Have you ever known someone who has had a drinking problem? In the story A Clean Well Lighted Place, there is an old man who did have a drinking problem. Most nights he would go to the bar and just drink. Not only did he have a drinking problem but he also was deaf.
The young waiter was very disrespectful. He thinks that once you have money and you’re a rich man then you are happy and satisfied. One customer he had he was very familiar with drank a lot and was deaf. The young waiter never treated him right. Knowing the old man tried to commit suicide he told him while pouring him another glass of brandy that he wishes he had killed himself when he was going to earlier. He kept complaining on how he wanted to go home to his wife and because of the old man he never got home earlier than 3 o’clock. Knowing that the old man had a wife and probably she died during their marriage he still didn’t care and was being selfish.
The old man had gone suicidal. Nobody knew why he was trying to kill himself because he had a lot of money. His niece saved him before he died from trying to hang himself. The old man went to the bar place all the time and ALWAYS drank at least enough brandies to be able to stack the cups into two rows. The people at the bar knew that if he was drunk enough he would leave and not pay for the nights drinks. He also was deaf and the waiters would try to communicate and say no more or we are closing but he never cared, he just kept on drinking.
The old waiter was nice and calm. He was able to relate to the old man because neither of them had a wife. The old waiter stayed after with the man once the young waiter would complain repeatedly about how he wants to go home to his wife. The old waiter would never do or say much.
Hemingway created these three characters to show that money doesn't always buy happiness. Just because you have money doesn't mean that everything is okay for you. The old man had money, but he's not happy at all; he's suicidal and an alcoholic.
Hemingway created these three characters to show that money doesn't always buy happiness. Just because you have money doesn't mean that everything is okay for you. The old man had money, but he's not happy at all; he's suicidal and an alcoholic.