Hemingway, Open Endings

Usually I write about how psychology affects the characters, but it is too tough to pass up writing about Ernest Hemingway’s open endings. Ernie has a different approach to writing than most writers had, and that is why he stood out in the modernist era. He had a much different approach and I personally haven’t seen any writing styles similar to Hemingway. He begins quickly, just throwing you into the story, most of the time the reader doesn’t know what happens before or what happens after the story as well. For example, in his short story “The Killers” within the first line of the short story, the two killers George and Al are already in Henry’s lunchroom and soon after the begin asking George, Sam, and Nick questions. Hemingway gives the reader no prior information about these men, or what may happen, the reader needs to make assumptions and then pick up information as they go along. Hemingway totally leaves the ending up for grabs as well. After Nick warns Ole Anderson he is about to be murdered, and Anderson gives no response and doesn’t care the least bit, Nick retreats to the restaurant, and that is pretty much it. Nick is discouraged and scared about the situation, and the last 4 lines of the short story read like this:

“I’m going to get out of this town,” Nick said.

“Yes,” said George. “That’s a good thing to do.”

“I can’t stand to think about him waiting in the room and knowing he’s going to get it. It’s too damned awful.”

“Well,” said George, “you better not think about it.”

This is how Hemingway leaves the play to end. He doesn’t mention what happens to Nick, Sam, or George. He never mentions if Ole Anderson ever left his room again, why he was acting so strange, or if he eventually got killed. The two killers were never mentioned again either. There are a number of possible scenarios that the reader can fill in to finish Hemingway’s short story, and that is why Hemingway is such an interesting author.