As the two waiters talk, we the reader learn that the old man has tried to hang himself and end his life. We can see that the old man is ready to move on and tired of being alone in this world, with this attempted suicide. According to Ken Ryan, in his review of Joseph Gabriel, he pointed out what the attempted suicide meant, “Y.W. “What about, O.W. Nothing

(chaos, meaninglessness)” (29). We also know that the old man is not hurting for money and has a dignity about him from the way the older waiter observes him, “The waiter watched him go down the street, a very old man walking unsteadily but with dignity” (160). The Hemingway review points out the old man’s dignity, “He slowly counted the saucers, took a leather coin purse from his pocket and paid for the drinks, leaving half

a peseta tip” the exchange is proper, exact, accurate, even given the old man’s inebriated condition.” (9) Even with his money and pride the old man is not satisfied, he is still searching for more, someone to share his drinks with and enjoy companionship.

“A Man of the World and A Clean Well Lighted Place: Hemingway’s unified view of old age.” Hemingway Review, Spring 94, Vol. 13 Issue 2, p62. 20 Mar. 2002 http://www.ebscoehost.com/

“The Contentious Emendation of Hemingway’s a clean well lighted place.” Hemingway Review, Fall98, Vol. 18 Issue 1, p78, 14p. 20 Mar. 2002 http://www.ebscoehost.com/

Without companionship and a stable place in our lives, our life can tend to fall apart. In providing the café as a place for the old man to drink the waiter has gave a place of stability for the old man to continue his life until he passes away. The café in essence is a place that the old man can relate to, somewhere where he feels clean, comfortable, relaxed, and away from the darkness that haunts other drinking establishments. Even though the old man is drinking to get drunk, he still portrays that he likes the order and clean environment offered by the café as opposed to the dark mess that haunts the shadows.

As the two waiters talk the young waiter makes mention that he does not want to become like the old man, that he thinks it is a nasty thing, “I wouldn’t want to be that old, an old man is a nasty thing” (160). The

Some topics in this essay:
Joseph Gabriel, Magill Book, According Hemingway, Lighted Place”, Fall98 Vol, Review Spring, , Press/Magill Books, Emendation Hemingway’s, Lighted Hemingway’s, hemingway review, 2002 http//wwwebscoehostcom/, 20 mar, waiter tends, clean lighted, mar 2002 http//wwwebscoehostcom/, mar 2002, 20 mar 2002, clean lighted place”, attempted suicide, book review, suggest waiter, lighted place”, magill book review,