Soldier's Home

Hemingway’s “Soldier’s Home” uses the story of Harold Krebs, a soldier who returns to his hometown in Oklahoma after serving in World War I, to explore The Psychological Effects of War; Masculinity and War; and Postwar Generational Divides.

Harold’s story begins and ends in despair. After returning from the war to live with his parents and sisters, Harold is unable to move forward. Hemingway shows how war takes a toll on those who serve. In Harold’s case, he is unable to assume responsibility for his life. He sleeps late, wanders around town aimlessly, spends his afternoons playing pool, sits on the porch and reads, and watches girls walk by him without speaking to them. Harold’s mother notices and expresses concern. She says, “Your father is worried too […] He thinks you have lost your ambition, that you haven’t gotten a definite aim in life” (115).

Hemingway shows that Harold was so impacted by the war that he can’t start the next chapter in his life. A task as simple as getting a job is too complex for him, so he avoids the subject altogether. Instead, during the afternoons, he prefers to sit on