"Soft-Boiled Sergeant" is a

short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...

J. D. Salinger Jerome David Salinger (; January 1, 1919 January 27, 2010) was an American author best known for his 1951 novel ''The Catcher in the Rye''. Salinger got his start in 1940, before serving in World War II, by publishing several short stories in '' ...

published in the 1944 edition of ''

The Saturday Evening Post ''The Saturday Evening Post'' is an American magazine, currently published six times a year. It was issued weekly under this title from 1897 until 1963, then every two weeks until 1969. From the 1920s to the 1960s, it was one of the most widely c ...

''.

Plot

"Soft-Boiled Sergeant" chronicles a young soldier's entry into the

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...

. The title refers to the good-natured

Staff Sergeant Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. History of title In origin, certain senior sergeants were assigned to administrative, supervi ...

, 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.

References

1944 short stories Short stories by J. D. Salinger Works originally published in The Saturday Evening Post {{1940s-story-stub