Soldier's Home
"Soldier's Home" is a short story by Ernest Hemingway. It was included in the 1925 Contact Collection of Contemporary Writers and published by Boni & Liveright in Hemingway's 1925 New York collection short stories, In Our Time.[1]
Introduction
"Soldier's Home" is a short story by Ernest Hemingway. It was included in the 1925 Contact Collection of Contemporary Writers and published by Boni & Liveright in Hemingway's 1925 New York collection short stories, In Our Time. The story includes protagonist Harold Krebs, a young man who served in the army during World War I. After returning home, he felt miserable and regretted his past decisions. The story was adapted to a PBS television movie in 1977.(Eef opgemaaid)
Summary
The story begins with a very brief background of Harold Krebs’ life. Before the war, he attended a Methodist college in Kansas where he was part of a fraternity. In 1917, Krebs “enlisted in the Marines” and did not return to the United States from Germany until 1919 (Hemingway 162). The way Krebs fits in with his fraternity shows the stark contrast that comes later in the story when he returns from the war as a different person and does not fit in anymore. It is then given that Krebs’ home is a small town in Oklahoma. By the time of his return, the town had already given the returned soldiers a big, elaborate welcoming, so the people were used to it, and Krebs’ return seemed late and irrelevant since the war had already been over for some time. “People seemed to think it was rather ridiculous for Krebs to be getting back so late, years after the war was over” (162). This really exposes the lack of emotion that is the tone of the story. Hemingway then provides the names of all five battles Krebs was involved in: Belleau Wood, Soissons, the Champagne, St. Mihiel, and the Argonne Forest. This number of battles shows the extent of Krebs’ service that has hardened him. At first, Krebs “did not want to talk about the war at all”, but as time progressed at home, he wanted to talk about the war but no one wanted to hear about it. The people of his town “had heard too many atrocity stories to be thrilled by actualities” (Hemingway 162). According to Hemingway, this causes Krebs to lie about his wartime accounts in order to gain an audience. “His lies were quite unimportant lies and consisted in attributing to himself things other men had seen, done, or heard of”. Krebs did not want to lie about the war. He often felt like the “old soldier among other soldiers”. He felt this way because he did not exaggerate his stories so he felt more mature but still frightened and understanding the way the war really was.“In this way he lost everything” This quote shows how badly he was affected by losing everything (162). Now, it’s late summer and Krebs is doing normal things since some time has passed. He sleeps in late, reads books, and plays pool. Hemingway states, “He loved to play pool” (162). In the summer evenings, Krebs still did normal activities like playing his clarinet, going for walks, and more reading. This gives the illusion that things are back to normal, but that is not the case. He is changed too much. Before Krebs left for the war, he was never able to take the family car out because his father always needed it for his work. Now, after the war, it was still the same car. Now that everything has been introduced and set up, this next section of the story begins with describing how everything is the same as it was before the war, all except Krebs himself. He was permanently changed. Hemingway states, “Nothing was changed in the town except that the young girls had grown up.” Krebs had no interest in them though. He thought that their feuds were too much to handle. He instead just looked at them because they were pretty. He would not mind to have a girl, but he did not want to have to work to get one. He says this because he is tired of lying and did not want to do any more courting. Now, the story describes how Krebs is different since he was in the army. “He (Krebs) did not want any consequences” (163). He would rather live alone without consequences. He did not need a girl, or at least that is what the army had taught him. The repetition of Krebs assuring himself he doesn’t need a girl and learning things from the army shows how much the war and army have warped his mind and changed him as a person. The next portion of the story slows down and focuses on one morning that he spends time with his family. The following conversations are the peak of discovering how much Krebs has truly changed. It begins with a conversation that happens while Krebs is summoned by his mother about a month after his return. His mother requests that he come downstairs to eat breakfast. He comes downstairs to meet his sister, Helen. This sister “was his best sister” (Hemingway 164). His other sister is never introduced. While Krebs is eating breakfast he reads the newspaper and talks to Helen. She states that Krebs is her beau. He then agrees that he loves her, but without much emotion. This is more evidence of his change from the war. This part goes: “Do you love me? Uh, huh. Will you love me always? Sure.” (Hemingway 165) This portion of the conversation really shows his loss of feeling because his responses are short, especially for someone speaking to his sister who is unsure of his love. Now, the conversation ends as his mother comes back into the room and asks to speak with Krebs. His mother says God cannot have any idle hands in his Kingdom. Krebs replies that he is not in His Kingdom. This is more evidence of his change, that Krebs does not even feel as if he is part of God’s Kingdom anymore. He then feels embarrassed for saying that. Krebs’ mother then tells him that she understands how he feels, and that she is worried about him. She said that her father told her about his own service in the Civil War and that she has been praying for Krebs because she knows how he must feel. She believes that by learning about her father’s service that she understands Kreb’s emotions, however that is not the case. She then asks if Krebs loves her, and he says no. “She started crying” (Hemingway 165). Krebs then states that he doesn’t love anybody. “The climax of the story occurs” during this conversation. (Smelstor Soldier’s). Krebs then realizes that he won’t be able to make her understand and saying that will only hurt her. He lies and says that he did not mean what he said but he really does not love anyone anymore. Krebs begs her to believe that he did not mean it and so she prays for him. The end of the story concludes with Krebs plotting to leave his hometown and get a job in Kansas because he wanted his life to run smoothly. He wanted to leave because his mother had made him lie, and he was tired of it. He truly was not himself anymore.
