Perspectives

Literary perspective

The short story “A Very Short Story” by Ernest Hemingway has several modernist elements.

One of these elements is the use of a real-life context. The relationship between the two main characters is set in Italy during the First World War. The author uses this background to explore the ups and downs of the relationship between the two. 

Another modernist element is the pessimistic nature of the story. The conflict between the characters remains unresolved, and they are both cheated out of their expectations and disillusioned. The message of the story also appears to be pessimistic, hinting that love stories can only be short and bittersweet.

The use of symbols is another modernist element. The settings and the characters in the st...