Aclean,well-lightedplaceSettingStorysummaryThisstorybeginsataquietcaféverylateatnight.

Everyonehasleftcaféexceptadeafoldman,

drinkingalone.

Twowaiters（ayoungoneandaoldone）talkaboutthisoldman;onetellstheotherthatthemanattemptedsuicidetheweekbeforebutfailed.

Throughouttheconversation,theyoungwaitercontinuestoinsulttheoldman,callinghim“anastything.”However,theolderwaiterdefendsthesenior,understandingtheoldman’sdesiretostayupallnightdrinking.Theyoungwaiter(thewaiterwithawife)forcestheoldmantoleaveandclosesthecafé,while

theoldwaiterwantstokeepthecaféopenforanyonewhoneedsit.

Atlast,theoldwaiterrecitestohimselftheLord’sPrayer,buthereplacesmostpartswith“nada”.(theSpanishwordfor“nothing.”)Onhiswayhome,thewaiterstopsatabar,butleavesquickly,becausethebarisunpolished.

Hegoesbackhomebutkeepawakeuntildawn.

Hetellshimself,“itisprobablyonlyinsomnia.”“Manymusthaveit.”Historicalsetting:afterWWI,lostgeneration(peoplecouldnotoperateinthepostwarworld,gettinglostinsearchingformeaningoflife)Physicalsetting:Aclean,well-lightedquietSpanishcaféverylateatnightSetting–DecisiveRoleThefunctionofsettingBuildingupanatmosphere:quietplace(nomusic)givespeopleasenseofpeacefulness.goodlightgivespeopleasenseofsecurity,pushingawaythedarknessofnight.(thereishopelessnessinthedark,whilethelightcalmsthenerves)wegotafeelingthatoutsideworldisachaos.theplacehelpstostrugglewithdespairOlddeafmanneedsthecaféHefeelslonely,aimlessanddespairingishisoldage(hislifeiswithoutusefulpurpose).Hetriedmanyunsuccessfulwaystodealwithdespair.(money,marriage,committingsuicide)Theonlysolution:gotdrunkatthiswell-litplacetoescapefromdespairtemporarilyTheolderwaiterneedsthecaféaswell“EachnightIamreluctanttocloseupbecausetheremaybesomeonewhoneedsthecafé.”Liketheoldman,theolderwaiterlikestostayincafélateatnighttopushawaydespair.buthedislikesbarsorbodegas(cannotlessendespair).Bothofthemarelongingforaplacewherethereareorder,securityandcompany.Spiritualsetting:mentalmonologueMentalmonologueoftheolderwaiter(streamofconsciousness)isthemostimportantparttorevealthemeaningofstory.“Itwasallanothingandmanwasanothingtoo.…Somelivedinitandneverfeltitbutheknewitallwasnadaypuesnadaypuesnada.Ournadawhoartinnada,nadabethynamethykingdomnadatheywillbenadainnadaasitisinnada.Giveusthisnadaourdailynadaandnadausournadaaswenadaournadasandnadausnotintonadabutdeliverusfromnada;puesnada....”Theexistentialquestionsaboutthemeaningoflifemaketheolderwaiterkeeptalkingwithhimself.Heretheolderwaiterrepeatsnothingoverandoveragaininsayingthatthereisnomeaningoflife.Everythingisnothing.Nothingmatters.Spiritualsetting→themeThemeofnothingness(nada)predominatestheshortstory.Allthepeoplespendtheirlivesattemptingtosearchforlifeofmeaning.Butfinallytheywillfindever