Forms of Literature (Keating's Goodreads Discussion forum) discussion

Before the war, Krebs was a frat boy who appears to of been a church goer. War can change a person. The things you witness, hear, or even are forced to do can gave a toll on you. I think by saying he wanted to live without consequences Krebs was desiring a care free life, much like the one he lived before the war. The thing is, after an experience like that, there is no going back. As a person he is changed. He appears to even be numb from the comment he made to his mother about not loving anyone. Hemingway wrote this piece in a way to make the reader feel isolated. We were kept back from the characters much like Krebs felt withdrawn from the rest of society, watching from afar. Hemingway wrote this without emotion as if to give us a hint of the numbness Krebs may have been feeling.

Before Krebs left to war, he was a frat boy. Attending college, frat boys are usually loud, energetic, and cheerful. But when Krebs left for war and came back, he was a completely different person. As most of us know, war takes a toll on people in different ways. The things a person experiences while at war aren't so usual and can change a person. Unfortunately, this is what happened to Krebs. Before war he was a happy college frat boy but afterwards he became a quiet, serious, and angry boy. There were different parts of the story where one can gain the idea that Krebs character had change from before and after the war but one scene in particular was when Krebs mom asked him if he loved her and he said no, then automatically after that started asking the mom to forget about what he had said and for her to believe that he did love her. Emotionally distressed is what the war had made Krebs. Since he had already lived a complicated life by leaving to war, Krebs said he wanted "to live without consequences". What I believe Krebs meant when he said this was that he no longer wanted to live a life where the decisions he made would have bad consequences almost like the life he had when he was a frat boy.

Harold Krebs was a college frat boy before he entered the war in “Soldier’s home” and I can imagine he was quite the rowdy individual. That’s just a usual stereotype of being a college kid in a fraternity, you’re quite the party animal and so forth. With that being said, as most people can agree on is that war is a very fierce social issue that human beings have endured for centuries, and the effects it can have on somebody. I would say the war made Krebs very cold emotionally, and whatever he saw and experienced overseas really caused some sort of mental instability. He basically shut down in the sense of not wanting to worry about the disputes of what’s considered to be the norm such as getting married, finding a job, etc. As Hemingway implied in the story, “He wanted his life to go smoothly” and he just didn’t want nothing really to do with people or anything for that matter. This also correlates with Hemingway’s writing style in the sense he’s a very direct, unembellished, and so on. He has a very unique way of making the readers feel a certain way through his words if that makes any sense. What I mean by that is his writing may seem very direct, but it’s also very dynamic at the same time. In the end, I also felt Krebs had developed some sociopathic tendencies in the aspect of his disconnection with his loved ones and society in general.

Traci wrote: "Before the war, Krebs was a frat boy who appears to of been a church goer. War can change a person. The things you witness, hear, or even are forced to do can gave a toll on you. I think by saying ..."

I agree with you, War definitely can have a toll on people, and can have unfortunate effects on an individual's psychological state of mind. As I said myself on Hemingway's style he's very direct in his writing, but somehow vigorous as well.

In the story, "Soldier's Home", Krebs was a frat boy before he went to war and one may assume he was the usual college kid going to parties and stuff. Once Krebs goes to war and comes back, one can tell that he has changed drastically compared to before the war. The manner in which Hemingway creates a tone of seriousness once Krebs comes back from the war gives the reader that feeling or mentality that Krebs just wants to live his life with no worries. That's why in the story Krebs just stays home all day and doesn't even look for a job. It got to the point where Krebs even told his mother that he didn't love her. This demonstrates how the style and tone Hemingway uses can really characterize, in this case Krebs, as a cold hearted person due to the war and experiences he had during the war.

