Alienation in "Soldier's Home" and Essay

Both Krebs and Daru are also alienated because they are unable to adopt the philosophy of the cultures in which they exist. Krebs comes from a religious household and a country that promotes ambition from men, yet he cannot accept God's existence, nor can he work up the enthusiasm to seek a job and make money. Similarly, Daru is forced to turn in an Arab prisoner-of-war, yet he does not have the heart to force the Arab to do anything. Instead, he lets the Arab decide whether to turn himself in or to hide with rebels. The actions of Krebs and Daru are unusual because in most stories, the characters are ambitious and try to change their surroundings if they are unhappy within them. However, Krebs and Daru show no motivation for escaping their environments, and their lack of motivation reflects their alienation.

The narration of both stories is another way that the alienation scene surfaces in the two stories. Both stories are written in a passive, almost bored voice that is direct but offers no commentary on the activity that takes place.The language never frames any of the activity in the plots as being of any significance, so that the reader is left to figure out whether there is a climax. In both stories, the sentences are simple and direct, as though there were no exciting activity taking place. The stories are both written in the third person, which distances the reader from the thoughts of the characters. The narration is an example of alienation because it never allows the reader the chance to get inside the mind of the characters, such that Krebs and Daru are distant figures even though they are the protagonists.

Ultimately, alienation is one of the main themes of the two stories, and it surfaces through setting, mindset, and narration. The stories show how the war disrupted soldiers' ambition, and prevented them from actively interacting with….....