Blog Post 4: A Clean Well-Lighted Place

Ernest Hemingway is, in my opinion, one of the greatest writers of all time. He uses the most simple of motions as a way of planting meaning in the minds of the reader’s imagination. What we, the readers, see can change with time. Hemingway’s simple style of writing allows the reader’s thoughts to seep into the story and create different meanings.

In this story in particular, Hemingway conveys how different generations will act around and to each other when in their premises. In this case, the younger generation is represented by the younger waiter. This waiter is seen as naive and very judgmental to the man, who they perceive to be suicidal. This is the complete opposite of the older waiter in this story. The older waiter sees this helpless man and pities him. He sees the older gentleman and sees that he is still just that, a gentleman. While the younger generation sees him as washed up and without purpose, the older generation sees him as a man and treats him with that respect.

In one instance, the older waiter states, “He must be eighty years old.” He states this with surprise. I can almost picture him staring in awe at the older man. Then the younger waiter (who I’m afraid is a total prick to this very kind spirit of an old man) states in disgust, “anyway I should stay he was eighty.” This is his way of showing his disgust to the old man. While the older waiter sees age as a sign of wisdom, his younger counterpart sees age as nothing more than notches along the wall. A pointless quantity that only suffices to the amount candles you will have to get for your cake.