Who is the old drunk?
The old drunk is a dignified, elderly deaf man who spends his late nights in the quiet, pleasant café at which the two waiters work. He likes to sit underneath the shadow of the tree… read analysis of Old Drunk
Who is the young waiter in the story?
The young waiter, the antagonist of the story, is a server in the café with the old waiter. He is brash and callous toward the old drunk (a patron at the café) because he… read analysis of Young Waiter
What does the old man like to drink?
A deaf man who likes to drink at the café late into the night. The old man likes the shadows of the leaves on the well-lit café terrace. Rumor has it that he tried to hang himself, he was once married, he has a lot of money, and his niece takes care of him. He often gets drunk at the café and leaves without paying.
Why is the younger waiter irritated with the old man?
The younger waiter is usually irritated with the old man because he must stay late and serve him drinks. He does not seem to care why the old man stays so long. His only concern is leaving as quickly as possible. Read an in-depth analysis of The Younger Waiter. Next section The Older Waiter. Test your knowledge.
What is the older waiter?
The Older Waiter. A compassionate man who understands why the old man may want to stay late at the café. The older waiter enjoys staying late at cafés as well. He thinks it’s very important for a café to be clean and well lit, and he sees the café as a refuge from despair. Rather than admit that he is lonely, he tells himself that he has insomnia.
Why did the old man like to sit late?
the old man liked to sit late because he was deaf and now at night it was quiet and he felt the difference...
What does the soldier represent in the cafe?
He represents all the young people, busy with their own lives and desires, who have no need of the cafe. The younger waiter is a man of approximately the same type, but he is employed to work at the cafe, though it has no emotional significance for him. For the older waiter, however, as well as for the old man drinking brandy, the cafe has a spiritual role, as an oasis of light and order in a dark, threatening world. This is why the older waiter is always reluctant to close for the night. Old, lonely people need a clean, well-lighted place, for they are lost in the young virile "world of telegrams and anger" (as E.M. Forster put it) which the soldier symbolizes.
What does Hemingway say about despair?
Hemingway implies that we are all potentially this everyman, facing despair, and we therefore should treat each other with sensitivity and compassion.
What does the older waiter see in the old man?
The older waiter recognizes himself in the old man and sees his own future. He stands up for the old man against the younger waiter’s criticisms, pointing out that the old man might benefit from a wife and is clean and neat when he drinks. The older waiter has no real reason to take the old man’s side. In fact, the old man sometimes leaves the café ...
What does the old man say to the younger waiter?
He tries to explain it to the younger waiter by saying, “He stays up because he likes it,” but the younger waiter dismisses this and says that the old man is lonely. Indeed, both the old man and the older waiter are lonely. The old man lives alone with only a niece to look after him, and we never learn what happened to his wife.
Why does the older waiter tell the younger waiter he is like an old man?
But the possible reason for his support becomes clear when the younger waiter tells the older waiter that he talks like an old man too. The older waiter is aware that he is not young or confident, and he knows that he may one day be just like the old man—unwanted, alone, and in despair. Ultimately, the older waiter is reluctant to close ...