Canary for One is a short story by Ernest Hemingway, first published in 1933. It tells the story of a young American woman, Mary, who is traveling alone in Spain. She meets a young Spanish man, Juan, who is also traveling alone. The two become friends and Juan offers to take Mary to a bullfight. Mary is hesitant, but eventually agrees. At the bullfight, Mary is horrified by the violence and cruelty of the spectacle. Juan, however, is enthralled by it. After the bullfight, Mary and Juan part ways, and Mary is left feeling confused and conflicted about her experience. The story is a meditation on the differences between cultures and the power of cultural experiences to shape our understanding of the world. It also explores the idea of loneliness and how it can be both a blessing and a curse.
By Ernest Hemingway · First published 1927 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Realism, Modernism