In Cat in the Rain, Hemingway portrays the isolation of the American expatriates in Europe. The couple is stuck in their hotel room because it is raining outside, and they are both bored and restless. They are unable to connect with each other or with the locals, and they eventually return home.
In Soldier’s Home, Hemingway portrays the isolation of the returning war veterans. The protagonist is unable to connect with his family or with his community, and he eventually commits suicide. Both of these stories illustrate the importance of human connection, and how isolation can be detrimental to our well-being.
Both Cat in the Rain and Soldier’s Home are about characters who find themselves isolated in one way or another. In Cat in the Rain, the protagonist is a woman who is stranded in a foreign country with her husband, and she feels isolated and alone. In Soldier’s Home, the protagonist is a soldier who has returned home from World War I, and he feels isolated and disconnected from the world around him.
Interestingly, both stories explore different ways of dealing with isolation. The woman in Cat in the Rain tries to find ways to connect with others, while the soldier in Soldier’s Home withdraws into himself. Ultimately, both stories suggest that there can be different consequences to both choices. Connecting with others can lead to happiness and fulfillment, while withdrawing can lead to loneliness and despair.
“I believe that social isolation is one of the most harmful things a person can do to another, regardless of their age.” – Rosalind Wiseman. Isolation in society has the same aim as fiction: it generates an internal conflict. In literature, isolation is frequently used to convey a sense of emptiness, which advances the plot. The theme of loneliness appears frequently in Ernest Hemingway’s literary works to express feelings of melancholy or anxiety.
In Cat in the Rain, Hemingway uses the isolation of the American wife to portray her unhappiness. In Soldier’s Home, Hemingway uses the isolation of Krebs to express his feelings of uncertainty after returning from war.
Both Cat in the Rain and Soldier’s Home are about characters struggling with their sense of identity. The American wife in Cat in the Rain is isolated from her husband and from the American culture. Krebs in Soldier’s Home is isolated from his family and from society. These characters are unable to connect with anyone around them, which leads to a feeling of loneliness and isolation.
The theme of isolation is also used to create suspense or tension in a story. In Cat in the Rain, the American wife is isolated from her husband and from the American culture. This creates a feeling of tension because the reader wonders why she is so isolated. In Soldier’s Home, Krebs is isolated from his family and from society. This creates a feeling of suspense because the reader wonders what happened to him during the war.
In Cat in the Rain, Hemingway uses symbolism to illustrate George’s loneliness. For example, rain is used as a symbol of George’s emotional state. The rain falls throughout the story, emphasizing George’s isolation and the lack of connection he feels with others. In Hills Like White Elephants, the American and Jig sit at a train station in Spain discussing an abortion while drinking beer. The lack of communication between the two characters leaves the reader wondering what really happened during their time together.
Each story highlights different aspects of isolation that are faced by many people. Hemingway does an excellent job of using his writing to bring these themes to light.
The protagonist, Krebs, has an internal struggle between his desire for company and his loathing of communication. For example, after the first few days, when Krebs watches the street sadly thinking, “Now he would have preferred a girl if she had come to him and refused to talk,” (Soldier 2), he has many thoughts similar to these. Because of his lack of social skills as a result of being inducted into the military, he becomes more isolated. Not only does Krebs hide himself away in order not to be seen by others; he also pushes interaction away through rejection.
For example, when he is sitting on the bench waiting for his food, “a cat came up and began to play with a piece of paper near his feet. Krebs paid no attention to it” (Rain 2). Ironically, the cat in the rain represents Krebs himself as they are both seeking shelter from the downpour however Krebs refuses to let anyone in. This unwillingness to communicate paired with Krebs’s sense of detachment leads to his solitude throughout Cat in the Rain.
In contrast, Soldier’s Home features a protagonist that is unable to be isolated. Unlike Krebs, Ellison’s character Hines actively seeks company through communication such as when Hines attempts to start a conversation with the grocery store worker, “‘Yes sir,’ the white-aproned man said. Hines looked at him with a sudden interest and said, ‘What kind of work do you do?’” (Home 9).
This difference in social interaction can be contributed to their different backgrounds. Krebs was born and raised in a small town where he had little contact with anyone outside of his family, while Ellison’s character Hines is from the city and is used to interacting with many people. As a result, Hines is not able to understand Krebs’s discomfort in socializing and instead tries to connect with him.
“He folded the Star open and propped it against the water pitcher with his cereal dish to steady it, so he could read while he ate,” says Lizzie. “But I’m sure as hell not going to let him do anything about it” (Soldier 3).
Cat in the Rain is a story about a soldier, George, and his wife, Helen. The two are on vacation in Italy but due to George’s illness, they are unable to enjoy their time together. Helen remains inside their hotel room while George continuously ventures out into the rain. Helen tries to keep herself busy by reading and writing but eventually becomes bored and frustrated. She then resorts to watching people pass by from her window.
One day, Helen sees a cat outside in the rain and becomes fixated on it. She eventually leaves the hotel room to go get the cat and brings it back inside. This event allows her and George to connect and they spend the rest of their vacation together. This story highlights how isolation can drive people apart but also how it can bring them together.
In Soldier’s Home, Krebs’s isolation is evident as he continuously tries to distance himself from those around him. The narrator mentions that he would “sit by himself on the front porch all evening long and read a book or just sit there looking off across the country” (Soldier 9). This further shows how Krebs prefers to be alone and does not want to associate himself with people who do not understand what he has been through. He is also very reluctant to talk about his experiences in the war. This leads to him feeling isolated and misunderstood.
However, towards the end of the story, Krebs starts to open up to his mother and they share a heart-to-heart conversation. This allows Krebs to finally start to accept and move on from his experiences in the war. This story highlights how isolation can be detrimental to someone’s mental health but also how it is possible for them to overcome it with the support of others.