Harold Krebs, the main character in the piece of literature “Soldier’s Home” by  Hemingway, is a boy who believed in the systems of religion, tradition and ‘family  values,’ before being deployed in WWI. After coming back from WWI where he was  “badly, sickeningly frightened all the time” and the irrevocable changes it caused him.  His hometown has not changed for years. His father parks the same vehicle in the same  place he did before war ”The car always stood outside the First National Bank building  where his father had an office on the second floor.” The girls walking on the other side  of the street had just grown up. Harold cannot “contribute to the community” as other  soldiers who had returned from war have,"The boys are all settling down; they’re all determined to get somewhere... like Charley Simmons are on their way to being really a credit to the community.” Instead he plays pool, reads, plays his clarinet,  goes to bed and repeats. everything has become a routine to him.   His wanting “to live without consequences” derives from the experiences he had in  Europe which caused irrevocable changes in his life, his goal is to live a simple life  “without consequences”  the horrors of war combined with the callousness he perceives  in his hometown causes Harold to lose hope in life creating a desire to live a simple life,  simple love and not work hard or spend a long time getting a girl. 

In the story “Soldier’s Home”, Krebs is described as a person who was in a Methodist college and in a fraternity. From that description given you can see how Hemmingway portrays Krebs, as an average American who led a normal that came to a halt once he was faced with the life changing choice to enroll in the army to go fight for his country. The way Hemingway writes this story shows how much the life of a young individual drastically changed from being completely normal to feeling completely isolated. Krebs felt out of place in his hometown after suffering the aftermath of the war. Since he came back after the rest of the soldiers, he was forced to repress the thoughts and feelings he was left with. “He did not want any consequences ever again. He wanted to live along without consequences,” basically states that he did not want to form part of the society he was in. He came back and everything was different from when he left, including himself, he grew into a cold distant person and just wanted to live without having to think about anything. Hemingway’s way of describing in detail the story, gives you a vivid point of view that shows how the army scared a young man for life.

Jose wrote: "Harold Krebs, the main character in the piece of literature “Soldier’s Home” by  Hemingway, is a boy who believed in the systems of religion, tradition and ‘family  values,’ before being deployed i..."

I completely agree with your point of view Jose, I believe Harold was exposed to horrific things during the way and he came backed a changed person. He does loose hope in life in his hometown because it is not the same as before.

Jesus wrote: "In the story, "Soldier's Home", Krebs was a frat boy before he went to war and one may assume he was the usual college kid going to parties and stuff. Once Krebs goes to war and comes back, one can..."

I agree Jesus, I believe Krebs doesn't go out to look for a job so he can live without any worries or stress. Whatever he lived during the war are things he wants to completely bury in his mind.

In Soldier’s Home, Krebs was a frat boy before going to war. He most likely was a very social and youthful (in all aspects) individual. Upon returning from the war, he seems to need approval and to be esteemed by everyone at home, even initially lying and over-exaggerating the time he served. As time goes on, he becomes a less receptive person to others; it is as if his social warmth is like the bacon fat that hardens on his plate. His desire to “live without consequences” can come from the fact that the tone of the story seems rather detached, just like Krebs. Thus, Krebs wants his life to be structured and the way he wants it to be, even if others around him lead different lives. He wants things but doesn’t want to have to work for them. He feels isolated and lost, and the tone of the story helps to create that feeling.

Jesus wrote: "In the story, "Soldier's Home", Krebs was a frat boy before he went to war and one may assume he was the usual college kid going to parties and stuff. Once Krebs goes to war and comes back, one can..."
I agree that the serious tone of the story characterizes how Krebs changed after the war.

Moy wrote: "Harold Krebs was a college frat boy before he entered the war in “Soldier’s home” and I can imagine he was quite the rowdy individual. That’s just a usual stereotype of being a college kid in a fra..."
I agree with what you pointed out about Hemingway's style--it is rather unembellished and straight to the point. It doesn't have a lot of extra emotion in it, just like Krebs.

I would think that Krebs was a regular person in society that had goals in life and wanted specific things just like the average guy but after the war he changed in to a very simple person who just accepts what's going on in his life but a simple life that has no consequences. What Krebs means by this is that he doesn't wants nothing to change in his life. He wants just a simple life where there is anything that affects Krebs. His persona is very calm and he speaks from his mind. Krebs doesn't really care what other people feel and I think he doesn't like to draw attention to himself. Because in the story, he straight up tells his mother that he doesn't love her and then he lies and tells her that he does so she can stop crying. Overall, Krebs is a very simplistic person who doesn't want anything to affect his life.

