1. History: What a sad situation, but I suppose that is life. What is life without productivity and self-control? What is life without a niche in nature? What is the alternative to dying young? To live to a ripe old, productless age? What good is life without production?

2. Reader Reaction: In ways, I believe that Hemingway was writing his fears in life in ‘A Clean, Well-Lighted Place.’ He feared a life without productivity – a life where he was a senseless invalid. There is a tinge of disgust in the youthful person at age (maybe age disgusts itself), for in it is the corruption of beauty. In order to appreciate one whose beauty is gone, one needs to engage more than the eyes and the emotions into a conversation or relationship. In any case, youth and age seek the same things: comfort, warmth.

3. Plot: In a cafe late at night, two waiters discuss the presence of an old deaf man, a faithful but drunken customer. They are undecided as to whether the presence of this man is good or bad and about his attempted suicide. They discuss openly since he can’t hear him, and the old man leaves the cafe without ever knowing that he was the centre of their discussions.

4. Character: Primary: Waiter 1 – hurried, tired, married, Spanish-speaking; Waiter 2 – tired, sad, appreciative of age, understanding, Spanish-speaking; Old Deaf Man – rich, suicidal, deaf, clean, dignified. Secondary: Neice – dutiful; soldier and woman – about to get stopped by police, careless, raging.

5. Setting: a small cafe near the street in the early morning hours. The mention of the soldier and the woman implies that it occurred during one of the world wars.

6. Point of View: Third-person Objective Editorial.

7. Objects/Events: late, tree, clean, good client, suicide, ‘another’, old man, ‘I want to go home and into bed,’ nada.

*The waiters shift attention from the old man to a young couple looking for a place to hide. All three parties are unnamed, and quite good representations of humanity. In a sense, the waiters are the mind of mankind (his disgust and acceptance of age and concern for the young). The lovers are the heart of mankind. The old man is the body (in all its instabilities, deafnesses, and flaws).

*There is a mentioned contrast between the shadiness of the trees and the light of the cafe as well as a mention of dust and cleanliness.

*Near the end, three different discourses insert and replace known words with the Spanish word nada (as well as a few other Spanish words). ‘Nada y pues nada…’ is a famous saying as it is originally said. The second discourse is an alteration of ‘Our Father.’ The third is a common Christian Medieval salute: ‘Hail _____ of ______, _______ is with thee.’ The latter two have distinctly Christian meanings and, though directed at all gods, specifically target the predominant god of America, the Christian God. 

8. Mood: The mood is despairing and matter-of-fact.

9. Ideas: Age and the dichotomy of pride and disgust it brings is discussed thoroughly. A Nihilistic and Materialistic point of view is presented in the predominance of nada. Also, the essence of life – warmth and light – are predominant themes.

10. Style: informal, factual, succinct, poignant, painful. Sentences are short and simple. Grammar many times bypassed.

11. Worldview: Materialistic Nihilism. The despair, suicide, and repeating of the word ‘nada’ show a distinct Nihilistic thought. The word ‘nada’ also shows a distinct materialism and lack of any reality beyond mass.