Mental Illness In A Soldier's Home

Mental Illness in “A Soldier’s Home”
Throughout history, medical practices have changed and adapted as the time and depth of education of doctors has expanded and grown in understanding of the human body and its function. As these medical practices have become more helpful and beneficial to the human body, sciences and doctors are coming to realize that some diseases and conditions that were labeled as “fake” or “made up” in the past centuries, are in fact real and legitimate ailments. These beliefs can be seen in the literature of the past, as the customs of the specific time would lead the population to think. This believe can be seen in the short story, “A Soldier's Home”, by Ernest Hemingway, the author shows a World War I soldiers struggle of undiagnosed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, through using the main characters' issues with; conformity, friendship and family, to show the audience how this untreated PTSD ruined a young man's identity, friendships and tore apart his family.
Over the

As typical in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Harold Krebs separated himself from his family and friends and generally pushes himself away from those he loves. “So his mother prayed for him and then they stood up and Krebs kissed his mother and went out of his house. He had tried to keep his life from being complicated” (Hemingway 370). As Krebs struggles to cope and find someone who he can relate with as the story continues, he slowly isolates himself from; friends and family. In this particular case Harold Krebs is pushing his mother away from him and his mother cannot seem to understand why he does that. Through our 21st century understanding of how Post Traumatic Stress disorder works in young adults, we understand that through Harold Krebs is struggling with something bigger than his family and friends from home can