"Soldier's Home" Summary

Harold Krebs returns late from World War I after all the cheerful homecomings have ended. He lives with his parents, but he feels empty and unconnected to anyone or anything. He feels ashamed that he does not have any war stories to tell or bond him to the community. His parents are worried that he is not adjusting to life after the war. His mother makes him pray and he feels his whole life is a disappointing lie. He leaves his hometown so he can be somewhere unconnected.

"Soldier's Home" Analysis

Harold represents many soldiers who return home from war disillusioned and unable to adjust to civilian life. Harold's war experiences have not been life changing, other than to make him feel disappointed that they are not life changing. Harold does not have the war experiences that make civilian...