Foil

Character Role Analysis

French Soldier

By chance, both Paul and the French Soldier find themselves in the same crater during an offensive, and Paul manages to stab the French Soldier. But the soldier doesn't die for almost a day, and Paul has to spend the night with his suffering enemy as he's trapped under enemy fire.

The French soldier doesn't speak a word (and we know next-to-nothing about him), but his suffering makes him a real, rounded character. He's a boy and a solider, just like Paul. The only difference is that he's dying and Paul, for that moment at least, is not.

Paul's remorse over his actions—and his desire to save the soldier's life—shows us that, as Paul says, they could have called each other brothers in another life.