What Is A Clean Well-Lighted Place By Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway’s Spanish Civil War era stories, “The Capital of the World,” “A Clean Well-Lighted Place,” and sections of For Whom the Bell Tolls results in some of his greatest writings. Hemingway depicts Spain’s most important values and qualities: dignity, decorum, and courage. He does so metaphorically and often times reveals the big ideas through the little details. In “The Capital of the World,” the second-rate matadors stay at a hotel called the Pension Luarca. “It is necessary for a bull fighter to give the appearance, if not of prosperity, at least of respectability, since decorum and dignity rank above courage as the virtues most highly prized in Spain, and bull fighters stayed at the Luarca until their last pesetas were gone” (Hemingway 37). The hotel is of great importance to the matadors as
He has tried to commit suicide, but failed. We learn that he was once married, but no longer has a wife. He has money, but that does not seem to help. “How much money has he got?’ ‘He’s got plenty (Hemingway 381).” The young waiter thinks that there is no reason to commit suicide since he has money. What the old man is dealing with right now is beyond the young waiter’s understanding. He also calls the old drunk man nasty. “An old man is a nasty thing. (381). The old waiter, on the other hand, has a better understanding of the old man. He comes to his defense by pointing out that this particular old man is clean and that he drinks without spilling. “This old man is clean. He drinks without spilling. Even, now drunk. Look at him” (381). The old waiter and the old man can definitely see eye to eye. He knows that the old man needs the café. “Each night I am reluctant to close up because there may be someone who needs the café” (382). The old waiter is wiser, more tolerant, and more sensible than the young waiter. His reaction to the old man shows his