In "soldiers home" by Hemingway they introduced the main character Krebs. In the beginning Krebs was believed to be a young religious man that attended college and liked to spend time with his friends. Then WW1 came along and Krebs joined the Marines where he saw and experienced things that made him lose his fait in his god and made him stop loving the ones around him. The war changed him so much that it leads you to think that he needed to attend therapy leading to him staying two years behind before returning home. All this leads to him living his life without consequences because he has seen things that made him see the real side of life and he thought that it's not worth trying.

In “Soldier’s Home” by Ernest Hemingway, we are introduced to the protagonist, Harold Krebs, who prior to enlisting himself into the Marines, was a proud member of a frat party at Methodist college in Kansas. The stereotypical definition for a frat is usually loud, full of life, and feeling like the king of the world. With Hemingway first introducing Krebs as a young man who enjoyed his life was quickly flipped when he entered the war walking out like a new man, but a new man that every soldier before him unfortunately turn into as well. What Hemingway does so excellent in his style of writing is that he puts the readers into the shoes of Krebs making the reader feel isolated. We never thoroughly get to learn about the other characters since Hemingway’s intention was to elevate the feeling of Krebs’ withdrawal from society, also writing with an emotionless tone to understand griminess that Krebs is withstanding.

In Hemingway's story, “Soldier's Home,” the protagonist Krebs, has a dramatic transformation from frat boy to war veteran. The author uses a dull and isolated attitude to show Krebs’ emotional state. What really defines Krebs and also justifies the author’s use of a negative tone is the title of the story. Where really is the soldier’s, Krebs, home? Before the war, his house, family, college friends, and society’s way of life defined home from him. However, when he returns, although everything physically is the same and he is literally home, the feeling of it isn’t present. This is one of the main causes from Krebs’ frustration, lying, and disconnection. Home is where the heart lies, it is an intimate symbol of being comfortable, and a universal concept all readers can relate to. The lack of home produces the dull, isolated tone the reader feels.

Krebs’ internal transformation that causes this disconnection of home is from an emotional drainage resulted in the war. This also produces Krebs’ desire to “live without consequences.” In other words, he can’t handle anymore emotional consequences. Any little stress or emotional involvement scares him because he knows he can’t deal with it. He is even resistant to return home because of his lack of wanting to feel again, especially in rekindling old relationships. It is hard for him to re-love his mom, dad and even God. The author subtly exposes the ignorance in the government’s obligation of young boy’s enlistment to war in that time period. War is a forced transition from boy to man, and could of been the cause of Krebs’ emotional exhaustion and drastic social disconnection.

The author’s tone of disconnection is exposed through many details. First off, the narrator uses his last name “Krebs” rather than first name to show a lack of intimacy and emotional connection, parallel with the character, his relationships and his transformed point of view. Also there is short sentence structure to correlate with Krebs’ thought processes. He doesn’t spend much time in each thought because there is no emotional connection. Although Krebs does repeatedly bring up the same topics, such as finding a girl for him, this is only a reflection of how society reminds him of what his priorities should be, and it is another comparison of how Krebs is isolated from everybody. He is still in the process of “figuring out” what is happening. Is he home? Does he want to listen to society? It is clear towards the end of the story that he finally finds out what is his present. After a fight with his mom, he leaves home and doesn’t see himself coming back. He wants to escape a world of emotions, and be his new self.

