Structure

Title

The title of the short story “Soldier’s Home” by Ernest Hemingway makes readers expect a story about a soldier and his home. Given Hemingway’s experience in World War I, readers might guess that the story is going to explore events related to a soldier’s return from this war. Furthermore, the apostrophe means that the title can be read in two different ways: “ The Soldier is Home” or “Home of the Soldier”.

The title turns out to be somewhat ironic. For the main character Harold Krebs, his hometown and the house he lives in are no longer “home”. He does not feel that he belongs there and struggles to reconnect with his family and his community. Since Krebs has arrived much later than other soldiers, his community shows no interest in him or his stories. His family does not seem to understand him, either. It is suggested that Krebs feels both out of place and without a purpose now that he is back from the war.

The story could suggest that a soldier’s home is no longer necessarily with his family in his hometown, because it has shifted due to his experiences during t...