Soldiers home analysis. A Summary and Analysis of Ernest Hemingway’s ‘Soldier’s Home’ 2022-10-12

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Ernest Hemingway's short story "Soldier's Home" tells the story of Harold Krebs, a young man who has returned home from World War I and is struggling to readjust to civilian life. Through Krebs' experiences, Hemingway explores the psychological effects of war on soldiers and the difficulties they face when returning home.

At the beginning of the story, we see that Krebs is struggling to find his place in his small hometown. He is no longer able to connect with his family and friends, who seem to have moved on with their lives while he was away at war. Krebs is also unable to communicate the horrors of war that he experienced, which further alienates him from those around him.

One of the main themes of the story is the disconnection that Krebs feels from the people and the world around him. He is unable to relate to his family and friends, and he is haunted by the memories of his time in the war. This disconnection is further exemplified by Krebs' inability to find meaning in anything he does. He is uninterested in going to college or getting a job, and he spends his days aimlessly wandering the streets.

Another important theme in the story is the psychological impact of war on soldiers. Krebs is deeply traumatized by the violence and death he witnessed in the war, and he is unable to process these experiences in a healthy way. This is evident in his inability to communicate with others about what he has been through, and in the way he retreats into a world of isolation and detachment.

In conclusion, "Soldier's Home" is a powerful exploration of the psychological effects of war on soldiers and the difficulties they face when returning home. Through the character of Harold Krebs, Hemingway reveals the disconnection and trauma that can result from the experience of war, and he highlights the importance of understanding and addressing the needs of returning soldiers.

Soldiers Home Analysis

soldiers home analysis

To begin, during the American Civil War, military physicians diagnosed many cases of functional disability resulting from fear of battle and the stresses of military life Bentley. Of course, the text provides no further details, again creating a sense of linguistic oppression. Hemingway gives suggestion that Krebs was too cowardice to have actually participated in the war. However, witnessing the terrible events of the war can be just as bad, like Mary Borden in her novel The Forbidden Zone, where she was a nurse working in a field hospital in France. War can cause emotional damages that can be hard to heal. They see propaganda after propaganda, all alluding towards the glory of battle and warfare. But what if the theme begins with death and then discussed its effect on the tone of the characters? Use Of Imagery In John Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men 587 Words 3 Pages An example of how Steinbeck uses characterization to portray the theme is, "If I was even a little bit smart, I'd be bringin' in my own crops 'stead of doin' all the work and not gettin' what comes up outta the ground.

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"Soldier's Home" by Ernest Hemingway: Analysis

soldiers home analysis

In the story Krebs felt as though he had to make up stories to get the attention of other. From as far back as ancient Greece, history reveals the psychological toll of war on soldiers. The weapons that were used against the soldiers in the war were meant to harm them. The relationships formed between soldiers and females often turned into hasty marriages. Even though he is still a young man who has multiple opportunities in life, Harold often behaves in a way that makes him similar to elderly people who are sure that life is over and emphasize the negative side of everything. He knew he could never go through it all again. He especially enjoys looking at the maps.

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Soldier’s Home by Ernest Hemingway Plot Summary

soldiers home analysis

This is independent of whether the person is a participant in the war or from the point of perspective of the observer. He likes to observe women, and even desires to be with one; however, the idea of courting and investing time into it completely turns him off. What people know and what he knows is different from everyone else. He does not feel that he belongs there and struggles to reconnect with his family and his community. The fact that Krebs comes home after the other soldiers will only serve to exacerbate his feelings of alienation.

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A Soldier’s Home Analysis

soldiers home analysis

It shows the horrors and experiences; mental and physical problems that the young men had to deal with during and after the war. He would have liked to have a girl but he did not want to have to spend a long time getting her. His mother never comes to understand his changed self throughout the short story, especially when he cannot say "I love you". The effect of the lying makes Krebs feel nauseous. The families of the soldiers also have an alteration in their lives. When soldiers were shell shocked they would often have no interest or a bad feeling about something they did while at war. His mother instantly starts to cry, to which Harold realizes.

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Ernest Hemingway Soldiers Home Analysis

soldiers home analysis

There are a few differences and similarities between the two stories; the way each soldier handles himself after the war and the way people look at each of the soldiers when they return home. Krebs final decision to watch his sister play baseball in some ways ends the story on a hopeful, tender note—as doing this is what Helen said would mean he loves her. I hide Hemingway Soldiers Home Analysis Wars and armed conflicts have a great impact on both the physical and mental health of soldiers. They were very restrictive on his privileges. Many have trouble coping with day-to-day lives and sometimes even express violent behavior toward their loved ones.

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Analysis of Hemingway's "Soldier's Home"

soldiers home analysis

Do you know why? Instead of gladness and excitement, her son makes a cynical comment to say that she must have urged the father to say it Hemingway 4. This split between mother and son was very detrimental because they were very close before the war and not so much after. Harold Krebs and Norman Bowker War is a terrible thing. His mother then makes him pray with her, though he says he cannot. In the wake of the war, everything about civilian life seems dull. In his collection of short stories In Our Time, Hemingway explores the depths to which war psychologically affects the soldier and his family. It is something so abstract for us that the only way for us to understand is to be there physically and mentally and no cinematic movie will ever truly capture those feelings.

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A Summary and Analysis of Ernest Hemingway’s ‘Soldier’s Home’

soldiers home analysis

After reuniting with his family in Oklahoma, Harold tries to find some new hobbies and eventually starts playing pool on a regular basis Hemingway 2. Here we are going to analyze why Krebs feels a need to lie when he talks about Analysis Of Soldier's Home By Ernest Hemingway Really Home? The town is over the hysteria of soldiers returning, have a glorified view of war and refuse to hear the truth. War is just one of the events that seems to captivate audiences. Ernest Hemingway's Soldier's Home and Tim O'Brien's How to Tell a True War Story are two great examples of literature that express' what any particular soldier can go through upon returning home. Krebs then kisses his mother and leaves the house, reflecting that his mother made him lie and that his efforts to keep his life from becoming complicated have failed. His mother encourages him to talk about it but never truly pays attention, which results with Krebs feeling like he cannot express himself without being misunderstood.

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Free Essay: Soldier's Home Analysis

soldiers home analysis

Lying and not being able to tell the truth made him nauseated as well as forced him to isolate himself from others and hold all…. In the summer of 1919, Krebs returns to his hometown in Oklahoma after having fought in World War I. For instance, even though he is still attracted to girls, Harold refuses to work towards building relationships with the opposite sex and do anything to develop mutual understanding with girls Hemingway 3. The only thing that has changed in town is that the girls have grown up. Krebs would rather be on the sidelines, passively observing, than exert the effort to reintegrate and, by his view, re-complicate his life. . In the conflict, the United States had over 300,000 casualties.

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Soldier’s Home Themes

soldiers home analysis

Krebs enlists in World War I after attending a Methodist college in Kansas. Krebs for once connected to a piece of the world and it brought pain, therefore driving him away from all other connections and leading him …show more content… Hemingway writes, "She often came in when he was in bed and asked him to tell her about the war, but her attention always wandered. They are affected mentally by their war experiences. Krebs would sit on his porch and people watch all day long. The poems that he wrote could be considered a therapeutic method as a way of getting his anger at both himself and the United Kingdom out. The wounds could have been something simple as a missing limb to as extreme as shell shocked.

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