Along with Paul and his friends, Stanislaus Katczinsky is one character who appears in the original novel as well as the other two filmed adaptations. At first, Kat and the older infantrymen are annoyed when new recruits join their ranks, and for good reason. These green schoolboys who don't yet know their way around the trenches are a liability, and they know they'll probably have to watch most of them die. But as Paul persists, Kat takes him under his wing. He keeps him as calm and focused as is possible during active engagement with the Allies, and he keeps things as light and normal as possible during the long, empty, and bleak stretches of time in between the horrors of the battlefield.
In part, Kat and Paul bond because Kat receives letters from his wife at home, though he's illiterate. Paul reads the letters — which contain deeply personal details, including references to the death of their child — aloud to Kat. He also accompanies his new mentor on ill-conceived missions to steal livestock and eggs from a nearby French farmer when their food runs low. It's important to note that, in peacetime, Kat would rank below Paul. He's an uneducated cobbler while well-educated Paul belongs to the middle class and will be destined for bigger things, should he make it through the war. But on the ground in 1917, Kat's age, time served, and bravery in battle make him Paul's superior. Paul survives as long as he does in no small part thanks to Kat's guidance.
