"Hemingway writes as if he had never read anybody's writing, as if he had fashioned the art of writing himself." -- The Atlantic
"Ernest Hemingway is a new, honest, un-literary transcriber of life - a Writer." -- Time

'A Clean, Well-Lighted Place' is a short story by Ernest Hemingway, first published in 1933. It is a powerful, minimalist exploration of loneliness, existential despair, and the need for refuge in an indifferent world.
The story takes place in a quiet Spanish café late at night, where two waiters -- one young and one old -- observe an elderly man drinking alone. The younger waiter is impatient for the man to leave, eager to return home, while the older waiter sympathizes with him. Through their dialogue, Hemingway contrasts youth's impatience with the wisdom and sorrow of age. The older waiter understands the man's need for a clean, well-lighted place as a temporary escape from the darkness of life's emptiness.
Hemingway's writing style is simple yet deeply profound, reflecting his signature iceberg theory -- where much is left unsaid, allowing the reader to infer deeper meanings. The story's meditation on existentialism is encapsulated in the waiter's internal monologue, where he mutters about 'nada' (nothingness), emphasizing the bleak reality of human existence.
'A Clean, Well-Lighted Place' remains one of Hemingway's most acclaimed short stories, offering a poignant reflection on isolation, the passage of time, and the silent struggles that many face in the darkness of life.

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• Literature & FictionLiterary FictionPsychological
• Literature & FictionLiterary FictionShort Stories
• Literature & FictionShort StoriesSingle Authors

• Publication Date: June 20, 2025
• Text-to-Speech: Disabled
• Lending: Disabled
• Print Length: 9 Pages
• File Size: 23 KB