All Quiet On The Western Front "Good literature substitutes for an experience that we have not ourselves lived through" This quote simply means that a well written book can spark someone’s imagination so much, that they are able to live through events which they in reality have not. They become so in touch with the books characters and story, that they can have a greater appreciation of the major themes of the book. I agree with the quote. This idea applies very well to Erich Maria Remarque’s novel All Quiet on the Western Front. In this novel, the author uses excellent imagery and descriptive writing to portray th