Search results
A summary and analysis of Hemingway's short story about an old drunk man in a café and the two waiters who observe him. Explore the themes of life, death, and meaninglessness through quotes and characters.
- Quotes
Instant downloads of all 1925 LitChart PDFs (including A...
- Theme Wheel Theme Viz
The A Clean, Well-Lighted Place Theme Wheel is a beautiful...
- Characters
Instant downloads of all 1929 LitChart PDFs (including A...
- Youth and Age
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in A Clean,...
- The Café
The A Clean, Well-Lighted Place quotes below all refer to...
- Despair
Both the old drunk and the old waiter seek out a quiet place...
- Quotes
A Clean, Well-Lighted Place (1933) / Ernest Hemingway. It was very late and everyone had left the café except an old man who sat in the shadow the leaves of the tree made against the electric light. In the day time the street was dusty, but at night the dew settled the dust and the old man liked to sit late because he was deaf and now at night ...
Plot synopsis. Late at night, a deaf old man is the sole patron in a cafe. Nearby, two waiters, one young, the other older, talk about him. When the old man orders another brandy, the young waiter purposely overfills his glass. The waiters speculate about the old man's recent suicide attempt.
A short story about an old man who visits a café at night and the two waiters who discuss his motives. The story explores themes of nihilism, despair, and the value of order and light in a dark world.
Learn about Hemingway's 1933 short story that explores the meaning of life and the inevitability of death. Find story summary, character analysis, and important quotes from \"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place\".
A comprehensive study guide for Hemingway's short story about despair and meaninglessness in modern life. Find plot summary, analysis, themes, quotes, characters, symbols, and more.
A Clean, Well-Lighted Place, much-anthologized short story by Ernest Hemingway, first published in Scribner’s Magazine in March 1933 and later that year in the collection Winner Take Nothing. Late one night two waiters in a café wait for their last customer, an old man who has recently attempted.
