Identity metamorphoses of the soldier in the midst of war: comparative analysis between the novels All Quiet on the Western Front and Mayombe

Abstract

This article conducts a comparative analysis between the novels All Quiet on the Western Front (1928), by Erich Maria Remarque, and Mayombe (1980), by Pepetela, based on the theme of the fragmentation of the soldier’s identity in war contexts. The research considers the different historical scenarios - the First World War and the struggle for Angolan independence - to reflect on how combat profoundly transforms the subjects involved. Aspects such as dehumanization, fear of death and the tension between the individual and the collective are examined. Literature, here, acts as an instrument of denunciation and memory, revealing the identity metamorphoses caused by extreme violence. Based on the narratives, it is considered that, although war causes profound ruptures, it is also in the solidarity between combatants that traces of humanity are preserved, enabling a critical reflection on the meaning and consequences of armed conflicts.