Blindness Versus Awareness in “Soldier’s Home”

Hemingway’s short story “Soldier’s Home” explores the theme of “Blindness versus Awareness” through certain events that the character experiences. The story begins with a third person narrator who introduces us Harold Krebs; a soldier who attended the Methodist College in Kansas. Harold then joined the war and this experience led him to change emotionally. When he returns home he is completely aware that his family still loves him but is not able to give back the love, even to his mother. When he is asked by his mother to attend church and to get a job he reluctantly refuses. Harold admits to his mother that he does not love her eventhough he knows in his heart it is a lie. The war leads him to be blind towards reality, and the love that is given to him. His illness interferes with him keeping his dignity and honour after the war. Eventhough his life was hard at the time being he changed. He was a different person referring his mother as “mummy” and listening to her like a child. He respected her and was aware of the situation his life lied upon. However was blinded towards his reality and was not able to succeed in life because of his lack of not wanting to.