The Killers
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Themes
All Themes Innocence and Experience Expectations vs. Reality Heroism and Masculinity
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Nick Adams George Ole Andreson Sam Max Al Mrs. Bell
Symbols
All Symbols The Diner Clock
Literary Devices
All Literary Devices Allusions Dramatic Irony Genre Irony Mood Setting Similes Situational Irony Style Tone Verbal Irony
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The Killers

by Ernest Hemingway
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Introduction Intro
Plot Summary Plot
Summary & Analysis
Themes
  • All Themes
  • Innocence and Experience Theme Icon
    Innocence and Experience
  • Expectations vs. Reality Theme Icon
    Expectations vs. Reality
  • Heroism and Masculinity Theme Icon
    Heroism and Masculinity
Quotes
Characters
  • All Characters
  • Nick Adams
  • George
  • Ole Andreson
  • Sam
  • Max
  • Al
  • Mrs. Bell
Symbols
  • All Symbols
  • The Diner Clock Symbol Icon
    The Diner Clock
Lit Devices
  • All Literary Devices
  • Allusions
  • Dramatic Irony
  • Genre
  • Irony
  • Mood
  • Setting
  • Similes
  • Situational Irony
  • Style
  • Tone
  • Verbal Irony
Theme Wheel Theme Viz
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Download the Teacher Edition
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Mrs. Bell

The Killers Symbols

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The Diner Clock

The Diner Clock

Hemingway uses the diner clock (which runs twenty minutes fast) to symbolize the unreliability of expectations in an unpredictable world. This is especially true for Max and Al, who enter the diner with a…

read analysis of The Diner Clock

The Diner Clock Symbol Icon
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Mrs. Bell
Previous
Mrs. Bell
Next
The Diner Clock
Next
The Diner Clock

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