Hemingway’s fragmented style creates several ambiguities and ironies that show that things aren’t what they seem. They also serve to “call into question the moral and philosophical meaning of literary action” (Keep). Besides the many ambiguities discussed previously, there exists numerous instances where things are unclear and strange. Little things that may seem insignificant at first glance actually serve a noteworthy purpose in the story. Henry’s Lunch-Room was once a saloon and is now owned by George, Al and Max eat their meals with their gloves on, Mrs. Hirsh’s boarding house is run by Mrs. Bell, the clock is twenty minutes fast, the killers’ coats do not fit, and no one ever called the police. These are just a few of the mysterious occurrences Hemingway uses. The bizarre appearance and actions of the killers differentiates them from other customers so much that George stares at them as if there was something wrong with them. This is significant because it becomes the turning point of the story. From this point on the preparation for the crime begins. The differing names of what the establishments in the story are called and who runs them, as well as the clock being twenty minutes fast, show that things aren’t really what they seem. In addition to this no one ever calls the police, which would seem like the most logical thing to do when tied up by two hit men who announce intentions to murder someone. From these minor details Hemingway means to show how chaotic and senseless society is. It is also very odd that Al and Max leave the diner’s bystanders unharmed even though they are thoroughly aware of the killers’ intentions. The killers go about their business in a very casual, matter-of-fact way and don’t show a trace of passion or concern. This conveys a sense that killing in these times is nothing extraordinary, but just a small departure from the daily routine. Hemingway also makes use of several ironies throughout the story. Most parts of the dialogue between Al and Max are ironic and not meant the way they say it. The first conversation between the killers and George is hilarious. The hit men try to order dinner but are told dinner is not served until six o’clock and they are given a list of food they can order. Immediately after this one of the hit men tries to order the dinner; it is absurd. Al later asks if George has anything to drink. George names a few drinks and then Al responds, “I mean you got anything to drink? (Hemingway). The killers often use the phrase “pretty bright boy” when referring to George and Nick, joking sarcastically about their being a couple of dumb country boys. However, the biggest irony in the story is that Ole Anderson, the heavyweight fighter who once fought for money, now refuses to fight, even for his life. Anderson is completely aware of the killers’ attentions, but he has lost the will to fight. These instances of irony help to support Hemingway’s claim that society is senseless and chaotic.
Hemingway’s fragmented style also entails omitted transitions and minimal narration. The story is pure action; almost the entire story is dialogue. However, time manages to fly by. When the Al and Max first enter the diner and try to order dinner it is only five o’clock. Then what seems like a five to ten minutes conversation turns into an hour and fifteen minutes. At a quarter past six George turns away a customer as ordered by the hit men. Al and Max then exchange a few words and the next line reads, “At six-fifty-five George said: ‘He’s not coming’.” These are fairly long periods of time that seem non-existent in the story. Hemingway does not even generalize what went on during those times; he simply neglects their existence. This causes the reader to make his own inferences on what went on during these times and what the thought processes of the characters were. In addition, the minimal narration in “The Killers” gives little information regarding the characterization of people. This forces the reader to develop his own characterization, which is especially difficult considering that the dialogue consists of many short questions that have no answers. All the information one can discover comes from the character’s words and how they react to the situation. Hemingway doesn’t give the reader much. He downplayed content “in favor of an investigation of form” (Keep), meaning he wanted the reader to think and come to his own realizations.
Hemingway’s fragmented writing style, which was comprised of omitted transitions, resolutions, and explanations, was prevalent in his short story, “The Killers.” The story, which omitted a great deal of important information, presented several points of view, made use of numerous ironies and ambiguities, and contained minimal narration, portrayed a pessimistic view of a culture in disarray. Hemingway’s fragmented style was essential in challenging readers to establish meaning from fragmentary forms and conveying his dominant theme that things aren’t what they seem and that society is chaotic and senseless.