Krebs before the war was a frat boy that attended Methodist college in Kansas. As we all know fraternity boys tend to be wild and adventurous while there in this fraternity houses. But after the war Kerbs was a totally different person which it can be understandable of how people from war experience tragedies and terrible things that they were forced to do which basicly impact him. What i know about him to explain why he wants to live without consequences is that when¨At first Krebs, who had been at Belleau Wood, Soissons, the Champagne, St. Mihiel and in the Argonne did not want to talk about the war at all¨ Krebs didn't want to talk at all about what had happen at war to anyone including his own family. Throughout the story we see that it's a narrative style in which the writer narrates the story to. For example Hemingway mentions ¨During this time, it was late summer, he was sleeping late in bed, getting up to walk downtown to the library to get a book, eating lunch at home, reading on the front porch until he became bored and then walking down through the town to spend the hottest hours of the day in the cool dark of the pool room. He loved to play pool¨. As per the tone it is mostly a pessimistic and depressing tone on how he is basically miserable , he doesn't have a social life because he justs wants to be kept away of the people and to give up on himself. In here his mother said ¨He thinks you have lost your ambition, that you haven’t got a definite aim in life. Charley Simmons, who is just your age, has a good job and is going to be married. The boys are all settling down; they’re all determined to get somewhere; you can see that boys like Charley Simmons are on their way to being really a credit to the community.” In other words, that his parents want him to become someone and that not to let himself down that even though he and others have passed by terrible things in war Charley Simmons had become a good man and has his own business why can´t krebs do the same or work with his father. The style and tone fits really well to the character on how the narrator mentions him throughout the story.

In "Soldier's home"by Ernest Hemingway ". The story is written with a very special tone and style which gives the reader a greater connection and approach to the story.
Krebs before the war was a very social, outgoing and happy person.He loved society and religion,and mostly his surroundings.
War came and transformed him into an apathetic individual,he was very distant and came back with a different perspective of life. He showed his emotional distress throughout the story ,for example during a conversation with his mother he told her he didn't live her.After he realized what he had just said and how much it affected his mother he apologized.In the story Krebs said that he wanted to live without consequences.
What he really wanted was a peaceful life, carefree, and time to recover from the tragedies of the war.The memories and events that changed his life and affected his personality.
The story's style and tone are very important components of such. Both give the story and characters a more complex approach to the reader.Throughout the story the writer used style and tone to connect more with the reader and at the same time emphasize the main characters dramatic changes.

Jesus wrote "The events of war made Krebs want a simple life,simple love and not having to work for it"
I agree with you , the war changed the protagonist completely and it is obvious he wants things to be simple and to have everything without working for it.Because of such events he wabts a simole peaceful life without drama.

Andres wrote "Krebs experiences and things he saw during the war made him lose fait in his god and made him stop loving those around him"
I disagree with you in some way, sometimes bad experiences can make us think we should loose fait and not believe in smething that could gives us extra power or support such as religion or god.
But i don't think those experiences made Krebs stop loving those around him like his family.I think the distance and time made him miss those that were always supporting him,and when the time came to be reunited with them it was hard to go back to the old life. The process of going back to the same lifestyle when he was exposed to tremendous events made things harder for him to express just like his love for his family.

Before going to the war, Krebs was a frat boy at a Methodist college in Kansas. Being in a fraternity might indicate something about Krebs's character before going to the way. Typically, a frat boy might be very outgoing and extroverted. However, when Krebs returns home from the war, a lot has changed. He doesn't seem particularly motivated to do anything. His mother even tries to encourage him to go out more and hints at him to find a girlfriend. But Krebs is disinterested and doesn't want to trouble himself with talking to girls. He also wants the rest of "his life to go smoothly" and to keep "his life from being complicated". In my own opinion, I think Krebs feels he has gotten his fair share of life while serving in war. He doesn't seem as outgoing like a boy in a fraternity normally might be. In the story, Hemingway includes paragraphs of Krebs likes and dislikes about some of the girls. But the tone it is written in is very negative. Krebs, who was once in a fraternity, is now a war veteran with a character that is different than the one he previously had.

Jennifer wrote: "In Hemingway's story, “Soldier's Home,” the protagonist Krebs, has a dramatic transformation from frat boy to war veteran. The author uses a dull and isolated attitude to show Krebs’ emotional stat..."

Wow Jen! This is a very good commentary! I like the point you bring out about how the narrator in the story refers to Harold as Krebs. I am assuming Krebs is his last name rather than a nickname. To me, it shows how serving in the war has affected him. Perhaps he was called by his last name instead of his first name while at war. It has left a lasting impression on him and the author does a good job of showing that by simply calling him Krebs.

