Nothingness in A Clean Well-Lighted Place by Ernest...

Nothingness in A Clean Well-Lighted Place by Ernest Hemingway Man is often plagued by the question of his own existence. Existentialism is a subjective philosophy that is centered upon the examination of man’s existence, emphasizing the liberation, responsibility, and usually the solitude of the individual. It focuses on individuals finding a reason for living within themselves. The philosophy forces man to make choices for himself, on the premise that nothing is preordained, there is no fate. Men must find a truth in themselves, a truth that they must be able to live for. Existentialism is in harsh contrast to a belief in a higher power or a god. quot;A Clean, Well-Lighted Placequot; is a story by Ernest Hemingway about men in†¦show more content†¦At first he believed it would give him something to believe in. He believed it would give him a purpose in life, living to die for his country. It would give him a feeling of patriotism, of honor, of courage. But something is missing. The soldier has not found his existential truth fo r himself. The army isn’t it. The soldier is left tormented with the hollow feeling of nothingness, a hollowness that he attempts to temporarily fill with immediate sexual gratification. The younger waiter recognizes the soldier’s need: quot;What does it matter if he gets what he’s after?quot; (199). But the experience will only leave the soldier feeling more empty. The young waiter is aware of the nothingness of an existential life but does not quite know how to deal with it. The waiter desperately uses his relationship with his wife as his truth, or reason for living: quot;I have a wife waiting in bed for mequot; (200). He acts as if he is certain of his role in life when he says, quot;I have confidence. I am all confidencequot; (201). But in reality he does not. The young waiter is in a hurry to leave the cafeacute; and the company of the old man: quot; ‘I want to go home to bed.’ ‘ What is an hour?’ ‘More to me than to him’ quot;(201). He quot;wouldn’t want to be that old. An old man is a nasty thingquot; (200). The young waiter’s confidence in his own existence is not strong around the old man because he sees nothingness in the old man. He seesShow MoreRelatedA Clean Well Lighted Place Summary1203 Words   |  5 PagesPart I: The Lost Generation â€Å"The Lost Generation† Article Questions The authors included in the Lost Generation are, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, John Dos Passos, Sherwood Anderson, Kay Boyle, Hart Crane, Ford Maddox, and Zelda Fitzgerald. The common elements and themes that these authors pursued in their personal lives as well as their writing were brutal war experiences, their youthful and impractical actions such as love affairs and drinking, feeling lost and hopeless in societyRead MoreA Clean Well-Lighted Place 11111 Words   |  5 PagesA Clean Well-Lighted Place In the short story â€Å"A Clean Well-lighted Place† by Ernest Hemingway the setting is very important. The story takes place in a Spanish speaking country in a cafà ©, but more so than the actual place the time is what makes the setting so crucial to the story. The story takes place at night Hemingway uses this in contrast to the well-lighted cafe with its artificial light. 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The younger waiter in the cafà © is very agitated and wantsRead MoreA Clean, Well-Lighted Place Essay938 Words   |  4 PagesIn â€Å"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place,† written by Ernest Hemingway conflict is clearly evident. Conflict in â€Å"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place† is determined by other elements of fiction, more importantly, characters, setting, and theme. Conflict is seen in this short story in many aspects, such as man versus man and man versus self. The characters in Hemingway’s short story add to the conflict throughout and conflict appears both between the characters and within the characters themselves. Hemingway clearlyRead MoreA Clean, Well Lighted Place By Ernest Hemingway1640 Words   |  7 Pages â€Å"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place† is possibly one of Hemingway’s most excellent short stories. It depicts the techniques of his signature writing style. The narrative is a perfect example of an initiation story, a short story that focuses on the key character that comes across a concept, encounter, practice or knowledge he never knew. The characters in his story are the old man, young waiter, and the old waiter. Hemingway employs a number of literary tools in the story to convey his themes of lifeRead MoreA Clean Well Lighted Place Analysis986 Words   |  4 Pagesfurther understand the story from what little information they do receive. In a short story, written by Ernest Hemingway, A Clean, Well-Light ed Place, tells the life of an elder man who spends his nights in the light. The unusual setting, the use of diction and the dialogue, creates that short story desire from the reader. It is the elder man’s quiet presence in the story, that allowed Hemingway to set the frank tone that would further develop the character and the story. Sitting in a cafà ©, approachingRead MoreThe Importance of Themes in A Clean, Well-Lighted Place by Ernest Hemingway803 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"A Clean Well-Lighted Place†, a short story written by Ernest Hemingway first appeared in a collection of short stories titled, Winner Take Nothing. Soon after the collection of stories had been published in 1933, â€Å"A Clean Well-Lighted Place quickly became one of Hemingways most eulogized short stories. Through his excellent use of character development, Hemingway provides the reader with a lively portrayal of theme, plot, and symbolism throughout the entire piece. We are taken through a journeyRead MoreTheme: a Clean, Well-Lighted Place Essay810 Words   |  4 PagesTheme: A Clean, Well-Lighted Place Sadness, frustration, or discontent, however it’s put, there is an obvious difference with the characters in, â€Å"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place† by Ernest Hemingway, and their ideas of mortality and old age. The short story shows the concept of â€Å"nothingness,† displayed through a very depressing view on life. This suggesting that all people, even those who are happy and content, will eventually end up lonely, drunk, or unhappy. By allowing a reader to view this from