OBrien’s Speaking of Courage and Ernest Hemingway’s Soldier’s Home Essay Example
O’Brien’s ‘‘Speaking of Courage’’ and Ernest Hemingway’s ‘’Soldier’s Home’’ are about two soldiers who comes home from war uncelebrated. Harold Krebs and Paul Berlin have many similarities and differences. They are both soldiers and each have been fighting a war, Berlin the Vietnam war, Krebs World War 1.
Both of the characters get antisocial and depressed by the war. The reader gets to know that Krebs is depressed and antisocial by him only giving short answers, which are mostly yes or no. Berlin, on the other hand, just drives around alone, thinking about things he wants to tell his dad and other people about war, and that he ‘‘almost won the silver start’’.
Berlin makes no effort to
...talk to anybody, he just drives around silently, with no one to talk to. Also ‘’his father would not talk. He had been in another war, so he knew the truth already, and there was no one left to talk with’’. His best friend Max, drowned in the lake he is circling. Ironically, because he cannot speak about his war experience with anyone, he cannot leave it behind him. While Krebs makes at least some effort in trying to talk. His mom ask sometimes about the war, but she get bored and he do not want to lie about it anymore, therefore he do not want to talk that much. He just want to live a life where he can relax and avoid talking and lying about the war.
When they return home from the war, no one celebrates them. War have also changed both of their lives. Krebs comes home long
after the rest of the soldiers from his town have returned, therefore he misses the hysteria. Nobody celebrated Berlin because it was not typical to celebrate those soldiers who came home from the Vietnam war, since it was not a popular war at the home front. Krebs lost his feelings about love. Before he went to war he loved his mom, when he gets back he tells her he does not love her anymore.
The situation between Krebs and Berlin is different. Krebs interacts with his family. One example of this is that he talks to his sister. While Krebs is more of a social person; Berlin is more introvert. He does not have anyone to be with or talk to.
Being in war can turn a soldiers life up side down. It can change his or hers psyche, personality, and his or hers relationship to people around him or her and the society.
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