Style and themes
In the 1920s, Hemingway was inspired by Ezra Pound's writings and applied the poet's principles of imagism to his own early work.[2] Hemingway's short stories from the 1920s adhere to Pound's tight definition of imagism;[3] biographer Carlos Baker writes that in his short stories Hemingway tried to learn how to "get the most from the least, [to] prune language, [to] multiply intensities, [to] tell nothing but the truth in a way that allowed for telling more than the truth".[4] Hemingway adapted this style into a technique he called his iceberg theory: as Baker describes it, the hard facts float above water while the supporting structure, including the symbolism, operates out of sight.[4]
Kreb's reactions to his war experience, his depression, are not explicitly mentioned in the story. Instead the readers learn of the number of battles he fought in. His fundamentalist parents fail to understand why he came back from the war miserable, as his mother repeatedly asks him to kneel with her in prayer, certain of its healing power. The town's citizens are similarly unable to understand the changes in Krebs, and after a series of parades for those who returned earlier are now generally disinterested in the plight of returning servicemen. In the end, Krebs leaves for Kansas City to find a job.[1] Hemingway’s short story entitled, “Soldier’s Home,” begins with a concise and brief backstory on the leading character, introducing the context of the entire short story to the reader. The title is a straightforward one, as it indicates that the narrative will mainly dwell about a soldier and his home when the reader views it. The short story incorporates many stylistic elements and themes that one could easily associate with Hemingway’s writings. The story of a soldier returning home after undergoing a traumatic experience in the war and fails to come to terms with the small town he used to live before, gives a remarkably captivating short story. Therefore, the short story incorporates many themes and stylistic elements because the protagonist, physical setting, social setting, symbolism, and irony have been pooled in a manner which forms a succinct short story. The protagonist of Hemingway’s “Soldier’s Home,” is Herold Krebs, a man whose attitude and perspective is conveyed to the readers by a third-person narration. He is suffering from what one could refer to as the post-traumatic stress syndrome after the war. Through the entire story, Krebs’s engagement and commitment to his family can be considered non-existent. It is even clearer when the narrator puts that, “…at home it was all too complicated” (Hemingway, p.19). His inner characterization has been constructed through his attitude and thoughts by the narrator. Also, some of the backstory passages dwelling on his time during the war have helped to build his characterization. Primarily, Harold has fought in the gruesome war, and this experience traumatizes him. Moreover, his thoughts on the foreign girls including his picture with the French and German girls shows that he had a few love affairs during the war. The story has both physical and social setting. The social setting is primarily signified by the small town and the home in which the protagonist lives. However, Krebs returns late after the end of the war, and this temporal setting is vital for his experience as a returning veteran after the war. Also, social settings can be categorized into two. These are life in Krebs’ hometown and life in the war. Although not much has been mentioned about actual war experience, some elements relative to social relations of the war are present like, the relationship between the soldiers and the German and French girls. Also, the civil society which the protagonist returns after the war is different from his experience in the war. Stylistic elements like irony and symbolism are present in the story. It is ironic that Harold feels awkward when he arrives at his childhood home. He is not able to adjust to life at home, and his childhood is not home at all for him after the war. On the other hand, symbolism is also present in Harold’s inability to readjust to his home environment. The symbol has been used to emphasize on the inability of the soldier to recouple with his normal life back at home and understand its meaning. Both of these elements convey Harold’s distance from his normal life. Therefore, themes, as well as stylistic elements, have been combined in a manner, which forms an incredible short story. The incorporation of physical setting, social setting, symbolism, and irony has been pooled in a unique manner suitable for the story.
