The mood of “The Killers” is depressing and bleak. While one might expect a story about out-of-town criminals taking people hostage to be suspenseful and exciting, “The Killers” is, in many ways, the opposite. The three hostages (George, Sam, and Nick) show no sign of being either terrified victims or masculine heroes, and the criminals (Max and Al) are not very convincing villains. Overall, none of the characters seem particularly affected by one another—the hostages don’t seem to be very close to each other, nor do the villains. Their interactions, while somewhat hostile at points, are not particularly dramatic.
That said, Hemingway does try to establish a somewhat eerie mood near the beginning of the story (before the criminals reveal themselves as such). Take the following passage, for example, after the hitmen first arrive at the diner and order food:
“I’ll take ham and eggs,” the man called Al said. He wore a derby hat and a black overcoat buttoned across the chest. His face was small and white and he had tight lips. He wore a silk muffler and gloves.
“Give me bacon and eggs,” said the other man. He was about the same size as Al. Their faces were different, but they were dressed like twins. Both wore overcoats too tight for them. They sat leaning forward, their elbows on the counter.
Here, Hemingway takes the time to make it clear that something is “off” about these two men, adding to an unsettling mood. For example, he describes Al’s face as “small and white” with “tight lips” and notes how the two men “sat leaning forward, their elbows on the counter.” These descriptions subtly establish that something is amiss: Al is obviously anxious about something (as his face is pale and he’s holding tension in his mouth) and, likewise, the men’s leaned forward posture implies a sort of anticipation about what is to come. The way that the men looked “like twins” in their matching coats also adds an eerie energy to the scene, encouraging readers to wonder what these two men are up to.
