There was a specific part of Faulkner's "A Clean, Well-Lighted Place" that painted a profound image in my mind of the sad plight of the old deaf man. Knowing that he nearly took his life and that his life was most-likely filled with loneliness, the older waiter could somewhat empathize with the deaf man. The younger waiter did not seem to understand his loneliness or misery. He had a wife at home and a confidence that can only accompany youthful vitality. The older waiter was beyond that stage in life. He understood the value of a clean well-lighted place in which one could spend the lonely hours.
I imagine the lack of compassion that those in need in our world often experience, primarily the older generation. The younger waiter took advantage of the deaf man's inability to hear the cruel words he uttered as he said, "You should have killed yourself last week," (Hemingway 148). Did he feel guilty later on? Did he even care? Will he understand once he grows old and lonely? Perhaps...perhaps not.
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Hi, Lisa. This is an interesting story because it doesn't have much of a plot in terms of rising action, climax, and resolution. The young waiter makes a choice to be mean to the old man in an effort to get home early. The older waiter makes a choice to go out on the town himself. I see this second choice as the climactic moment because it resolves the tension between old and young and allows the emphasis to fall on the value of light and order when facing the "nada" of death. Nancy
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