“All Quiet on the Western Front” by Erich Maria Remarque (post 1): Why does protagonist hear a voice?

Two-thirds through this classic WWI novel, the protagonist, a young German soldier, is scared when a bomb lands near him. He had not heard it coming and is terrified. His thoughts are a “whirling confusion” and “I hear the warning voice of my mother” (1, p. 210).

Considering all that has been written about this novel (2), it seems a very trivial question, but why does this novelist (3) think this young, nonpsychotic soldier hears a voice? Since the author, himself, was in combat during WWI, the author, himself, may have heard a voice either while in combat or in his private life.

The most likely reason for a nonpsychotic soldier or novelist to hear voices would be multiple personality trait. Search “voices” for discussion in past posts.

1. Erich Maria Remarque. All Quiet on the Western Front. New York, Ballantine Books, 1929/1982.

2. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Quiet_on_the_Western_Front

3. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erich_Maria_Remarque

At the end of this edition, there is a note about the author that ridicules any reader who has faithfully read it until the end, when the young protagonist dies in the war. It says the author lived to age 70, that this novel had made him rich and famous, and does not say that his experience in the war had had any ill after-effects.