| abstract | - Known in real life as "Reverse Culture Shock" or "Re-entry Shock". A character returns home after a long absence and finds that they no longer fit in, either because their home has changed too much over time, or (more commonly) because they themselves were changed by their experiences. In the latter case, it can lead to a But Now I Must Go sentiment. In less extreme cases, the character may eventually settle down again with some effort. Prominent real-life examples are usually based on soldiers returning home from fighting in a war, most commonly the First World War, although this often also occurs with Vietnam vets. This is also relatively common among anthropologists and related fieldworkers who come home after a long stint in another society only to realize how bizarre their own culture really is. Present in Western literature as early as in Homer's Odyssey, making it Older Than Feudalism. Related to You Can't Go Home Again, Never Accepted in His Hometown, and possibly So What Do We Do Now?. Occasionally overlaps with Where It All Began. Contrast Home, Sweet Home -- although this trope may also make the character realize that his home is no longer the place where he used to live. Often, characters placed in this situation will choose to put themselves back In Harm's Way. Has absolutely nothing to do with Stranger in A Strange Land. Examples of Stranger in a Familiar Land include:
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