Conflicts in Hemingway's "A Clean Well-Lighted Place" (Essay Sample)

Conflicts in Hemingway’s "A Clean Well-Lighted Place" Student’s name Professor’s name Course Date Conflicts in Hemingway’s "A Clean Well-Lighted Place" A clean, well-lighted place is the short story that was written by Ernest Hemmingway. Its first publication was in 1926, and it was included later in his collection of 1933, Winner Take Nothing. Hemmingway requires us to understand his thoughts through the character's dialog. This style of writing is unique but may bore us when we read it the first time, but if when a broad analysis is taken, it will become attractive. There are two types’ conflicts in this story. Firstly, the young waiter versus the old man and here the conflict comes when the old man asks the servants for another drink, where the young waiter refuses and tells the old man to go home. Secondly, is the conflict between the young waiter and the old waiter; the conflict comes when the old servant agrees with the old man drinking until morning at the cafe, but the young waiter refuses it. The nature of the conflict in "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place" is fundamentally existential. With little authorial intervention, Hemingway has left to the reader to ascertain what struggles exist between the older waiter and the old man. The conflict's tension dwells in the two waiter's dialog, "two different kinds." The young waiter lets the old man’s drink glass pour over until it "slopped over and ran down the stem". He also accuses the old servant of "talking nonsense." Just like the old man who as narrated had attempted suicide, because he had nothing left in his life, the old waiter also looks for "a clean, well-lighted place", a place and light, the opposite of the "nada," which the nothingness of life. It is imperative to note that there emerges conflict between the old and the younger waiters, especially when the younger waiter denotes that "we are of two different kinds". This exposes the younger waiter being a selfish individual who lacks the humility and humane because of ‘his hurry.' On the other hand, it is imperative to note that the older waiter is characterized as selfless as he accommodates customers with various needs desirably, such as the old man who comes for a meal at the cafe. In another instance, there emerges the old man tiredly holds his breath as he searches for the light in the café. This takes place when the old waiter is looking forward to the daylight before he goes to sleep. We can also see that it is not eminent for the younger waiter has to stay since he is seemingly in need of nothing: a job, “a waiting wife and he say that an hour means a lot to him than it actually does to the old man wandering. This is seemingly logical because the old man had recently tried to take away his life but didn't succeed”. The younger waiter doesn't know some time at that cafe means to the waiters. Although the old waiter knows how much it means. At some instance, the younger waiter informed the old man how important it could be if she would have committed suicide. He approaches such remarks because he is certain of the old man`s deafness. This depicts that this was just an empty statement and does not make any sense. However, the younger waiter perceives that an hour is of much significance compared to the old man`s life who is deaf and useless to him. The conflict that is depicted in this scene is the selflessness and selfishness of the characters as explained earlier towards accommodating the old man into the café. However, the earnest conflict is right between the light and the darkness. The young waiter is filled with self-assurance because of perception that he has all that he requires with the environment. A close view of on older waiter results to the younger waiters joke that, if he went home early, he would maybe go with another man or he would find his wife gone. It is imperative to note that such perception have no strong grounds. Thus being in such a hurry, it is a clear indication that the younger waiter is scared and not satisfied of what he actually owns at the moment. He is also scared of what he actually does not have or possessions that he might lose. Therefore, he might finally land into the shoes of the old man and beg for assistance, which might not be offered. Thus this heightens the conflict within the story. The old man is desperately, “facing the 'nada' of his existence, the reason why he is in the dark and he needs the clean, well-lighted place as it guarantees him a sense of peace, order and silence”. From such a situation, it is imperative to note that the old waiter recognizes it and sympathizes with him. Therefore, it is imperative to note that the virtue of solidarity does not exist in the young waiters character an aspect that results to his loneliness and darkness than he thinks. Moreover, this endures because of his hurry. Finally, the younger waiter decides that he has to go back and see his wife while the older man falls back to his insomnia. Together with the older waiter, the old man gets a clear picture from the solidarity and peace that is described by the extra hour compared to the reception the waiters obtain. This is because they both have a meaning of existence supersedes their sales. C...