It's More Than What's on the SurfaceAfter reading “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” by Ernest Hemingway for the first time, on the surface it appears to be simple , aloof, cold and there isn't much action in the story. But, once you read the story and start to love it, you realize that it has a heart and a soul and a very touching and affective meaning. Ernest Hemingway's articulation in expressing the story takes his audience into a world of darkness and loneliness but, in reality, he is conveying what real life, human nature, and the need for human interaction is actually like. A premise of the story surrounds an old man and an older waiter who works in the very clean and spotless bar. These men view the well-lit bar as a safe haven or sanctuary of sorts, to escape their fears and other insecurities. “You don't understand. This is a clean and pleasant cafe. It is well lit. The light is very good and now there are even the shadows of the leaves” (Hemingway). These two men have many things in common: emptiness, complete isolation, desperation and the fear of being nothingness "nada". As they go to this safe place every day, this cafe offers them only a brief moment of happiness. “The concepts of safe harbor and safe base form an elegant partnership; secure attachment and not only provides a feeling of emotional connection, but also promotes individual autonomy by encouraging exploration of the wider world” (Coping with Depression 65). It's a mask to cover up what's really going on in their lives, even if only for a fleeting moment. This place of comfort only gives them momentary happiness and cannot overcome the desperation and sadness they have in... middle of paper... ng. The old man is full of life when he is in the bar and believes it because of the well-kept condition and the lights of the bar that so often attract him to this place to work. The story conveys the atmosphere of the bar to the audience, as mentioned several times in the story "the old man who sat in the shade of the leaves of the tree". (Hemingway). Once again, this is a demonstration of the loneliness the old man suffers from and his desire to be at the bar to have human interaction. Hemingway gives readers very little to no “nada” to understand what the characters really feel and an approach to go with. into their world and experience the raw emotions and feelings they feel. Whether you love or hate the story, it leaves you with a sense of sorrow for the old man and the older waiter and by the end you can feel their complete loneliness.