The Killers

by

Ernest Hemingway

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Killers makes teaching easy.
Need another quote?
Need analysis on another quote?
Need analysis for a quote we don't cover?
Need analysis for a quote we don't cover?
Need analysis for a quote we don't cover?
A LitCharts expert can help.
A LitCharts expert can help.
A LitCharts expert can help.
A LitCharts expert can help.
A LitCharts expert can help.
Request it
Request it
Request analysis
Request analysis
Request analysis
The Killers Quotes

“I’ll have a roast pork tenderloin with apple sauce and mashed potatoes,” the first man said.

“It isn’t ready yet.”

“What the hell do you put it on the card for?”

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

George looked at the clock on the wall behind the counter.

“It’s five o’clock.”

“The clock says it’s twenty minutes past five,” the second man said.

“It’s twenty minutes fast.”

“Oh, to hell with the clock,” the first man said. “What have you got to eat?”

Related Characters: George (speaker), Max (speaker), Al (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Diner Clock
Page Number: 215
Explanation and Analysis:

“You’re a pretty bright boy, aren’t you?”

“Sure,” said George.

“Well, you’re not,” said the other little man. “Is he Al?”

“He’s dumb,” said Al.

Related Characters: George (speaker), Max (speaker), Al
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 216
Explanation and Analysis:

“Where do you think you are?”

“We know damn well where we are,” the man called Max said. “Do we look silly?”

“You talk silly,” Al said to him.

Related Characters: George (speaker), Max (speaker), Al (speaker)
Page Number: 217
Explanation and Analysis:

“What are you going to kill Ole Andreson for? What did he ever do to you?”

“He never had a chance to do anything to us. He never even seen us.”

“And he’s only going to see us once,” Al said from the kitchen.

“What are you going to kill him for, then?” George asked.

“We’re killing him for a friend. Just to oblige a friend, bright boy.”

Related Characters: George (speaker), Max (speaker), Ole Andreson
Page Number: 218
Explanation and Analysis:

“In their tight overcoats and derby hats they looked like a vaudeville team.”

Related Characters: Max, Al
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 219
Explanation and Analysis:

“Listen,” George said to Nick. “You better go see Ole Andreson.”

“All right.”

“You better not have anything to do with it at all,” Sam, the cook, said. “You stay out of it.”

“Don’t go if you don’t want to,” George said.

“Mixing up in this ain’t going to get you anywhere,” the cook said. “You stay out of it.”

“I’ll go see him,” Nick said to George.

Related Characters: Nick Adams (speaker), George (speaker), Sam (speaker), Ole Andreson
Page Number: 220
Explanation and Analysis:

“They put us out in the kitchen,” Nick went on. “They were going to shoot you when you came in to supper.”

Ole Andreson looked at the wall and did not say anything.

“George thought I better come and tell you about it.”

“There isn’t anything I can do about it,” Ole Andreson said.

Related Characters: Nick Adams (speaker), Ole Andreson (speaker), Sam, Max, Al
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 221
Explanation and Analysis:

“The only thing is,” he said, talking toward the wall,” I just can’t make up my mind to go out. I been in here all day.”

“Couldn’t you get out of town?”

“No,” Ole Andreson said. “I’m through with all that running around.”

Related Characters: Nick Adams (speaker), Ole Andreson (speaker)
Page Number: 221
Explanation and Analysis:

“I can’t stand to think about him waiting in the room and knowing he’s going to get it. It’s too damned awful.”

“Well,” said George, “you better not think about it.”

Related Characters: Nick Adams (speaker), George (speaker), Ole Andreson
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 222
Explanation and Analysis:
No matches.