Life Without Meaning
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Submitted by simming on 06/30/2008 05:21 PM
- Category: Social Issues
- Words: 1028
- Pages: 5
- Views: 32
- Popularity Rank: 1467
Life Without Meaning
Seth Imming
10/29/02
Life Without Meaning
"Nothing" is the primary theme to Ernest Hemingway's A Clean, Well-Lighted Place. This "nothingness" signifies that life is meaningless and there is no sense of morality. It is "nothingness" that causes the old man and older waiter to separate themselves from society. They, unlike the rest of society, find no meaning in the world, in God, or in religion. The younger waiter represents a mentality that is careless towards people that are useless and uninvolved in society.
The first paragraph of the story gives us a glimpse into the head of the old man and his situation. He is sitting late at night in a clean, well-lit café because he doesn't like the crowds during the day. Even though he is deaf and is unable to communicate with the masses, he is still bothered by them and feels isolated. The old man's deafness shows that he is separated from society and that he can do very little to express himself, which provides for a very frustrating situation. Each night, he sits under the good light of the café, which serves as protection against the darkness of night, and underneath the shade of the tree against the electric light to protect him against society. He fears the "nothingness" of the dark night so he seeks a clean, well-lit place. He needs this light, but at the same time needs to be hidden from societies opposing views and hatred towards him.
On two occasions the waiters are seen to be discussing the old man's financial situation. It is suggested that he should be happy because he has money, but he isn't.
"How do you know it was nothing?"
"He has plenty of money.'"(Hemmingway 92)
The waiters said this after discussing why the old man tried to commit suicide. The old man no longer has to work for a living and is financially secure. Even though he has money, he has nothing to do but drink and stay out late. He has no job to occupy his...
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