The Killers by Ernest Hemingway
The Killers is a short story by Ernest Hemingway, first published in 1927. It is set in a small town in the Midwest, and tells the story of two hitmen, Max and Al, who come to a diner to kill Ole Andreson, a former boxer. The story follows the diner's employees, Nick Adams and George, as they try to figure out why Ole is being targeted. As the story progresses, Nick and George come to realize that Ole is being targeted because he refused to throw a fight. In the end, Ole is killed, and Nick and George are left to ponder the senselessness of it all.
By Ernest Hemingway · First published 1927 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Mystery, Crime Fiction · 2,939 words
First lines
THE DOOR OF HENRY'S LUNCH-ROOM opened and two men came in. They sat down at the counter.
"What's yours?" George asked them.
What this Textopian page supports
The Killers is listed on Textopian as a novel by Ernest Hemingway, dated 1927 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Ernest Hemingway
- Date: 1927 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Literary Fiction, Mystery, Crime Fiction, Noir Fiction
- Length: 2,939 words
- Structure: 1 section, 217 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Killers by Ernest Hemingway
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Killers?
- How does this novel by Ernest Hemingway fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Literary Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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- In Our Time by Ernest Hemingway
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Genres
- Literary Fiction — The Killers is a short story written by Ernest Hemingway, a Nobel Prize-winning author known for his literary fiction works.
- Mystery — The Killers is a mystery story that follows two hitmen as they search for their target, creating suspense and intrigue.
- Crime Fiction — The Killers follows two hitmen as they search for their target, making it a crime fiction story.
- Noir Fiction — The Killers has a dark and gritty atmosphere, making it a noir fiction story.
Tags
20th century · american and canadian literature · american fiction · andreson · bacon · boy · bright · called · clock · cook · counter · dinner