Study Tools

Overview

American author Ernest Hemingway’s 1933 short story “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” is a brief but poignant exploration of the meaning of life and the inevitability of death. The story, set in a Spanish café late at night, centers around three characters: a younger waiter, an older waiter, and an elderly deaf man. Through their interactions, Hemingway examines the human need for a sense of purpose, and the despair that can result from its absence. The story was published in Scribner’s Magazine and also included, later in the same year, in Hemingway’s collection Winner Take Nothing. 

Explore a plot summary, an in-depth analysis of the Older Waiter and the Younger Waiter, and important quotes.

Upgrade to PLUS and get instant access to all the study tools

Upgrade to PLUS and get instant access to all the study tools

Purchase

Go to BN.com to get your copy of these helpful resources.