Soldiers' Home

Krebs uses repetition to escape the family home, at least for a while. When asked about the war from his family he quickly avoids the question by either staying neutral while not answering or answering with a sarcastic answer such as “I’ll try and be a good boy for you”. He has a very difficult time being paired back into his childhood home after the war. Even the girls were different. Yes the girls especially. They “grew up”, something that Krebs never got to do on his own. Krebs was forced to grow up because of the war. Krebs wanted to look at the girls but nothing more. The thought of being social made Krebs very nervous and paranoid. He always thought that they would bring up the war, every single one of them. That’s what he thought anyway because of the patterns he noticed. They all had “hair cut short,” had “sweaters and shirt waists with round Dutch collars,” and had “silk stockings and flat shoes.” Yes, Krebs noticed these odd patterns. And he did not like them. He wanted the German girls back. Krebs was uncomfortable with speaking, thinking, and even looking at people- even his own mother. Krebs tended to lie to his mother to comfort her into thinking that he was alright after the war. She knew that something was off with him, but didn’t know the true reason. She once asked him if he loved her and he simply said no. Krebs was truthful with his no because he really doesn’t know how to love, and if he does he is too scared to attach to someone. His mother was obviously discouraged and sobbing. He then lied to her and told her he did. Lying was something that Krebs has taken a knack for. Krebs has come to realization that lying may be easier than dealing with the reality, the fact that he has been to war and seen things that are unimaginable.