In the following essay, Jorgensen examines "He" within the context of tragedy and focuses on the difficulty readers can have understanding the character of Mrs. Whipple.

"He" ends as Mrs. Whipple is taking her feebleminded, unnamed son to the County Home where she has finally admitted him. He may receive better care and no longer physically burden his family for whom "Life was very hard." On the way He begins to cry, "rubbing His nose with His knuckles, and then with the end of the blanket" and "scrubbing away big tears that rolled out of the corners of His eyes." Neither we nor Mrs. Whipple can know for certain the motive of his weeping, but it drives in upon his mother the awareness she has warded off all of his life—that, however hindered by his condition from showing love or gratitude, He is far more...