Short Fiction · Chapter
Soldier's Home explained
Krebs returns to his Oklahoma hometown long after the war's end, missing the hero's welcome.
What happens
Krebs returns to his Oklahoma hometown long after the war's end, missing the hero's welcome. He struggles to readjust, finding no one wants to hear his war stories, leading him to lie and then feel disgust. He spends his days sleeping, reading, and playing pool, avoiding the complex social world of young women. His mother pressures him to find direction and faith, but Krebs remains detached, preferring the simplicity of his memories and the pattern of life without consequences.
Themes in this chapter
Post-War Trauma and Alienation
Krebs's inability to talk about the war, his lies, and his emotional numbness illustrate the profound alienation and trauma of returning soldiers.
American Identity and Disillusionment
The contrast between Krebs's pre-war Methodist college life and his post-war detachment reflects a broader disillusionment with American small-town values and the 'American Dream.'
Masculinity and Sexual Anxiety
Krebs's complicated feelings toward the young women in town—desiring them but avoiding the 'intrigue and politics' of courtship—highlight his anxiety about traditional masculine roles.
Characters to notice
- Krebs
The protagonist, a returned soldier struggling with post-war alienation and the inability to reconnect with his hometown and family.
- Helen
Krebs's younger sister who adores him and seeks his affection, representing a simpler, pre-war connection.
- Mrs. Scripps
Krebs's mother, who worries about his lack of ambition and tries to guide him back to a purposeful life and faith.
Key passages
“Krebs found that to be listened to at all he had to lie, and after he had done this twice he, too, had a reaction against the war and against talking about it.”
Krebs realized that people would only pay attention if he embellished his stories, but after lying a couple of times, he developed a distaste for the war and discussing it.
Illustrates the theme of post-war trauma and the loss of authentic experience through forced storytelling.
“He did not want any consequences. He did not want any consequences ever again. He wanted to live along without consequences.”
Krebs wished to avoid any lasting results or entanglements; he desired a life free from responsibility or impact.
Highlights Krebs's desire for detachment and his fear of emotional involvement, central to his alienation.