Soldier’s Home
The short story “Soldier’s Home” is written by the American Nobel Prize winning author, Ernest Hemingway in 1925. Hemingway is acknowledged for his simple, straightforward style of writing, which also comes to expression in this story. This is especially seen in terms of the many short and direct sentences.
This short story deals with the main character Harold Krebs, who just has returned from World War One, in where he mainly served in Germany and France. His return however is kind of overwhelming, since it seems like everything has changed in his hometown.
In this assignment, my central focus will be on the main character, Krebs, who is an individual of “the lost generation”; a generation who are disoriented and directionless.
Krebs does not fit into the post-war society as he returns, he feels like an outsider right from the moment he returns to the town: “People seemed to think it was rather ridiculous for Krebs to be getting back so late, years after the war was over” (p. 344, l. 3-5). For many people it seems odd that Krebs returns so much later, which starts off the main conflict between himself and the local community; Krebs does not feel a need to talk about his war experiences at first unlike the rest of the soldiers, but when he feels a sudden need to talk about his subjective experience with the war, he has to lie about the events in order to make people listen.
A dark picture of the society is drawn by Hemingway already from the beginning of the story; a picture in which you as an individual has to fit in with the mainstream ideals of the town. The iceberg technique which is often used by Hemingway is clearly being used at this phrase, and it makes the reader ask questions indirectly: Why does it make such a big difference, that Krebs returns later? For what reason can he be treated this way, and not being welcomed like the rest? As a reader it automatically makes you dislike the local society, since you as a veteran have to lie about the war to be accepted and live up to the expectations. This part is really hard for Krebs who tries to avoid a complicate life as he tries to settle in his hometown: “[…] they lived in such a complicated world of already defined alliances and shifting feuds that Krebs did not feel the energy or the courage to break into it” (p. 345, l. 21-23). Krebs needs to justify his actions in World War One, which sets him apart from the majority, since people probably want to think of him like a glory hero, but his true stories differs in a high degree from the rest of the soldiers. Although, he tries with the lies, but it only improves his conflict with the local society, since he cannot bear the guilt of lying.
As a reader, you would not think that it would be hard to reunite with the family for Krebs, who still is “[…] a hero to his two young sisters” (p. 345, l. 7-8). An indication of a more joyful existence for Krebs is accessible at this part of the short story, but the negative reality comes to expression as Krebs’ mother and father are presented. His mother is very religious and a typical housewife at the time, who wants Krebs to mingle in with the majority, get a job, and be more outgoing: “God has some work for everyone to do”, his mother said (p. 345, l. 12). Krebs, who once was a solid believer in Christianity, has now lost the most important thing according to his mother; his belief. This does also add up to the lost generation as it disorientates Krebs even more, since he starts differing a lot from his own mother: “I’m not in his Kingdom,” Krebs said. “We are all of us in His Kingdom.” Krebs felt embarrassed and resentful as always (p. 347, l. 14-17). Krebs finds himself more caught in the conflict than ever before now in his attempt to return to a simpler life. The deliverance of the expectations from a materialistic hardworking father and pious mother seems impossible for him, and he becomes more and more distant: “Your father is worried, too,” his mother went on. “He thinks you have lost your ambition, that you haven’t got a definite aim in life” (p. 349, l. 24-27). Krebs’ mother compares him to successful individuals at his age, but Krebs says nothing to this. He seems more like an observant, rather than a guy who participates a lot, which adds up to his distancing.
This is also seen when he checks out the girls from town, but refuses to interact with them; he is afraid of the consequences. His idea of the ideal life, even though he feels attracted to the girls, does not have to involve a woman. However, this is once again an undescribed rule of the majority which conflicts Krebs: get a job, a girl you can marriage and settle down; a task that Krebs cannot fulfill at the time.
Krebs relates a lot to the author himself, Hemingway, who grew up in a small town in America as well and experienced the military life during World War One. Furthermore, Krebs’ family is very similar to Hemingway’s in term of faith particularly; Hemingway seemed to be an atheist at heart - just like Krebs turns out in the short story. Our protagonist is caught in his former life, since everyone expects him to be like he was before he took off for war, and this does even more harm to him, when he tries to be like he was before. This is a central minimalistic trait for the genre, since the author often is reflected in the texts in some way. Hemingway had mental disturbances as well, and ended up taking his own life. We do not know how Krebs’ life turns out, but after a deeper look beneath the surface of the text, it might not turn out so well.