“The Killers” is a short storying belonging to the genre of modernism. While many scholars believe that Hemingway was inspired by the real-life story of boxer Andre Anderson (who was killed by mobsters the year before Hemingway wrote “The Killers”), the story is squarely in the realm of fiction. It is also notable that this story is one of two dozen that feature the character Nick Adams, who shares many qualities with Hemingway himself (such as growing up in a Chicago suburb). In this story Nick is an adolescent reckoning with death for the first time, and readers are able to watch him continue to mature in other stories in The Nick Adams Stories.
As a modernist fiction writer, Hemingway sought to capture the dissonance and alienation of modern life in the wake of industrialization and World War I. One way that he does this in “The Killers” is by subverting the typical narrative arc. After setting up a conflict between innocents (George, Sam, and Nick) and criminals (Al and Max), and adding suspense (as they all wait for Ole Andreson to arrive at the diner), Hemingway goes in an unexpected direction. Rather than building to a dramatic scene in which Ole Andreson arrives and the innocent (or “good”) characters heroically defeat the “bad guys," Hemingway has the boxer never arrive. Because of this, the villains and "good" characters simply part ways.
What’s more, the one “heroic” act that happens—Nick risking his safety by going to warn Ole Andreson about the hitmen after they leave the diner—loses all its power as Hemingway reveals that the boxer was already aware of his fate. The conclusion of the story is even more lackluster, as George refuses to act as a wise and caring elder, instead advising Nick simply “not to think about” the fact that Ole Andreson will soon be killed. All of these nontraditional plot decisions communicate to readers that life is not as romantic or exciting as fiction often makes it out to be. Like real-life people in the 20th century, these characters are weary and imperfect, avoiding their pain in order to get through the days.
