27 pages 54 minutes read

Ernest Hemingway

A Very Short Story

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1924

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Symbols & Motifs

Letters

In Ernest Hemingway’s “A Very Short Story,” the motif of letters is used to trace the emotional connection between the soldier and Luz. The exchange of letters highlights that distance is a critical factor in their relationship, and that it affects the intimacy and quality of their communication. Letters first emerge as a motif as the soldier is sent to the front line. Luz sends 15 letters to the soldier. These letters become the sole means of communication between the lovers and hold emotional significance, especially for the soldier who, upon receipt of the letters at the same time, “sorted them by the dates and read them all straight through” (Paragraph 4). Initially the letters symbolize the couple’s hope for a future together and their love for one another, as Luz writes that it is “impossible to get along without him” (Paragraph 4). Yet the letters also accentuate the distance that exists between them and the difficulty in communicating with each other as they grow apart, emotionally and physically.

While letters initially serve as a means of communication and a source of comfort for both Luz and the soldier, as time goes on and the emotional distance between them increases, Luz no longer writes many letters.

Related Titles

By Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide

logo

A Clean, Well-Lighted Place

Ernest Hemingway

A Clean, Well-Lighted Place

Ernest Hemingway

Plot Summary

logo

Across the River and into the Trees

Ernest Hemingway

Across the River and into the Trees

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide

logo

A Day's Wait

Ernest Hemingway

A Day's Wait

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide

logo

A Farewell to Arms

Ernest Hemingway

A Farewell to Arms

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide

logo

A Moveable Feast

Ernest Hemingway

A Moveable Feast

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide

logo

Big Two-Hearted River

Ernest Hemingway

Big Two-Hearted River

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide

logo

Cat in the Rain

Ernest Hemingway

Cat in the Rain

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide

logo

For Whom the Bell Tolls

Ernest Hemingway

For Whom the Bell Tolls

Ernest Hemingway

Plot Summary

logo

Green Hills of Africa

Ernest Hemingway

Green Hills of Africa

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide

logo

In Another Country

Ernest Hemingway

In Another Country

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide

logo

Indian Camp

Ernest Hemingway

Indian Camp

Ernest Hemingway

Plot Summary

logo

In Our Time

Ernest Hemingway

In Our Time

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide

logo

Old Man at the Bridge

Ernest Hemingway

Old Man at the Bridge

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide

logo

Soldier's Home

Ernest Hemingway

Soldier's Home

Ernest Hemingway

Plot Summary

logo

Solider's Home

Ernest Hemingway

Solider's Home

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide

logo

Ten Indians

Ernest Hemingway

Ten Indians

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide

logo

The Garden of Eden

Ernest Hemingway

The Garden of Eden

Ernest Hemingway

Study Guide

logo

The Killers

Ernest Hemingway

The Killers

Ernest Hemingway

Plot Summary

logo

The Nick Adams Stories

Ernest Hemingway

The Nick Adams Stories

Ernest Hemingway