Soldiers Home By Ernest Hemingway

The American Dream. In the land of opportunity and endless possibilities, the American Dream has carved itself into those in and outside the country. To most, it seems almost guaranteed and undeniable. However, to truly achieve, it requires being ready to sacrifice comfort, take chances, and persevere through the challenges faced. Looking at the negatives of the American Dream, we can look to Harold Krebs, the main character in Soldiers Home, written by Ernest Hemingway. Krebs is different from other characters in the modernist period. Although he holds the similarity of being a veteran of World War One, he let these experiences seep into him, suffering from PTSD from war and letting the limits of when he was a teen control his mindset and actions. When Krebs is

This quote represents what the army has done to his mindset, which now determines what his wants and needs are. These limits didn’t just occur whilst he was in the army, they had affected him before he served in the army, such as the case when his Mother talked with him in the morning at breakfast. In this scene, Krebs’ mother brings up how she and his father have been talking about how they would be willing to let Krebs drive the family. However, instead of Krebs being excited, he’s doubtful about the situation, stating to his mom “I bet you made him” (Hemingway 655). Krebs's mentality is driven so much by the army that it has now followed him home, telling him what he needs and doesn’t need. He also gains this demeaning sense, and this could be because of his PTSD or oversight when he returned home late and nobody wanted to listen to him. As Krebs represents the negatives, we can look at a few other characters who represent some other negatives, as well as some positives of the American Dream, those characters being Jay Gatsby and Nick Carraway. Nick Carraway is the main character that we follow throughout The Great Gatsby, a story written by F. Scott