Esmeralda wrote: "I would think that Krebs was a regular person in society that had goals in life and wanted specific things just like the average guy but after the war he changed in to a very simple person who just..."

I agree with this too! He was also in a fraternity. Thinking stereotypically, a frat boy would be very outgoing and friendly. In the story, we're really given more insight on Kreb's character after the war. But changes are evident in the way he treats his mom and even his refusal to pray. I think that's significant because prayer is usually a very intimate act, one that expresses deep feeling. Krebs is very disconnected after the war that he feels he can't even pray or love his mom.

Before going to war Krebs was a fratboy attending a Methodist church surrounded by his fraternity brothers. However, once enlisted in the army and returning home, he felt distant throughout his society all-together. Throughout the story, we are given simple sentences that may be in relation to how the overall personality of Harold is. An exapmle of simple and direct sentences we are given would be, "He liked the pattern. It was exciting" and, "That was a lie. It was a lie both ways." Here, Hemingway decides to use two sentences to pretty much say the same thing, allowing us to think this is how the thought process is for Kreg. When Kreg is speaking to his sister, she is asking him quite a few questions, which Kreg responds with, "Sure" and, "Maybe." I believe that the author uses simple sentences to allow us to see how perhaps Kregs thought process would be.

Before the war, Krebs was a frat boy. Frat boys at a university are usually loud, social, and full of energy. However, after the war the once frat boy has changed dramatically. As we know now, war for some can have a negative toll on their personality and character. After the war Krebs seemed to be neutral and emotionless on how he was prior to the war. After the war Krebs mentality was "to live without consequences." War can have a huge impact on individuals. A soldier can experience numerous situations in war, which will influence on how they will react when being integrated back into society. During the story when Krebs is conversing with his mother, Krebs says "I don't love anybody" showing how dramatic his experience was while deployed. Hemingway used this sort of tone and style to provide an insight to the reader of the numbness emotion Krebs felt after coming back home from the war.

Andrew wrote: "Think about the character of Krebs in "Soldier's Home." What kind of person was he before the war? After? What do you know about him that can explain his wanting "to live without consequences"? Put..."

Harold krebs was described as a young man who attended college and was part of a fraternity. While Hemingway does not describe how he was before he went to war he drops some hints. One of those hints is that he attended an Methodist university and was in a fraternity which are known for having spirit or being loud and friendly and outgoing. After Krebs left to war, he changed because once you go and see what a soldier sees no one returns the same. It affects them in some level. After the war he is portrayed as someone who is morbid, sad and depressed. He uses style and tone to make us feel how he felt socially rejected and withdrew himself from it all. Hemingway wrote. "He wanted a girl but he did not want to talk" he wanted to be someone who would go after the things he wanted in life. Yet he does not have the motivation to do so. I think that after someone goes to war, kills other people for his country and received no thank you for it he probably thought that is the highest purpose that my life can have and no one was there to appreciate it, that makes someone want to live life without any consequences.

In "Soldier's Home" we are introduced to Krebs as a frat boy whom I would interpret as the kind of guy who would party and socialize plenty, but that characterization given to Krebs didn't last long as he went through a drastic change later on in the story. In addition, upon his return from war his personality changed very quickly from the frat boy he once was to the more cold-hearted and rough character he later became and to make this story more intense Hemmingway set a tone of seriousness as well as loneliness due to how Harold mentions how he loves no one to the point in which he made his mother cry because of this mindset he had created due to his experiences in war. Furthermore, Harold brings up the concept of how he wishes to "To live without consequences" and I would simply interpret this quote as a way of him saying that he wishes to live life freely and without any conflicts which gives us the idea and explanation to his actions and decisions he makes as well as a sense of how he wishes to rest due to the many gruesome and uncomfortable experiences he was exposed to in was, but more than nothing he just wishes to enjoy the rest of is life.

Eliana wrote: "In "Soldier's home"by Ernest Hemingway ". The story is written with a very special tone and style which gives the reader a greater connection and approach to the story.
Krebs before the war was a v..."

