A very Short Story by Ernest Hemingway
The story revolves around a young American who travels to Spain during the Spanish Civil War. He becomes involved with an older woman and her daughter, and eventually gets caught up in the conflict. The narrative is sparse and focuses on the protagonist's emotional numbness and detachment from the world around him. His relationships are superficial and he struggles to connect with others. Throughout the story, Hemingway explores themes of disillusionment, moral ambiguity, and the search for meaning in a chaotic world. The protagonist's experiences serve as a commentary on the human condition during times of war and social upheaval. The narrative is characterized by its simplicity, clarity, and understatement, which serves to heighten the emotional impact of the events that unfold.
By Ernest Hemingway · First published 1925 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Romance, War Fiction · 703 words
Editions
First lines
One hot evening in Milan they carried him up onto the roof and he could look out over the top of the town. There were chimney swifts in the sky. After a while it got dark and the searchlights came out. The others went down and took the bottles with them. He and Ag could hear them below on the balcony. Ag sat on the bed. She was cool and fresh in the hot night.
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Genres
- Literary Fiction — The work explores complex themes of love, loss, and the passage of time, characteristic of literary fiction.
- Romance — The central relationship between the characters and their emotional struggles highlight romantic elements.
- War Fiction — The backdrop of war and its impact on personal relationships is a significant aspect of the narrative.
- Short Story — The work is a concise narrative that encapsulates a complete story within a limited word count.
Tags
Tragic · Melancholic · Simple · Elegant · Sparse · Direct · Concise · Haunting · Bittersweet · Poignant · Emotionally Charged · Literary Fiction
What this Textopian page supports
A very Short Story is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ernest Hemingway, dated 1925 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Ernest Hemingway
- Date: 1925 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Romance, War Fiction, Short Story, Tragedy
- Length: 703 words
- Structure: 1 section, 8 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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