A Clean Well Lighted Place
Essay Preview: A Clean Well Lighted Place
Report this essay
The story “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” by Earnest Hemingway, in my opinion, is a story about a mans loneliness. The story starts out in an empty cafй, very late at night. Even the setting symbolizes gloominess. There are two waiters one old, one young. The older waiter is lonly, and the young waiter has a wife. The waiters dont treat the old deaf man, who is a very good costumer, as they treat all the rest of the costumers.
Throughout the story it is mentioned a few times about the shadows of the leaves. What Hemingway is trying to illustrate is the loniness and death. When it is Autumn, it is close to winter and all the surroundings are changing. The leaves are all falling off the trees, it is becoming cold and dark. Fewer days with sunlight and longer nights. The dark, cold winter represents death and loniness.
This is what the author is continuously trying to show us by telling us the old man is in the shadow of the leaves.
A detail in the story that I found interesting was the way Hemingway introduced us to the soldier and the girl. He let us know that the soldier led the way and the girl hurried behind him. With knowing this you know the soldier and the girl were not an item. Hemingway also let us know that the girl had no head covering, which led us to believe she was a prostitute. Both waiters saw the soldier and the girl and said that they would be picked up by the guards. This explains that the prostitution was illegal. This was a very disguised way of the author illustrating his point.
The main Character was an old deaf man. The waiters let us know he is eighty. This old man is at the cafй very often. The younger waiter says that the old deaf man is always drunk. He comes to the cafй late and stays all night. It is very well explained that the old man is very lonely. He is always by himself when he comes to the cafй. He is always by himself when he comes to the cafe. One week ago theld man attempted suiside. The younger waiter cannot understand why this man would do such a thing. The older waiter explained to the young waiter that the man has plenty of money. The younger waiter thinks if he has plenty of money then he should be happy. This shows the difference in values in the contrasting ages. What is materials and wealth with no one
to share it all with? The older waiter tells us he once had a wife. We do not know exactly what happened to the wife but we could say with confidience that his wifes death could be responsible for some of his depression. When the old man tried to hang himself, his niece saved his life. She cut the rope. She did this because she feared his soul. This was the religious aspect top this story. In the catholic religion it is believed that if u commit suiside, your soul goes to hell. bviously the young niece cared for this old man, and didnt want to see him die, although at this stage of his life the old man thought death was suitable.
While at the bar late one night, the old man had his usual plans on getting drunk, and the young waiter was in a hurry to be home. The waiter had become fusterated with the old man. He old waiter was in no hurry and took an interest in the old man. The old man signals that he wants another brandy. The young waiter approaches him with withered patients. At first he denies the mans request for another brandy, then serves it to him moking his suiside, elling the old,deaf,depressed,drunk man that heshould of killed himself last week. As he serves
the brandy, the young waiter continutes to pour the brandy until it spills all over the old mans glass. The old man responds to this action with a Thank you. This lets us know that this old man is harmless, respectful and is not searching for any problems. He just wants to escape his depression. After the old man is finished with the brandy, he asks for another. The young waiter who is in a hurry, denies the old man of his drink. He speaks to him with strong disrespect as if he was speaking to a forigner. He tells the old man he may not have another drink and the cafй is now closed.
The older waiter questions why the young waiter did not serve the old man. He seems to take an interest in the old man. The young waiter tells the other waiter that an old man is a nasty thing, he has nothing to live for, but the young waiter has a wife to go home to. The older waiter questions the other waiter going home early. He is implying his wife is cheating on him. He is