"The Killers" by Ernest Hemingway

Ole Anderson was the main character of the story. Sure, he wasn't constantly in it, and didn't even show up until the near end, but the story revolved around him. Everyone was talking about his planned murder, and that makes him a very important character. If he wasn't in the story, there would be no point to it.



"The Killers" took place in a diner, for the most part. Some other very important characters, Nick, Max, Sam, Al, and George sit, eating diner. Max and Al are secretly planning to murder Ole Anderson, a boxer that lives three houses up the street from the diner, Hirsch's rooming house. George and Nick want nothing to do with it, and when Ole Anderson doesn't show up for his nightly dinner, George sends Nick up to Ole Anderson's rooming house to inform him of Max and Al's plan. Ole Anderson, lay in his bed, staring at the wall. When Nick tells him the plan, Ole Anderson doesn't seem to care. He doesn't even plan to leave town.

“That’s the dinner,” George explained. “You can get that at six o’clock.”

I think this quotation displays foreshadowing. All the people at the dinner are sticking around until 6, which means something will happen later on. They are waiting for something.

“I’ll tell you,” Max said. “We’re going to kill a Swede. Do you know a big Swede named Ole Anderson?”

The whole point of the story is explained in this quote. It tells you who the killers are, and who they plan to kill.

“Nothing. Use your head, bright boy. What would we do to a nigger?”

This quote displays what kind of people are in the story. It shows you how they treat people. And how they will interact with other people throughout the story.