The Killers

The diner clock, displaying the incorrect time, serves as a symbol for the unreliability of expectations, effectively conveying the overarching theme of Disillusionment With Reality.

Twenty minutes ahead of the actual time, the clock becomes a source of confusion. When George asserts that Max and Al have misread it and that it is too early for them to order dinner, they respond with irritation, exclaiming, “Oh, to hell with the clock” (43). The clock also later allows George to convince the two hitmen it is already too late for Ole to arrive, leading to their abandonment of their intended plan: “He’s not coming” (48), George says when the hands of the clock match 6:55.

Though a seemingly insignificant element, the diner clock encapsulates the prevailing theme of disillusionment that runs through the story. It effectively illustrates how the characters’ expectations are consistently thwarted and underscores the unreliability of the world. In “The Killers,” Hemingway constructs a world in which nothing is as it seems, from the malfunctioning diner clock to the gentle prizefighter who chooses not to fight. Hemingway dismantles expectations, leaving both the characters and readers grappling with a reality that contradicts their preconceived notions.