Previous
Style
Definition of Tone
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical, and so on. For instance... read full definition
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical or mournful, praising or critical... read full definition
The tone of a piece of writing is its general character or attitude, which might be cheerful or depressive, sarcastic or sincere, comical... read full definition
Tone
Explanation and Analysis:
The tone of "Soldier's Home" is cynical, uninterested, and apathetic towards the everyday. This tone is most evident when Helen, Krebs's sister, asks Krebs, "what do you ever get up for?", a question which goes unanswered by Krebs and the narrator. It is a question that goes unanswered because Krebs himself is unsure. He is aimless and uncertain, and because of his cynical and disinterested nature, he has no clear reason for getting up each morning.
"Soldier's Home" portrays a man without purpose after returning home from war, and the tone matches the melancholic subject matter of the story. As Krebs wastes his days away on his porch or in the poolroom, reading about the same war he fought in or playing a meaningless game, the reader feels his yearning for the structure and clarity of the army. Hemingway's style heavily influences this tone, as the stark, short descriptions convey the apathy Krebs feels towards the world. Likewise, the lack of purely positive descriptions suggests a cynical and depressed tone: almost everything described in a positive light, from the girls who walk by as Krebs sits on his porch or his sister whom Krebs proclaims to love, is undercut after the fact. Hemingway explains that Krebs has no desire to put in the work needed to get to know the girls he enjoys looking at, and the reader never sees Krebs confirm his love for Helen by watching her baseball game. The tone of the short story matches that of a depressed former solider attempting to adjust to life back home: numbed, understated, and rudderless.
Related Themes:
