- Compare the reactions each of the waiters has towards the old man at the cafe.
- Why do you think the older waiter was more sympathetic towards the old man?
- Would you have reacted to the old man like the younger or older waiter? Explain why.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
"A Clean Well Lighted Place"
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1.The two waiters at the café had very different reactions to the old man. The younger waiter seemed to almost despise the old man for keeping him late at work, while the older waiter seemed to empathize with the old man. The older waiter even defended the old man when the other waiter said “an old man is a nasty thing.” When it was getting later that night, the younger man was only thinking of himself and wanted to go home, while the older waiter for thinking about the old man and felt bad about closing the café and making the man leave. Both waiters had very contrasting reactions toward the old man.
ReplyDelete2.I believe the older waiter was more sympathetic to the old man because he was closer in age. He was also sympathetic because, like the old man, he couldn’t sleep well at night and needed a good light, which the café supplied to those who needed it. In these very important ways, the older waiter was alike to the old man, which allowed him to feel sympathy for him.
3.I believe I would have reacted to the old man more like older waiter did. Whenever I see someone who is in a poor situation, such as an old, blind, drunk, lonely man, even if I don’t know them, I tend to feel bad for them anyways. I think I would have wanted to help the old man, even if it was to just give him a clean, well-lighted place for a couple hours more.
1.The old waiter is in no rush, and he completely understands the old man in the cafe, where as the the young waiter just can't wait for the man to leave. He doesn't understand why the old man stays so late. They acted as complete opposites when it came to the old man.
ReplyDelete2. I feel the reason for the older waiter being more sympathetic for the old man was because he could relate to him more. The young waiter just wanted to get home to his family, when the old waiter knew and was in a similar situation as the old man, he understood him, and that was why he was more sympathetic.
3. I feel like I would have acted like the older waiter. I think I would have acted this way because I'm never in a rush to go to sleep. I hate the fact that we have to waste like a third of our lives sleeping and doing nothing. Like the old man says, what's another hour. So sleeping one more hour wouldn't make or break my life. So I would have been fine with the old man just hanging out in the corner drinking, giving him a nice well lighted place to stay for just another hour.
1. The older waiter (I'll call him Fernando) seems to be more familiar and accepting of the old man (Jorge), while the younger waiter (Jose) seems to find the old man to be nothing but inconsiderate for drinking so late. Fernando seems to be the more compassionate waiter, able to empathize with Jorge, while Jose is vicious and insensitive with his youthfulness, saying that the old man should have killed himself, and not even registering the attempt as the horrific act it was. Fernando was not significantly better, but he did not speak of or to Jorge with any level of malice.
ReplyDelete2. With age comes experience, both good and bad. Fernando would have seen more hardness in life than Jose, and be able to sympathize much more effectively with Jorge because he knows some of what Jorge must have been through. He is able to understand more of what the clean, well-lit place would mean to some. He is able to take in little details and appreciate them that much more, because he's had his own life experience to compare it to. As well, Fernando just seems to have an empathetic personality which, clearly, Jose lacks.
3. I would have most certainly behaved more like the old waiter/Fernando-- I don't even think that I know anyone who would have acted like the younger waiter/Jose so openly. I believe that effort is not wasted on the elderly, and one should respect what they've been through. I believe that, when people go to a public place in the earliest forms of morning, it's because they need to, and that should also be respected. If one works in public service, they should service people and respect the importance of their customers, especially if the customers they deal with are distraught. And so, like Fernando, I would ensure a safe, clean place to stay as long as was necessary.
1. The younger waiter didn't really care about the old deaf man. He even went as far to tell the man he wished he had died when he tried to kill himself. The younger waiter saw him as a pest and thought all he did was took up all the waiter's time by ordering brandy all night. He loathes this old man for keeping him at the cafe every night until three in the morning. The older waiter however understands him. The older waiter sees that this old man is just lonely and doesn't want to be at his house alone every night. THe elder waiter is the same as this old man in a way, because he too goes home to an empty apartment.
ReplyDelete2. I think the older waiter was more sympathetic towards the old man because he was like the old man in ways. He also didn't have any other family he lived with so he was lonely. The elder waiter also saw the cafe as a nice place to be at night because it was clean and well lighted and a nice place to be in the evening. He understood the old man in ways the younger waiter would not be able to.