I agree with you Eliana in how you were able to see how Harold simply wished to live a "peaceful life" and the transformation he underwent after the war

Emile wrote: "Before the war, I think that Krebs was a person who was very social and enjoyed talking to girls. After the war however, he became antisocial, lazy, and apathetic about life. He does not want to ta..."

I agree with you Emile in how you were able to interpret him as a very social person at first and the fact that you were able to perceive how he wishes to live his life "Smoothly" and avoid things such as a job, wife and even heartbreaks which might be a reason to why he avoided talking and interacting with girls.

Kreb's might have been a happy person before he left for war. He was a frat boy meaning he was having the time of his life. Kreb was young and full of happiness in college. Going to war made his life change completely. In war you would experience death in any way. The time one spends in war is not a happy once. Kreb might had gone through two tough years in war in order to have become an isolated person. It is not nice the things you might encounter in war that is why a man changes once he comes back to society. Society is view as a war as well, since everyone is fighting to have a better life. Kreb isolated himself from a society that was troublesome for him. He only wanted to spend a peaceful and lonely life. Reality struck him once his mom confront him about his life. Hemmingway was giving us the point of view on how a person can change from being a happy person to an isolated one. He described that isolation brings only sadness which was felt by Krebs never wanting to do anything. No matter how a person might be, everyone would wish to live freely, but we have to confront reality.

Jennifer wrote: "In Hemingway's story, “Soldier's Home,” the protagonist Krebs, has a dramatic transformation from frat boy to war veteran. The author uses a dull and isolated attitude to show Krebs’ emotional stat..."

I agree with your statement on "home is where the heart lies" because being doesn't necessarily have to mean a location or what have you. Home is where you feel comfortable or at peace, and I can definitely agree that Krebs didn't feel that at all when he returned.

Krebs is a character that can describe one of the two different ways of seen life after been in war. Before war, he was a college student and a fraternity boy. This can create the idea that he used to party and hang out with classmates easily. After war, he was more quiet and uncommunicative. He explains how uncomfortable is to talk about what happen to him. Also, he thinks that making efforts to get a girl fall in love with him is not what he wants to do with his free time. In the end, we can see how Krebs tries to look for a life more stable and that he does not want to make any important decision at the moment. He only wants to be free.
I understand that Hemingway was in World War I and understood the feeling of being in war. I had read a part of the novel “For whom the bells tolls” in which he gives more focus on the courage of being a soldier and die with dignity. The story of “Soldier’s Home” is another perspective of a soldier’s mind. Like I said before, there are two ways of seeing war and it was impressive for me to read how he was able to express the feeling of being lost and try to find your place in society after been away a long time. The tone and style I think are well represented of those feelings.

Andres wrote: "In "Soldier's Home" we are introduced to Krebs as a frat boy whom I would interpret as the kind of guy who would party and socialize plenty, but that characterization given to Krebs didn't last lon..."

I agree with your point of view. I also think that "To live without consequences" is also a reference of the expectations of his father to become a banker or get married.

Esmeralda wrote: "I would think that Krebs was a regular person in society that had goals in life and wanted specific things just like the average guy but after the war he changed in to a very simple person who just..."

I have to disagree with you. I think Krebs is not a regular person. He had experiences during war that changed his personality. I think that after seen dead in the battlefield he changed his perspective of life. After this he wanted to have a simple life, but this will never be possible after his experience.

At the beginning of the story, the narrator describes Kreb as a frat boy coming out of a religious college, just like many of his fraternity friends. Kreb was a type of guy who probably wished for the use of his family’s car and the glory of returning back home from the war. However, this idealistic view was shattered when the post traumatic stress of war altered Kreb. While, “nothing [had] changed in the town,” Kreb was transformed into a man who did not care for a girlfriend, or a job, or a family. The author purposely leaves out the details of what happened in the war in order to emphasize Kreb’s solitude and uses simple, straightforward sentences that convey Kreb’s apathy towards his trifling conversations with others. Kreb’s experience in the army taught him that he could be self-sufficient and that he could “live without consequences.” In addition, because no one could understand him, he kept to himself and lived life at a distance. Because of this dramatic change in personality, Kreb is a dynamic character with a strong detachment from the rest of society.

