Dark Against Light in "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place"

A detailed Summary of Dark Against Light in "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place"

The main character in "A Clean, Well- Lighted Place,"

written by Ernest Hemingway, is the old man. The old man, who

remains nameless throughout the short story, comes to the cafe

for the light it provides him against the dark night. He stays

late into the night, and sits "In the shadow the leaves of the

tree made against the electric light." The old man is deaf and

finds comfort in the "difference" he feels inside the quiet cafe.

The old man struggles with old age and the feeling of nothingness

which is representative of the darkness outside of the cafe.

The well-lit cafe represents order and cleanliness. Outside

in the dark, a young soldier and a girl hurry along the streets.

Apparently, the couple intend to go off alone. They symbolize

the excitement that can go on in the night between two people.

The old man is around eighty years old, and does not have a wife.

He doesn't experience this type of relationship in the dark.

Rather, he finds company in the clean, well-lighted cafe.

Although the only other two people in the cafe at the late hour

are the two waiters, the old man finds it content.

The two waiters comment that although he is "A good

money he is alone in the world. He realizes that it is important

for the brightness of the electric light, but he can not

loneliness. The dark holds nothingness, while the light is

shadow stands for a shelter from the complete light or darkness.

because he does not want to sit in the cafe all night as he

cafe to get home. It is not important to the young waiter that

was all it needed and a certain cleanness and order." He is

to keep a clean, well-lit cafe open for people like the old man

shadows created by the leaves. Almost as if he is an outsider or

lonely like the old man. The young waiter resents the old man

pleasantness, and cleanliness of a late night cafe is the only

the older waiter life held nothing, nada. The light, the

the old man has a clean place to stay. Unlike the old man, the

Some common words found in the essay are:
Ernest Hemingway, Clean Well-Lighted, light cleanness, Well- Lighted, waiter waiter, late night, , waiter blames insomnia, youthful waiter, dark soldier girl, cafe people, blames insomnia, short story, story waiter, waiter blames, cafe late,

Approximate Word count = 1053
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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﻿Dark Against Light in "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place"

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Dark Against Light in "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place"