ents. But as the
war broke out, people lost all hope and dreams. They couldn't rely on either other
which once united them together. They didn't know what to think anymore being
terrified to learn
the shocking truth of the reality of the war and what it has done to
their society, people and acco
mplishments. People suffered from great anxiety and a
'legacy of embitterment' was created. The enj
oyment of common civilization was no
more and total war was declared. Peace from among men were no
existent. And those
bonds will be impossible to establish for a long duration.what paul valery mean
saying that mind europe doubted itself profoundly before people europe believed progress peace pros
perity reason rights individuals during that time people began believe enlightenment industrial deve
lopments were just starting scientific advances began take place people then really believed progres
sion further developments unfortunately world broke nevertheless optimistic europe still doubt outco
me were convinced that going have long term effects they looked toward happier times hoped life will
back where before little they know result total broke crushed hopes accomplishments established thi
s shocking reality unbearable uncomprehending hopes dreams this lasted over years anxiety created di
dn know what expect anymore they know what going happen after devastated many were still alive lost
faith hopes many intellectuals began doubt enlightenment even future western civilization this state
uncertainty unpredictability brought many modern philosophers time them french poet critic paul val
ery stated looking future with dark foreboding writings said storm died away still restless uneasy s
torm about break storm case terrified shock unsure outcome consequence possibility might cause anoth
er break valery suffered from anxiety argued looked future with great unease discomfort done will ca
use also suggested doubted itself profoundly because lost optimistic ideas accomplishments have stre
ngth will believe themselves anymore devastated also hope thus doubted themselves making more progre
ss think veterans felt part lost generation veterans during just realizing about done lives body par
ts sometimes couldn even believe such shattered bodies once human beings lived happily among them mo
st them grew knowing nothing life despair fear death sorrow these veterans felt part last generation
upon whom which caused these young must carry blood shed fight their fathers country most didn even
about fighting didn stop from innocently slay another obediently think stop knowing happen next rea
sons think germans attracted paramilitary organizations immediately after germans attracted paramili
tary organizations immediately after brought violence pleasure excitement survival thousands soldier
s during these years excitements soldiers gain ideas life moral judgements returning home from bored
just sitting around fulfilling their thirst more blood shed adventure held together union never dis
charged always provide home excitement germans great opportunity gain their gasp soldiers knew soldi
er couldn resist excitement thus posted appeals street corners volunteer units defend germany easter
n borders fulfilled both germany themselves sigmund freud describe prevailing mood prior alter mood
create legacy embitterment prior full happy things look forward making progress developments taking
place western civilization beginning make some real establishments broke hope dreams couldn rely eit
her other which once united together anymore being terrified learn shocking truth reality done socie
ty accomplishments suffered great anxiety legacy embitterment created enjoyment common civilization
more total declared peace among existent those bonds impossible establish long durationEssay, essays
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