3. I think I would have acted in a way of a mixture of both the younger and the older waiter. I wouldn't have been rude to the old man and made him leave but at the same time I may have felt the impatient feelings the younger waiter was having. I don't think I would have liked being at a cafe until three in the morning every night while there was only one customer there every night getting drunk. It would probably irritate me but I would feel too bad for him to kick him out. It was obvious in the book that the old man was lonely and he was sitting at the cafe all by himself and it made me feel bad for him. Therefore even though I would want to get home to my significant other I would not kick the old man out of the cafe.
1. The two waiters have very different reactions. The older waiter is almost sympathetic with the old man and he seems to understand what he is feeling and why he likes to go to that cafe. The younger waiter seems bitter that the old man is there and keeping him from being home.
ReplyDelete2. I think that the older waiter was more sympathetic because he had already experienced more things in life than the younger waiter. Also, the younger waiter has a wife to get home to where the older waiter does not. The older waiter sympathizes with the old man because he is not going home to anything either. The older waiter could relate more to the old man than he could to the younger waiter.
3. I think that I would have reacted like the older waiter because even just thinking about the old man makes me feel bad for him. It makes me feel like he needed someone to sympathize with him and to treat him nicely.
1. Between the two waiters, the old waiter and the younger waiter, they had complete opposite reactions towards the old man at the cafè. The younger waiter working at the cafè disliked that fact that the old man was not leaving. It was getting late and the old man just kept wanting to buy more and more drinks. The young waiter was in a rush to get home and go to bed. With the old man keeping him working so late at the cafè the young waiter became frustrated with him and had great disgust towards the old man. The younger waiter was thinking more of himself and getting home as he served the old man, than he had sympathy for the elder. He even commented that “an old man is a nasty thing.” This caused the ld waiter to defend the innocent old man. On the other hand the old waiter was in no rush at all. He didn’t mind if he had to stay working at the cafè until late that night, as long as he was making the old man happy. He would have felt bad closing the cafè if the old man was not finished his time there. He was very generous towards the old man and had a great deal of sympathy for him. The two waiters, young and old, had two completely different reactions to the old man at the cafè.
ReplyDelete2. The older waiter was more sympathetic to the old man because the two of them had more in common and the old waiter could relate to the old man a lot more than the younger waiter could. The younger waiter just wanted to go home and into bed with his wife that was awaiting him, as for the old waiter realized the feelings of the old man and was able to make similar connections to him. The two were quite alike, causing the old waiter to have more sympathy and liking for the old man.
3. If I was in this situation I would react to the old man exactly like the old waiter did, no matter what my age. When I see some that is old and in need of help or their lonely, I feel upset inside and I just want to make them happy. If I make them happy it allows me to go home at the end of the day and know in my heart that I did something good for an elder and helped them get through their day. All I would’ve wanted to do would be to help the old man not worrying about when I was getting home or when I was going to be able to close up shop. Even if it meant that I had to stay 4 hours later than what I usually would, I would just to be able to keep the old man pleased.
1. The two waiters in the story seemed to be the complete opposites of each other. The young waiter seemed to be in a rush and almost have a hatred for the old man with his comment, "an old man is a nasty thing.” The young waiter didn't seem to understand why the old man wanted to stay in the cafe so late into the night. The young waiter was simply thinking of himself and wanted to get home. The young waiter almost symbolizes the selfishness in a young adult/teenager. The younger you are, the more people seem to be in a rush and not stop to smell the flowers. While the young waiter was impatient, the older waiter seemed sympathetic towards the old man, because he is closer in age to the old man. The old waiter seemed to understand the old man and defended him and felt bad about making him leave.
ReplyDelete2. I feel the reason as to why the old waiter was more sympathetic to the old man was because both are at an age in their life when not everything needs to be rushed. The old waiter could relate to the old man's bad sleeping habits and understood that he needed a good light at night. The old waiter knew that the cafe supplied the old man with a good light, while the young waiter was simply thinking for himself. Because the two older men are closer in age and relate in many ways, is why the older waiter is sympathetic towards the old man.