Characters
Harold Krebs- The main protagonist of the story, a hardened World War I soldier who has lost his ability to love. The new Krebs does not fit into the mold of his old life. According to Hemingway, Krebs “wanted to live alone without consequences” (163). This proves his change into a laid back man who was not himself anymore. Helen- Krebs’ sister, described as his “best sister” (164). She loves Harold, and sees him as a hero. However, she isn’t developed very much. Harold’s mother- She is not very elaborated upon either, but is still a large part of the story. She is very religious and loves Harold very much. She believes she understands Krebs’ experiences and traumas from the war, however she does not. She is made out to be very loving but inconsiderate of Harold’s trauma. This especially shows during the talk between Krebs and her when she explains her father and his Civil War services, but she is still ignorant to the traumatic experience and changes Krebs has gone through.
Setting
The story takes place in Krebs’ hometown in Oklahoma around the early 1920’s after World War I. Some information is given about Germany and France to get a background, but the whole of the story takes place in this town in Oklahoma, and at Krebs’ house. The town acts as a place where Krebs interacts with people and sees the lies that are told. The town is also able to be shown as the same, while Krebs himself has changed dramatically. His home allows for the changes to become apparent where he finds himself in conversations with his family that bring out what has changed within him. His home is a place that allows him to reflect on things that have changed him, like watching the girls and not wanting to get one, and telling his mother he doesn't love her.
Point of View
The point of view in this story is third person because the reader is able to look in on Krebs and thoughts, and also is given background on Krebs. The style of the point of view is known as journalistic because of the details that are included throughout the story that are subtle, but included as if a journalist was reporting about it- hence the name (Smelstor What’s).
Symbolism
There are many symbols used throughout the story. Harold Krebs’ name itself is a symbol. Harold “is an old English name meaning army power or army ruler.” Krebs also had German ties to the word crab, which is a metaphor for Krebs’ crab-like shell he has obtained from his experiences (Ullrich What’s). Also, the way that Harold has changed represents how America has been changed from the war. His values were changed now, like how America has been challenged from changing values to more modern times (Smelstor Soldier’s). Krebs’ home plays a large role in the story as well. On his porch, Krebs sits and observes the women of his town, much like how trenches in warfare allow a vantage point to observe enemy’s movements. Here, Krebs’ home is represented in a such a way that can be related to Krebs’ wartime experiences. The map is another good symbol used. Krebs is reading a book about the war but he wished it had many more detailed maps. This symbolizes how now he is searching for direction in his own life, how he wishes his life would be mapped out. For the past two years he has been in the army listening to directions, now he is free and does not know what to do. Another symbol is the photograph in the beginning of the story. It describes Krebs and his fraternity brothers all of whom were wearing the exact same thing. This shows “the conformist mentality of prewar, midwestern America” (Smelstor What's).
References
Sources
- Baker, Carlos (1981). Ernest Hemingway Selected Letters 1917–1961. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. ISBN 978-0-684-16765-7
- Benson, Jackson (1975). "Ernest Hemingway as Short Story Writer". in Benson, Jackson (ed). The Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway: Critical Essays. Durham NC: Duke University Press. ISBN 978-0-8223-0320-6
- Meyers, Jeffrey (1985). Hemingway: A Biography. New York: Macmillan. ISBN 978-0-333-42126-0
- Oliver, Charles (1999). Ernest Hemingway A to Z: The Essential Reference to the Life and Work. New York: Checkmark Publishing. ISBN 978-0-8160-3467-3
- Hemingway, Ernest. "Soldier’s Home" The Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing, 11th ed, edited by Michael Meyer, Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2015, pp. 162-166.
- De Baerdemaeker, Ruben. "Performative Patterns in Hemingway's 'Soldier's Home'." The Hemingway Review, no. 1, 2007, p. 55.
- Smelstor, Marjorie. "Soldier’s Home." Masterplots II: Short Story Series, Revised Edition, January 2004, pp. 1-2.
- Smelstor, Marjorie. "Soldier's Home by Ernest Hemingway." Salem Press Encyclopedia of Literature, 2016.
- Imamura, Tateo. "'Soldier's Home': Another Story of a Broken Heart." The Hemingway Review, no. 1, 1996, p. 102.
- Ullrich, David W. "“What's in a Name?”—Krebs, Crabs, Kraut: The Multivalence of “Krebs” in Hemingway's Soldier's Home." Studies in Short Fiction, vol. 29, Summer92, pp. 363-375.