The Latrine Discussion

The men sit on latrine boxes in a meadow, enjoying the carefree hours. They read letters, smoke, and play cards. The conversation turns to their schoolmaster Kantorek, who persuaded them to volunteer for the war. They reflect on how their youthful idealism was shattered by the first bombardments, and how they now feel alone and betrayed by the authority figures who preached duty and patriotism. The memory of Joseph Behm, one of the first to fall, haunts them.