Hemingway Soldiers Home Analysis
James Connors
Assignment #1
Hemingway’s ‘Soldiers Home’ is about a man named Harold Krebs. He was a soldier in WWI, who came home after the rest of the soldiers had returned post war to a hero’s welcome. However, he fulfilled his enlistment some time later in 1919- no accolade, no cheering, no encouragement or appreciation for his exploits during the war. His only comfort was to read about the campaigns he engaged in, to add validity of the atrocities he committed during war.
Krebs was raised in a religious family, and emulated from a Methodist High School. However, post war he did not believe in God. He likes women but doesn’t want to go through the colloquy to have one. He wanted to tell others of his war experiences but no one
wanted to listen. Simply put Krebs wanted to unload his spiritual burden of a war that went against every moral fiber of his being, but could not, so he isolated himself.
As a result, he could not escape his memories. He could not insulate himself from the control of his parents. He hated his mother because of the dichotomy of her loving him so much, while he hated himself – he wasn’t worthy. Judgment is the antithesis of caring, and Krebs above all wanted to eliminate any chance of being judged. Therefor he didn’t care. His parents forced him to change his simple life of no responsibility to one that would force him to engage people, reticent of the consequences of his integration into society.
Word count 25
Assignment #1
Hemingway’s ‘Soldiers Home’ is about a man named Harold Krebs. He was a soldier in WWI, who came home after the rest of the soldiers had returned post war to a hero’s welcome. However, he fulfilled his enlistment some time later in 1919- no accolade, no cheering, no encouragement or appreciation for his exploits during the war. His only comfort was to read about the campaigns he engaged in, to add validity of the atrocities he committed during war.
Krebs was raised in a religious family, and emulated from a Methodist High School. However, post war he did not believe in God. He likes women but doesn’t want to go through the colloquy to have one. He wanted to tell others of his war experiences but no one
wanted to listen. Simply put Krebs wanted to unload his spiritual burden of a war that went against every moral fiber of his being, but could not, so he isolated himself.
As a result, he could not escape his memories. He could not insulate himself from the control of his parents. He hated his mother because of the dichotomy of her loving him so much, while he hated himself – he wasn’t worthy. Judgment is the antithesis of caring, and Krebs above all wanted to eliminate any chance of being judged. Therefor he didn’t care. His parents forced him to change his simple life of no responsibility to one that would force him to engage people, reticent of the consequences of his integration into society.
Word count 25