Main TopicsWhat does the older waiter realize about the old man that the younger waiter does not see?
Table of Contents
- What does the older waiter realize about the old man that the younger waiter does not see?
- What does the café represent for the two of them?
- What does the old waiter have in common with the old man?
- What prayer does the older waiter say substituting the word nada for many of the words?
- What does light and dark symbolize In A Clean, Well-Lighted Place?
- Why does the old man stay at the cafe?
- Why was the older waiter reluctant to close the cafe?
- Why does the older waiter understand so well the old man's despair?
- Who is the young waiter in a clean, well lighted?
What does the older waiter realize about the old man that the younger waiter does not see?
The older waiter recognizes himself in the old man and sees his own future. ... The older waiter is aware that he is not young or confident, and he knows that he may one day be just like the old man—unwanted, alone, and in despair.
What does the café represent for the two of them?
The Café The café represents the opposite of nothingness: its cleanliness and good lighting suggest order and clarity, whereas nothingness is chaotic, confusing, and dark.
What does the old waiter have in common with the old man?
-nothingness could mean out of order, not as clean, or poor lighting. What was the old man struggling with? What do the old man and the old waiter have in common? They both like staying late in cafes and both share loneliness and isolation.
What prayer does the older waiter say substituting the word nada for many of the words?
Rather than pray with the actual words, “Our Father who art in heaven,” the older waiter says, “Our nada who art in nada”—effectively wiping out both God and the idea of heaven in one breath.
What does light and dark symbolize In A Clean, Well-Lighted Place?
In "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place," darkness symbolizes despair while light symbolizes safety, refuge, and compassion, especially when accompanied by cleanliness and order.
Why does the old man stay at the cafe?
Like the old man, the older waiter likes to stay late at cafés, and he understands on a deep level why they are both reluctant to go home at night. He tries to explain it to the younger waiter by saying, “He stays up because he likes it,” but the younger waiter dismisses this and says that the old man is lonely.
Why was the older waiter reluctant to close the cafe?
The older waiter is aware that he is not young or confident, and he knows that he may one day be just like the old man—unwanted, alone, and in despair. Ultimately, the older waiter is reluctant to close the café as much for the old man’s sake as for his own because someday he’ll need someone to keep a café open late for him.
Why does the older waiter understand so well the old man's despair?
The older waiter understands the old man's need for the clean, well-lighted cafe because he (1) understands the old man's despair. The old man no longer has order and meaning in his life because his wife has already died, and we are to suppose that it was union with her that gave life order and meaning for the old man.
Who is the young waiter in a clean, well lighted?
Beyond that, the young waiter—whom Hemingway describes as “the waiter who was in a hurry”—seems indifferent to the man’s despair, caring only for his own desire to go home early. In general, the young waiter comes off as being preoccupied and petty, unable to empathize with the old man or slow down and enjoy his own night.
