26 pages 52 minutes read

Ernest Hemingway

Soldier's Home

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1925

A 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.

Related Titles

By Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide
logo

A Clean, Well-Lighted Place

Ernest Hemingway

A Clean, Well-Lighted Place

Ernest Hemingway

Plot Summary
logo

Across the River and into the Trees

Ernest Hemingway

Across the River and into the Trees

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide
logo

A Day's Wait

Ernest Hemingway

A Day's Wait

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide
logo

A Farewell to Arms

Ernest Hemingway

A Farewell to Arms

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide
logo

A Moveable Feast

Ernest Hemingway

A Moveable Feast

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide
logo

A Very Short Story

Ernest Hemingway

A Very Short Story

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide
logo

Big Two-Hearted River

Ernest Hemingway

Big Two-Hearted River

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide
logo

Cat in the Rain

Ernest Hemingway

Cat in the Rain

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide
logo

For Whom the Bell Tolls

Ernest Hemingway

For Whom the Bell Tolls

Ernest Hemingway

Plot Summary
logo

Green Hills of Africa

Ernest Hemingway

Green Hills of Africa

Ernest Hemingway

STUDY + TEACHING GUIDE
logo

Hills Like White Elephants

Ernest Hemingway

Hills Like White Elephants

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide
logo

In Another Country

Ernest Hemingway

In Another Country

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide
logo

Indian Camp

Ernest Hemingway

Indian Camp

Ernest Hemingway

Plot Summary
logo

In Our Time

Ernest Hemingway

In Our Time

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide
logo

Old Man at the Bridge

Ernest Hemingway

Old Man at the Bridge

Ernest Hemingway

Plot Summary
logo

Solider's Home

Ernest Hemingway

Solider's Home

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide
logo

Ten Indians

Ernest Hemingway

Ten Indians

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide
logo

The Garden of Eden

Ernest Hemingway

The Garden of Eden

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide
logo

The Killers

Ernest Hemingway

The Killers

Ernest Hemingway

Plot Summary
logo

The Nick Adams Stories

Ernest Hemingway

The Nick Adams Stories

Ernest Hemingway