On the story that
captures the varieties and vicissitudes of identity, community, and life as
well as any I know.
I’ve made the
case for reading
Ernest Hemingway before in this space, and won’t repeat all of those points
here. Instead, I’ll put it more simply: if one of literature and art’s most
enduring goals is to portray (and thus help us better understand) humanity in
all its forms, I think Hemingway was, at his best, as good at producing complex
and compelling such portrayals as any American author. Of course he had his
weaknesses and flaws; but at his best, again, he economically and yet so
potently peered into the depths of our identities and perspectives,
relationships and communities, worlds and souls. At or near the top of that
list, in his career and in American fiction and literature period, I would
locate his short story “A Clean,
Well-Lighted Place” (1933). Again, check it out, and come back and share
your thoughts if you would!
Welcome back! “Clean”
of course includes many of Hemingway’s trademark elements: that sparse,
dialogue-driven style; the use of two of his favorite settings (a European city
and a culinary establishment); a tonal and thematic mixture of cynicism and
hope, the former more dominant but the latter finding its way through, somehow,
nonetheless. But what I find most impressive about “Clean” is how, through its
three characters and their distinct but also overlapping perspectives and
situations, Hemingway manages to include so many different kinds of life
experiences and stages, as well as a sense of how they interconnect with each
other, with those of other people around us, with the places we inhabit and
visit, with the darkest and brightest parts of our shared worlds. I can’t
imagine anyone for whom some part of the story won’t hit home and hit hard, and
that’s a pretty good indication of a successful short short story if you ask
me.
So now I’m asking
you: what do you think? This paragraph for rent!
Next short short
tomorrow,
Ben
PS. Thoughts on
this story, or others you’d share?
Dear Ben and fellow bloggers,
ReplyDeleteThanks for giving me the opportunity to read a little of Ernest Hemingway's work, namely: A Clean, Well-Lighted Place.
Even though music was not really part of this story, for me: My 'clean, well-lighted place' would have to be Chaibo Cafe; here on Boulder Drive in Fitchburg, where I participate in their musical open mic nights every friday. I go to perform, but mostly to be around people and listen. I don't have a car, so it's nice I can just walk there from home and hang out.
My fondest memory at the cafe? When a couple came in to have their nine-year-old daughter play guitar and sing for everyone... she was so cute! And - for her age - she was very good!
I guess at heart we're all social animals. Have a good weekend, all.
Roland A. Gibson, Jr.
I think we all need that kind of place, Roland. Glad you've found one!
ReplyDelete