Part II:
As discussed previously, the universal theme of Hemingway’s “The Killers” is that things aren’t what they seem and more importantly that society is disordered and irrational. From minor details, such as the diner being built as a saloon, the clock being fast, the killers’ appearance, the absence of the boarding house owner, and no one calling the police, Hemingway means to show that the world is not always what it seems. The more dominant theme of “The Killers” is that society is chaotic and senseless. No one, including the killers themselves, knows the reason that Ole Anderson is being killed. The killers claim, “We’re killing him for a friend. Just to oblige a friend, bright boy” (Hemingway). In addition, Nick becomes so disgusted and disturbed that he plans to leave town altogether. “I can’t stand to think about him waiting in the room and knowing he’s going to get it. It’s too damned awful” (Hemingway). He can’t accept the inevitability of Anderson’s impending death and feels for his “own self-preservation that he must leave all of these people who are able to tolerate such senseless violence” (Moore). It is apparent that Hemingway feels that society is hectic and senseless and that the world is not always what it seems.
The theme of “The Killers” is regularly reflected in today’s society. Two prime examples are the sniper attacks during the fall of 2002 and the many school shootings that have taken place since Columbine. Beginning October 2 and ending October 24, John Allen Muhammad, 41, and Lee Boyd Malvo, 17, randomly gunned down 10 victims and wounded four others in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. This tragedy reflects the theme of “The Killers” extremely well. First of all, the senseless acts of violence and the brutal murder of 10 innocent victims are certainly reflective of a chaotic and meaningless society. The snipers in this case are very similar to the two hit men. The motive of the snipers is unknown, which raises doubt concerning the reason for their violent rampage. There are also a few things that support the other part of Hemingway’s theme, that things aren’t as they seem. At first, it was believed that the snipers were terrorists, but it turns out they were nothing of the sort. John Allen Muhammad is a 41-year-old Gulf War veteran and Lee Boyd Malvo is only a 17-year-old high school student who is described as “quiet, unremarkable, caring, and very respectful” (Legon). The snipers turned out to be totally different people than they were originally thought to be, which goes to show that things aren’t always as they seem.
Everyone remembers the tragic incident at Columbine in April 1999, but what is even more disheartening is that senseless acts of school violence have continued to occur regularly. Two specific examples are the shootings in Mt. Morris Township, MI in February 2000 and Santee, CA in March 2001. In Mt. Morris, a six-year-old boy brought a handgun to Buell Elementary School where he shot and killed a fellow first-grader, Kayla Rolland. The boy took the gun from a shoebox in his uncle’s bedroom, walked to school, and opened fire. In Santee, CA, a 15-year-old student killed two classmates and wounded another 13 people during a shooting spree at Santana High School. Charles Andy Williams, a freshman, will be charged as an adult on murder, assault, and weapons charges. Three friends and at least one adult said they had heard Williams threatening to shoot someone at the school in the days before the attack but said the boy told them he was joking. These acts of violence are mind-boggling. The fact that a six-year-old or even a 15-year-old for that matter can access a gun that easily and commit such a crime is unbelievable and really says something about the world we live in. School is supposed to be a safe environment for children and help keep them out of trouble but as Hemingway reminds us, things aren’t always as they seem. School shootings truly show how senseless and chaotic our society can be. Obviously the shootings themselves are senseless but the fact that they repeatedly occur means that we aren’t doing enough to prevent them, which should almost be considered more senseless than the crime itself. In this sense the recent school shootings are very reflective of the theme in Hemingway’s “The Killers”.
Works Cited
CNN Special Report. “Showdown: Iraq.” 2003. 8 March 2003. <http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2002/iraq/>.
CNN Special Report. “Sniper Attacks: A Trail of Terror.” 2002. 8 March 2003. <http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2002/sniper/>.
Hemingway, Ernest. The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1987.
Keep, Christopher. “Modernism and the Modern Novel.” July 2000. 3 March 2003. <http://www.iath.virginia.edu/elab/hfl0255.html>.
Moore, R. “All Hemingway.” 2003. 23 February 2003. <http://www.allhemingway.com>.
Renkiel, Tomasz. “The Hemingway Blog.” 10 Nov. 2001. 23 February 2003. <http://www.davidgagne.net/hem/archives/004764.shtml>.
Roberts, James. Hemingway’s Short Stories. Lincoln, Nebraska: Cliff Notes, Inc., 2000.