Esmeralda wrote: "I would think that Krebs was a regular person in society that had goals in life and wanted specific things just like the average guy but after the war he changed in to a very simple person who just..."

I agree with you, I believe Krebs wanted to be left alone and deal with his thoughts and problems on his own. I don't think this made him simple, just distressed from what he experienced when coming back from war.

Moy wrote: "Harold Krebs was a college frat boy before he entered the war in “Soldier’s home” and I can imagine he was quite the rowdy individual. That’s just a usual stereotype of being a college kid in a fra..."
I agree that the author's direct and simple sentences correlated with Krebs's detachment from any social connection. And I do suppose that he may have some qualities of a sociopath, but would for sure say he is experiencing PTSD.

Before the war Krebs to me seemed liked a normal kid. In the begging of the story it explain that Krebs was in a fraternity. Usually when your involved in that theirs a certain bond between the group of kids that are in it. After the war Krebs seems that he doesn't really want to do much. Krebs explains that he's tired and the story seems to hint that hes some what of a slob now. This style seems to fit when Krebs talks about that he would want a girl but that he wouldn't want to talk to them. All of these things that Krebs feels and thinks can be a result of what happened during the war.

Marco wrote: "Before the war, Krebs was a frat boy. Frat boys at a university are usually loud, social, and full of energy. However, after the war the once frat boy has changed dramatically. As we know now, war ..."
I Agree with you on how before, Krebs probably was this social person. Versus after coming back his feelings seem to change.

In the story "Soldier's home" the main character, Krebs, was a man who needed more admiration, attention, and reasons to go on. This can be concluded by the fact that in the story, Krebs points out how the people didn't acknowledge him too much when he returned from war, even though he came late to the celebrations of the soldiers. Krebs wanted to be acknowledge by everyone, but no one really saw the need too. Before the war, Krebs was a man dedicated to his community and his family like his little sister. After the war, he began to have thoughts of separation of society. An example can be on how he didn't talk to girls to get a girlfriend. Also, he didn't have motivation to get a job for himself that his mother insisted to. By not trying to achieve a job and getting girlfriends, he thought he was going to live without consequences.

Before the war as mentioned in the story Krebs was a frat boy. With that information its safe to say he wasn't shy and he enjoyed interacting with people. However that isn't the case after the war.
Krebs much rather read from his porch or be in his room than socialize.
In the story it mentions how his war stories grew tiresome on people, perhaps he kept repeating the stories or bringing it up because he was looking for a sympathetic ear.
Still he rather watch people from a distance than put himself out there. The war could have a lot to do with that. He's seen the amount of damage people can bring to themselves and others, so in his point of view why be involved in those consequences?

Juan wrote: "Before the war Krebs to me seemed liked a normal kid. In the begging of the story it explain that Krebs was in a fraternity. Usually when your involved in that theirs a certain bond between the gro..."

I agree with you he does seem slob-ish. As well as with the girls. He does mention that he likes them and that he would like to have one yet he doesn't try. He was probably exposed to more than he could or would have wanted to handle at the war.

Meranda wrote: "Before the war as mentioned in the story Krebs was a frat boy. With that information its safe to say he wasn't shy and he enjoyed interacting with people. However that isn't the case after the war...."
I agree with you on how Krebs wants his own space. When before he would probably very sociable. Could be a result from what he experienced in the war.

LUPITA wrote: "Before Krebs left to war, he was a frat boy. Attending college, frat boys are usually loud, energetic, and cheerful. But when Krebs left for war and came back, he was a completely different person...."

I agree. When it mentions that he was a frat boy a certain image comes to mind. Its unusual to come across a antisocial frat boy. Yet Krebs is antisocial, so one can only think that the war is to blame.

In "Soldier's Home" by Ernest Hemingway,Before the war Krebs is a cheerful frat boy at Methodist college in Kansas taking a group photo with his fraternity brothers. After the war Krebs changed he wasn't very social and outgoing. Krebs sympathy for other was gone, for example when the mother asked if he loved her, and he replied "No" to her. Which he regretted of saying and apologized to his mother,and asked her to believe him that he did lover her. Krebs wanting " to live without consequences" means he wanted to live carefree and with no responsibilities in his life. The tone and style of the story fit the character. The story gives a tone and style of emotional distance and isolation, which the character Krebs in his life plays throughout the story.

