The Path to Existentialism

Existentialists believe that many things exist, but are pointless until fully experienced or acted upon. They usually reject religion and forms of divinity and live their lives in solitude without any fear of consequence, so this allows them to have the freedom of choice. The story “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place” by Ernest Hemingway is a work of existentialism because of the characters present in the story. Hemingway, through the characters of the old man, the …

…in the story, illustrates three positions on the path to existentialism. The young waiter will progress into the older waiter and eventually later in his life into the old man who represent the end of this path. It is the desire to understand life and the craving for freedom of choice that will transform the young waiter into an existentialist as he will discover that his current path in life will lead him to failure.