Traumatic events possess the capability to transform individuals socially and internally. This change may affect those closest to the returning soldier. In Ernest Hemingway’s “Soldier’s Home”, Harold Krebs returns from war, and exhibits these individual changes. This short story reminds me of my grandfather, and the ways in which the Vietnam War transformed him as an individual and community member. Like a socially awkward individual, Harold Krebs still yearns to experience the passion of love, but decides it isn’t worth the “talking” (Hemingway 3). Krebs would rather not risk the consequences associated with conversation. This is why he grew fond of the French and German girls. So rather than pursue a relationship, he remains content to sit …show more content…
My grandfather shares several qualities with Krebs, particularly after he returned from the war. There are also a few areas in which Krebs and my grandfather differ. Socially, my grandfather came back far more social than when he left. The violence of war granted him a greater appreciation of life itself. My grandfather held his wife and daughters more closely, and this is an attitude he maintained for all of his days. In the short story, Krebs attending his sister’s baseball game particularly struck me, and reminded me of my grandfather. As busy as he may have been, he never missed a game of mine or my siblings. Regardless of the temperature or location, he sat in the stands, cheering, “Come on, Andrew!”. Krebs and my grandfather did share a sense of appreciation of their loved ones. However, my grandfather was able to better express it. The war also transformed my grandfather internally. According to my mother, he lived to see the most simple things happen. The once existent ambition he possessed transformed into a desire to make a positive impact on others. Like with Krebs, this change isn’t necessarily negative. Rather, my grandfather realized that to make a difference in the world, he didn’t need to win a Nobel Peace Prize or discover a cure to cancer. Reminding a local police officer that he is appreciated or giving a generous tip to waitress was how he chose to make an impact. Like Krebs, my grandfather was different internally when he returned from the