3. If I was put into this situation, I would react to the old man like the old waiter did. When I see someone in need, my heart aches for them, especially when the person in need in at an older age. I always feel so bad when I see an old women or an old man struggling. I would want to give them a clean, well-lighted place if I was able to. But, on the other hand, I can somethings act like the young waiter. Sometimes I only think of myself, and I don't like waiting on other people. I sometimes get mad at other people that want my company or need me to stuck around. I seem to want to be on my own time and not let anyone stand in the way of my plans.
1. The young waiter seems to be annoyed with the old man, he just wants him to leave so he can go home. The young waiter is annoyed by the old man and thinks he is disgusting. The young waiter was just looking to get home and nothing else. The old waiter was perfectly content with the old man, rather interested with the man. Not so much in a rush.
ReplyDelete2. I think that the older waiter was more sympathetic for the old man because they are closer in age and kinda understands what he is going through. The old waiter knew that in the cafe the old man was not going to kill himself, at the least. And the young waiter is just inconsiderate towards the old man.
3. If it was me being put into this situation I would have reacted like the older waiter. Some people have a hard life, and like I feel bad for them and I wish there was something I could do about the pain they go through. With me i hate seeing people that are upset. I would do anything for a person to make sure to comfort them and make them feel better. But, like what the young waiter I could not stand to be rude to him and make him feel that he is forced to leave. I would be like the old man willing to stay that extra time to make someone happy.
1.The younger waiter thinks the old man is a use less old drunk and also that he should of just killed himself the week before. If he had seceded in killing himself he wouldn`t be having to stay at the cafe late till 3a.m. the younger waiter also thinks that the old guy could get drunk at a bar or alcohol store. The older waiter knows why the man is drinking at the cafe and not the bar, you can`t get drunk and still leave with dignity at a bar. Also it`s not the same a cafe is a much nicer place, it`s clean and well light.
ReplyDelete2.The older waiter is wiser and he probably knows the old man has had a hard life and is still morning the loss of his wife. Also he knows there is a big difference between a cafe and a bar. A bar is for young people who don`t mind making a fool of them selves, a cafe is more of a convivial and inviting place.
3.I would have partially acted like both. I would have liked to have left earlier, but I certainly wouldn`t wish that the old guy was dead so I wouldn`t have to stay late.
1. In the story the younger waiter had always seemed to be in a hurry to leave and kept on telling the old man that if he had another brandy that he would be drunk, and would leave without paying. The younger waiter didn't have as much sympathy for the old man as the older waiter had. The Older waiter in a way understood where the old man was coming from he had no one to go home to and he had many thoughts of killing himself. So the Older waiter just stayed open until closing hour and then shut the old man off and told the younger waiter that if he were to want anymore brandy then he could buy a bottle and drink it at home and continue to get drunk.
ReplyDelete2.I think that the older waiter was more sympathetic towards the old man because he too was older and could understand where he was coming from. The old man had no one at home waiting for him, he didn't have to be home by any particular hour and he had already once tried to hang himself so he really didn't care if he made himself so drunk that he had killed himself. I think that the older waiter felt bad for the old man so he left him to what he was doing so that he could be happy.
3. I would have reacted to the old man like the older waiter because I don't want to have to rush someone when they are drinking especially if they are some one like the old man because he may get angry and something very bad could happen. I would also react as the older waiter did because I would feel bad for the old man, he doesn't have anyone to go home to, and he what does he do he pretty much goes to the cafe and drinks away his pain that makes me feel sad. I don't think that he should drink away his pain because that could lead him into killing himself.
1. The younger waiter reacted more impatiently and rude to the elderly man. He was more concerned with himself and what he had to do, and didn't even consider any of the older man's feelings. The older waiter had more sympathy and understanding for the elderly man.
ReplyDelete2. The older waiter had more patience and understanding of the old man's situation because he had more life experience. The older waiter was just like the elderly man, just a bit younger.
3. Realistically, I would be frustrated and annoyed that a customer was lingering after hours when I wanted to go home, but I could never be rude and I would be more understanding. I would react more like the elderly man, but still have those feelings of annoyance that the younger waiter had.