Hope or Hopelessness Through Age and Light

Hope or Hopelessness through Age and Light

Ernest Hemingway’s “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” (1933) is a short story about an old man who is drinking alone late in cafÐ"©. The old man recently attempted suicide, but was saved by his niece. He is served by a young waiter. The young waiter wants the old man to leave the cafÐ"© so he can get home to his wife. The young waiter and an older waiter have a discussion about the old man and the young waiter’s desire to leave. After the young waiter leaves, the old waiter converses with himself and goes to a bar. He finally returns to home where he can’t fall asleep until daylight comes. In this story, Hemingway explores the feelings of loneliness and despair through the setting of the story, the contrast of the characters, and the characters’ dialogue.

Hemingway uses dialogue about the old man to explore the reasons for his despair and attempted suicide. The opening dialogue says he committed suicide because he was in despair. The waiters say it was over nothing because he has plenty of money: “вЂ?He was in despair.’ вЂ?What about?’ вЂ?Nothing.’ вЂ?How do you know it was nothing?’ вЂ?He has plenty of moneyвЂ™Ð²Ð‚Ñœ (96). In this quote “nothing” refers to loneliness. Hemingway implies that the old man attempted suicide because he had nothing left to live for. Hemingway seems to say that even if you have money, loneliness is enough to kill yourself over; that your if you are lonely your life may lack purpose. Hemingway supports this in the next discussion between the waiters. The dialogue restates that the old man has plenty of money and is very old. It continues with the young waiter saying, “вЂ?He’s lonely. I’m not lonely. I have a wife waiting in bed for me.’ вЂ?He had a wife once too.’ вЂ?A wife would be no good to him now.’ вЂ?You can’t tell. He might be better with a wifeвЂ™Ð²Ð‚Ñœ (97). Hemingway uses the old waiter to say that with a wife the old man may not wish to kill himself because he might not be so lonely. Hemingway is showing that no matter what else you have, if you are lonely you are likely to be miserable. With companionship, however, life is bearable and worth living.

Hemingway uses light places to represent a safe haven from loneliness, while darkness and shadows represent loneliness. The story begins with the old man sitting in a cafÐ"© “…in the shadow the leaves of the tree made against the electric light” (96). The old man seeks out the light like salvation and respite from his despair, but he is still followed by his despair represented by the shadow cast upon him. This contrast also represents the turmoil of the old man struggling in his despair to find a place to escape his loneliness. Hemingway also uses lighting in the old waiter’s dialogue with the young waiter to support the well lighted cafÐ"© as a safe haven. The old waiter says, “Each night I am reluctant to close up because there may be someone who needs the cafÐ"©Ð²Ð‚Ñœ (98), and refers to the cafÐ"© as, “…a clean and pleasant cafÐ"©. It is well lighted” (98). Hemingway returns to this example when the old waiter visits a bar after he leaves the cafÐ"©: “The light is very bright and pleasant but the bar is unpolished” (99). The light is a good safe haven, but cleanliness is also necessary to complete the feeling of respite.

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