Stein
The stories Ada and The Other Two differ in their approach to storytelling (although both use third-person narrative). Ada is a vague narrative with only one named (titular) character and minimal information provided about the characters' lives and personalities, glossing over the details. In contrast, The Other Two is a more traditional story with named characters and more detailed information about them, following a more conventional plot. While Ada begins by introducing the protagonist's brother, The Other Two focuses on its protagonist(s) from the start, taking its time to unravel the conflict.
Ada's plot is unconventional, and it is more of a portrait of someone's life than a traditional story. The author strips away details to distill Ada’s life to its most important points, making the plot feel more episodic and language-focused. The language (similarly to the plot) is vague, fragmented, and unconventional. The author manipulates and plays with it, keeping it opaque and leaving a lot of interpretation to the reader (see e. g. the frequent use of deixis and time skips). The syntax itself is not that complicated, making the story sometimes feel like it was passed down by word of mouth.
Despite its unconventional style, Ada's fragmented narrative and “stripped” language still make sense and tell a story (although quite episodic). By using repetition (and playing with it by implementing substitutions and additions), it draws our attention to certain topics and themes (e.g. family, love, happiness, identity, expectations), putting a spotlight on describing Ada's family and their problems connected with Ada wanting to be true to herself.
Hemingway
Hemingway's writing style shares some similarities with Gertrude Stein's Ada, such as the use of repetition and straight-to-the-point language (i. e. avoidance of unnecessary details). However, there are also differences (e. g. Hemingway includes more information in his stories than Stein did in Ada).
Perhaps the reason for his writing style is to provide a clearer access to what he deems important, namely emotions that arise from the situations described in his stories. In Up in Michigan, the story revolves around a woman's intense emotions towards someone, who doesn’t feel the same as her, while Soldier's Home describes the emotional state of a man who returns from war. Both stories ultimately end in disappointment, as the woman's love remains unrequited, and the man keeps struggling internally, as he tries to hide from the society he was once part of (and by which he is now disillusioned). Both stories also use a third-person narrative.
The narration style of Soldier’s Home reflects Krebs's state of mind and the emotional distance he feels, as he struggles to readjust and reconnect after coming back from war. The story touches on themes such as war, expectations, PTSD, disconnection/alienation, gender roles, and loss of illusions, creating a melancholic, resigned, and apathetic tone. The indifference and detachment (especially in contrast with e. g. Krebs’ emotional mother), resignation, sense of being lost, and disillusionment in Hemingway’s stories reflect the Lost Generation, trying to give us an idea of how the soldiers returning from war often felt.
Up in Michigan has a suspenseful and emotional tone. In contrast to Krebs, Liz is much more open with her emotions, making it a bit easier for us to understand her feelings. She is in love with Jim, but also quite naïve, confused, and ultimately disappointed in what is between the two of them. The story explores the complexity of emotions and relationships between humans, touching on themes such as love, desire, gender differences and stereotypes, sexuality, and disillusionment (e. g. Jim not respecting Liz's wishes when she asks him to stop).