Ernest Hemingway's short story, A Clean, Well-Lighted Place, sparked literary controversy when it was first published in 1933. During this period, there were several critics literary figures interested in dialogue inconsistencies. In the original story the reader would not be able to distinguish the two waiters. According to literary critics, Hemingway's failure to identify characters by name leaves the story flawed. Hemingway does not enter the mind of any character but chooses to describe events from a distance. Thomson (1983) postulates that there are three problems with the text of A Clean Well-Lighted Place:”1. The content of the story is difficult to understand and requires revision.2. The flow of conversation in the story is not the traditional way of presenting literary discussion.3. The content of the story is correct but difficult to decipher. It is important to note that the three questions are crucial, but this does not erase the concept of history. Even if a main idea isn't stated, the tone sets the pace of the story. The introduction gives the reader their first taste of loneliness. For example, Hemingway first introduces the deaf man but does not describe him. All the reader knows is that he is deaf, drinks a little too much, and has a leather bag. Empathy is an immediate emotion at the beginning of the story. The reader is saddened by the fact that the old man sits in the shadows and gets drunk. The old man is alone and has no one to go home to, so he stays at the bar and drinks. Loneliness can be darkness, dampness, depression and despair. Hemingway offers several ideas of loneliness throughout this story. The cafe represents the bright... the middle of the paper... upon exiting the cafe, both men are thrown back into reality and in the throes of loneliness. The final criticism evolves into the recitation of the Our Father which reveals his feelings towards the non-existent God. The reader must assume that this is a suggestion of depression and loneliness. The old man is alone and staggers drunkenly home to nothingness and loneliness. The old waiter enters another bar to avoid returning home to loneliness and insomnia. Ultimately, both men are denied the comfort of a clean, well-lit café. ReferencesHemingway, E. (2013). A clean and well-lit place. In X. J. Kennedy and D. Goia (eds.). The collected literature: an electronic text (Vita Source digital version) (p.48). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.Thomson, G. (1983). A clean and well-lit place. Interpretation of the original text. Hemingway review, 2 (2), 32-43.