"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place"

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how, Ernest Hemingway, in his story "A Clean, Well- Lighted Place", writes about the pain of old age suffered by a lonely man whom we meet in a cafe late at night. In addition, the paper looks at how Hemingway uses different expressions of light and darkness to show the difference between old and young men as well as how Hemingway writes about the old man's feeling of nothingness and loneliness and his desperate feeling of restlessness to the point where he can find no peace.

From the Paper:

"The author continues to tell us that the old man wanted to commit suicide because of his depression. The old man's life was once full. He was married, made a decent living, and led a dignified life. Now he is all alone with no one to look after him but a niece. The old man would stay up all night and go to sleep during the day. He could not find any piece at night, because all he can think about are dark and sad thoughts. Hemingway also uses the symbols of dark and light to show the difference between old and young. The young waiter in the story feels everyone is there to annoy him. He resents the old man and he is disgusted by him."

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