In “Soldier’s Home” , a short story by Hemingway, Harold Krebs, the protagonist , has transformed from a once outgoing frat boy to a stilled excluded person who wishes to remain distant from all others except his sister. Before the war he had different goals and hopes , for example, “drive the family motor car” and after “He wanted to live along without consequences.”
Although we can feel the empathy of war veterans , more specifically Harold Krebs, it is no excuse for having shut his family out after he has arrived from his journey in the war. Krebs states ,"to live without consequences." , through this we can perceive that he has not had the greatest experience at war and that he may suffer from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) he has realized that there is nothing worse to be expected. The style and tone, Hemingway’s tone in the story was cold and stern , this can be understood when Krebs states “The car always stood outside the First National Bank building where his father had an office on the second floor. Now, after the war, it was still the same car.” , as for the style it is expressed as “tough”.

In the story of "Soldier's Home" it is very descriptive about how Kreb's character has been altered. Hemingway gives good clues to interpret that Krebs was indeed a very social and active person before entering the war. In the story it says that he was in action for the ending of world war 1 and that the war was just life altering. Hemingway created a real life relatable situation about the realities with war. And the emotional and psychological side effects of it. After the war Krebs comes back with a different mentality. One that does not require socializing with others and one that makes an "easier life". In the war Krebs was told that the only thing he had to worry about was himself and his division. He comes out of the war with the same mentality to keep an easy and not complicated life. Of course his mother and father want to get him back to his old self and let him get out and about. This is yet another conflict portrayed by Hemingway. So the character of Krebs has a lot to do with the tone of the story and the setting. The tone of seriousness and being mentally isolated developes Krebs's character after the war. The setting of the time and war enables Hemingway to depict the types of conflicts Krebs would be experiencing. It is self conflicts, conflicts with people and family, and self doubting. So the tone and setting used helped developed Krebs's character and portray his conflicts and emotions.

I agree with Maya completely in that the sense of Krebs's character was astoundingly altered after the war. The type of social skills and persona have really been affected. It's as if he lost all desires to want to socialize with any human being other than those he has too which is his family.

I too agree with Li- Yuen that Krebs is a special, unique, and dynamic character. With the development of self conflicts and conflicts with socializing it helps show all the emotional changes that the character of Krebs undergoes as being part of a war. It helps relate a real life every day person to every day people who can relate to this type of situation. It sounds easy to solve, but in Krebs's mindset it is so difficult to go out and go back to being the way he was before which was a relaxed "frat boy" outgoing character.

Think about the character of Krebs in "Soldier's Home." What kind of person was he before the war? After? What do you know about him that can explain his wanting "to live without consequences"? Put what you know about him together with the characteristics you can identify in Hemingway's style, and write a paragraph that shows how style and tone fit the character.

The character in "Soldiers Home" Harold, which is called krebs through out the whole story seems to have come back from the war a little depressed and tired, not wanting to socialize in any way nor get involved with love or women. He came back from the war two years after the rest of the heroes had already returned to home, when krebs returned as "The perfect soldier" meaning cold hearted with no empathy whatsoever he hurts some of his loved once by the responses he gives. For example, when his mother asks him “Don’t you love your mother, dear boy?” he responds with a simple answer "no" making his mother cry. His mother was awfully hurt, puzzled and amazed by what she had just heard from her son Krebs which can be provided as prove to show that Krebs was not the person he had become after coming back from the war. Krebs also doesn't want any consequences or anything that has to do with hard work to get what he desired, " Nothing was changed in the town except that the young girls had grown up. But lived in such a complicated world of already defined alliances and shifting feuds that Krebs did not feel the energy or the courage to break into it". Krebs thought did not want a girl or need a girl because "The army had taught him that" He thought trying to get to a girl or get her attention was too much work and did not want any consequences or issues that love brought along, he wanted something easy, something he didn't have go work for.