Soft-Boiled Sergeant

"Soft-Boiled Sergeant" is a short story by J. D. Salinger published in the 1944 edition of The Saturday Evening Post.[1]

Plot

"Soft-Boiled Sergeant" chronicles a young soldier's entry into the military. The title refers to the good-natured Staff Sergeant, Burke, whom the young soldier meets. Burke helps him to go through difficulties with other people and helps him overcome some of his nervousness among the other soldiers and the environment.

History

The piece was originally titled "Death of a Dogface" and the magazine's decision to change the title, as well as use a "cute" illustration to accompany the piece, made Salinger deeply resentful.[2]

gollark: Doctor When, Doctor Why, Doctor What...
gollark: ***big hydronitrogen is watching you***
gollark: I meant "wrote that in the book titled 1984", yes.
gollark: The book is 1984.
gollark: <@139395104455524352> George Orwell wrote it in 1984.

References
  1. Levine, Paul (October 1958). "The Development of the Misfit Hero". Twentieth Century Literature. IV: 92–99.
  2. Alexander, Paul (14 July 2000). Salinger: A Biography. New York: Renaissance Books. ISBN 978-1580631488.
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