26 pages • 52 minutes read
Ernest HemingwaySoldier's Home
Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1925A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Character Analysis
Harold Krebs
Harold Krebs is the protagonist of “Soldier’s Home.” Having recently served in World War I, Harold returns to his hometown in Oklahoma to live with his mother, father, and sisters. “Soldier’s Home” isn’t autobiographical, but given that Hemingway served in the war and was wounded, Harold’s character presumably reflects the conflicted feelings about the war experienced by the author and his peers.
Harold spends his days wandering around town aimlessly, looking at girls from a distance, and reading books on the front porch of his family’s home. Harold embodies the Lost Generation, which refers to young Americans who lacked direction after the war.
Harold is interested in the idea of having a girlfriend but doesn’t want to put in the effort to talk to young women. Rather than build a future for himself, he prefers to escape into books. He spends many afternoons playing pool in a dark bar, avoiding the late summer sunshine.
The main conflict concerns whether Harold will get a job and take responsibility for his life. His mother implores him to, and in a tense conversation, it is revealed that Harold’s parents are worried about his well-being. Since returning from the war, Harold has spent months wasting time, and his mother says that he will have to get a job and settle down. Harold conceals his feelings and tries to present a false version of himself. He avoids conflict and wants to keep his life simple, which for him means disengaging from the world.
Harold doesn’t change. He is still lost and aimless at the end of the story. Despite feeling this way, Harold knows that the conversation with his mother will alter his state of being. If for the past few months he was able to maintain a simple life cut off from the world, he realizes that it won’t last, and sooner or later, he will have to get a job and appease his parents.
Harold’s Mother
Hemingway portrays Harold’s mother through dialogue. Although in Harold’s eyes she is the antagonist, Hemingway adds enough nuance and complexity to her character to generate empathy.
In a conversation with Harold before breakfast, his mother says that she worries about him. She says that enough time has passed since returning from the war, and he must consider getting a job and settling down. Harold’s mother comes from a place of concern as opposed to meanness. She loves her son and is sad to see him sinking into despair. She sees other young men getting married and succeeding in their careers, and she is worried that Harold has become stagnant.
Harold’s mother is a Methodist and prays daily that Harold will take responsibility for his life. Her traditional values contrast with Harold’s. In her worldview, a successful man is one who works. Harold lacks these traditional traits. He is unable to pray and doesn’t see the value in work, preferring to spend his time reading, playing pool, and walking around town. Harold’s mother is content to fulfill the traditional maternal role. For example, she cooks breakfast for her children in the morning while her husband works in his office.
While Harold’s mother senses that something is wrong with her son, she doesn’t know how to deal with it. By the end, Harold convincingly lies to her by telling her he loves her when he doesn’t feel love for anyone. Harold’s mother is a tragic character because she cares for her son and senses that something is wrong but is unable to connect with him and help him.
Helen
Helen is Harold’s sister and plays a small but pivotal role in “Soldier’s Home.” Harold has two sisters, but Helen is the only one who appears in the story.
Early in the story, Hemingway writes, “[Harold] was still a hero to his two young sisters” (112). Later, in reference to Harold’s feelings about Helen, he writes, “He liked her. She was his best sister” (114). Helen has a clear affection for Harold, lovingly referring to him throughout the story as “Hare.” In addition, she tells her friends that Harold is her beau, and seeks his validation, asking him if he loves her. He reciprocates her feelings.
Helen plays indoor baseball for her high school and says that she is a better pitcher than the boys. Before the war, Harold taught her how to play. Over breakfast, Helen asks Harold to come to the school and watch her play. If he really loves her, she says, he will show up.
After this exchange at the breakfast table, Helen leaves the story. She is the one positive relationship that Harold has, which is likely the result of her age. She is too young to comprehend Harold’s experiences during the war, and unlike their mother, her demands on Harold do not appear to burden him. Rather than express concern about his well-being or judge his lifestyle, Helen idolizes him.
Before Harold goes to Kansas City for a job—a choice he feels pressured to make by his mother—he will watch Helen play indoor baseball. This implies that Harold genuinely cares for Helen. Unlike his mother, whom he lies to and feels sorry for, and his father, whom he avoids, Harold shows up for Helen.
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By Ernest Hemingway
