A clean, well-lighted place by Ernest Hemingway

A clean, well-lighted place by Ernest Hemingway

A clean, well-lighted place by Ernest Hemingway is a short story that takes place in a café. The café is empty apart from an older man who drinks daily. A young waiter and an old waiter are forced to wait on that one man. The young waiter is impatient and wants the older man to go home. On the other hand, the old waiter is patient and understands why the old man needs to stay longer.

The story begins by setting the scene. It is at night, and the outside as dark. The darkness can be seen as the state of mind for the old man. He was a lonely man who likes his own company. “The old man liked to sit late because he was deaf, and now at night, it was quiet, and he felt the difference.” (Hemingway, 288). It was aid that he had tried to commit suicide days before. Darkness has been used by many writers to denote sadness. While the night was dark, the cafe was well light. It was the comforting solace for the old man too. The reason he loved to stay there was the comfort he experienced when there. Hemingway wanted to show the old man’s despair using the darkness, but he also used the light to show hope for the old man. The young waiter and the old waiter are contrasting people. While the young waiter could not wait to get home and be with his wife, the old waiter was content with being out late. The young waiter represents the impatience and the immaturity of the young people. He did not understand the old man and why the café needed to be open. On the other hand, the old waiter represented the wisdom that comes with old age.

A clean, well-lighted place is a classic read that depicts hope and despair. It shows the two sides of life.