Topic > A soldier's struggle with post-war society in Hemingway's "Soldier's House"

One of the main consequences of war is its ability to demolish traditional values ​​and introduce drastic changes in the perception of the world among those who experience the horror and devastation that defines war. For military personnel, assuming a normal life after war is a form of torture because for such an individual, viewing society from an optimistic perspective is relatively difficult considering that it is always on the brink of war that threatens the peace that might prevail. Hemmingway uses this story to remember his life after participating in World War I. It was because of his wartime experience as a driver for the Italian army that he developed depression and suffered multiple injuries. When he returned home as a wounded soldier, he found it relatively difficult to balance the needs of society that seemed not to change with his new understanding of the world. The war had broadened his view of society and the way the world operated, which was different from what his society understood. The challenges of a returning soldier's life and terminal illnesses led Hemingway to commit suicide in 1962. A soldier returning from war may find that his feelings and opinions are incompatible with dominant traditional patterns of life (Lynn, 1995) . It is these dramatic situations that describe Ernest Hemmingway's story, "The Soldier's Home". Throughout Hemmingway's story, the character of Harold Krebs emerges as a tragic hero who opposes the traditional world represented by characters depicted as average citizens. In explaining the character of Krebs, Hemmingway employs a myriad of approaches in the short story “The Soldier's Home”. One aspect is the ability of Krebs' character to open up to his environment through his reactions, thoughts and actions. This is evident from the very beginning of the story where the reader is exposed to a series of monotonous repetitions that reflect a dull, mechanical and relatively objective state of mind. This is evident in the use of multiple repetitions of phrases such as “There is a picture…”, “He didn't want…”, “He liked…”, it just wasn't worth it” (Hemmingway, 1925, p. 1-3 ). Through these sentences, the reader is provided with a reflection on the emotional death and indifference that defines Krebs' state of mind, likely resulting from the horrific experiences he experienced during the First World War. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay From Krebs' characterization and experiences, it is possible to argue that the war was not the only source of his apathy. This is because, in his community, there is evidence of estrangement among people who wanted to be told embellished stories about the war that were far from the reality of his experience. The author says: “His city had heard too many stories of atrocities to be thrilled by the reality. Krebs found that to be heard he had to lie and after doing so twice, he too had a reaction against the war and against talking about it” (Hemmingway, 1925, p. 1). He rebels against the need to tell lies and reacts by withdrawing from the daily activities that define life in society. By engaging in activities such as unregulated sleeping, playing pool, and reading books without productive results, Krebs emerges as an individual who explicitly opposes society's traditional norms through his actions and words. Krebs' last name also plays a significant role in communicating the isolation he experiences in society after returning from the war. He borrowed the surname from one of his friends, who married a..