Ernest Hemingway "Clean, Well- Lighted Place"

"With all those who do not want to go to bed. With all those who need a light for the night."

Since darkness is accompanied with death and bad thoughts, it is not too far stretched to say that the young waiter seems to not comprehend the idea of a well lighted and clean place as an escape for the old from the loneliness they feel. The young waiter mentions money and does not understand why the old man tried to kill himself since he isn’t poor. He says a wife and therefore says that he is not lonely and should not need to cater to an old, lonely man’s needs by staying late and working at the bar serving more drinks to the old man. His lack of adaptation of the old man’s unfortunate nature hinders the development of his character and sets him apart from the reader’s feelings and his own.
The idea of a well lighted place at night that someone can go to and spend time at has to deal with the feeling of security. Light prevents terrible thoughts by keeping companion to the lonely. It casts shadows on leaves, as mentioned in the story, which one could view as people in the middle of the night; motionless and quiet. A bodega, or a bar, will only increase the loneliness one feels due to its dreary, dark, and gloomy feel, which is at its worst at night. The music which most bars play at night brings in thoughts of seclusion and creates a very melancholy feeling which may tempt someone to commit suicide if things are not going well for them. In contrast, spending time at a café, with no music and no negative mental distractions, such as the fear of darkness, illuminates a lonely mind.
It is not uncommon for people to feel protected in a well lighted area. Not going to bed at night, which we find out is the case with the older waiter, allows the lonely person to never fear the darkness of the night any more. By spending time a local café during the night and sleeping during the day, there is light forever savored within the individual’s mind, keeping them content and free of negative thoughts.