A Very Short Story

“A Very Short Story” revolves around the theme of love and loss as it explores the lives of two lovers: an American soldier and a nurse, Luz, during World War I. The story depicts the initial passionate love between the two characters and their eventual separation. Throughout the story, Ernest Hemingway explores the complex nature of love and the painful experience of losing it.

At the beginning of the story, Luz and the soldier are deeply in love. Hemingway describes Luz as “cool and fresh in the hot night” (Paragraph 1), using sensory language to reflect the intensity of their passion, which is gradually lost as the story progresses. The couple plans to get married and “felt as though they were married, but they wanted everyone to know about it, and to make it so they could not lose it” (Paragraph 3). Both characters believe that validating their relationship through marriage and making it public knowledge will make their love permanent. However, their separation during the war leads to a gradual breakdown of their connection and creates a sense of loss that pervades the story.

After the soldier is sent back to the front, the couple’s communication becomes limited, and the

Don't Miss Out!

Access Study Guide Now