A Clean, Well-Lighted Place analysis
In any given story, there is always a significance, a lesson to be learned, or a message being conveyed. Discussing the language use and themes portrayed in a story, we get to understand what signal is transmitted. To understand the significance of the passage “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place,” the themes and symbols used are examined. “A Clean, Well-lighted Place” portrays the themes of nothingness, and the struggles of despair.
The short story talks about a deaf older man who is sitting at a café late at night when everyone else had left but for him and two waiters (Hemingway, 1990). The two waiters end up discussing the older man’s attempted suicide. The young waiter does not understand why a man as rich as the older man would want to end his own life. As the night continues, the older man asks for another drink angering the younger waiter who cannot wait to get home. He claims he has a wife and sees that the older man does not care about what others feel. The more former waiter understands what, the older man is experiencing. He tries to argue out with the younger waiter is attempting to convince him to follow the older adult. All the young waiter wants, is to go home and have a peaceful night’s sleep. At last, the old deaf man staggers diligently out of the café, and the young waiter asks the older waiter to close the place (Hemingway, 1990). The younger waiter goes straight home while, the older waiter goes to a Spanish bar to have some beer before finally going to his house. Sleep is hard to obtain for the more former waiter as he lays in bed, waiting for the next day.
The author of the story tries to argue that life offers no meaning and is just a trivial blemish in a large ocean of non-existence. The older waiter illustrates this idea after stating, “it was all nothing and man was nothing too.” He also recites the Lord’s prayer substituting some words with ‘nada’ which is Spanish for nothing. In doing so, religion is also mocked as being meaningless and of no purpose. “Our nada who art in nada” he recites the prayer eliminating the existence of God or heaven. However, not all people experience nothingness. For instance, the younger waiter is full of life. The younger waiter is unaware of what makes other people lament. He has a wife and a job, and that is all he requires to be happy. The younger waiter does not see any reason to feel empty when you have money. Nevertheless, for the old waiter, the old deaf man and other old people, nothingness exists to the extent of despair.
The author also tries to discuss the struggles in trying to deal with despair. The old deaf man as well as the older waiter strive to achieve a method of eliminating despair, but their struggle just makes it worse. The old deaf man is said to be a regular drinker at the café, despite the drinking, he still tries to end his life by hanging. The attempt on his life illustrates the level of despair experienced by him that he wants to eliminate it all at once. In spite of his vast amount of wealth, nothing seems to cure his loneliness which is the sole cause of his despair. The older waiter mocks religion in his prayer indicating that even religion is not a valuable cure for despair. Both the old deaf man and the older waiter prefer sitting long hours in the quietness of the café. The silent state and cleanliness of the café often provides solace to their despair.
A clean, well-lighted place is an eventful passage that offers an insight into the world of the elderly in an artistic manner. It is an emotional set that teaches people about the importance of spending time with the elderly to reduce their loneliness.