The Old Man and the Sea: The Old Man Authors use many tactics to reveal a character's personality. In the short story A Clean, Well-Lighted Place, Hemingway exposes the attributes of his characters through narration and dialogue. The older waiter's characteristics are shown through the waiters' conversations and observations made by the narrator. The author cleverly associates the older waiter with the old man. This connection gives the audience a clear understanding of the loneliness and old age the waiter faces. The older waiter in Hemingway's story identifies himself with the old man. This can be seen from the statements he makes to the younger waiter. At the beginning of the job the younger waiter complains about the old man at the bar. The older waiter comes to the old man's defense by explaining that the old man "stays awake because he likes it" (Hemingway 160). This is the first time that the older waiter claims to identify with the old man's feelings. This identification becomes more evident later in the work. For example, the older waiter calls himself one, “of those who like to stay late at the bar” (Hemingway 161). With this statement the older waiter places himself in the same group as the older one. Hemingway's comparison between the old man and the waiter becomes unmistakable through the words of the older waiter. Loneliness and old age are the common bonds that the older waiter shares with the old man. This is manifested through the dialogue between the two waiters. For example, when the younger waiter brags about his youth and confidence, the older waiter jealously responds, “I never had confidence, and I am not young” (Hemingway 161). The older waiter goes on to explain that all he has is work. The older waiter later shows his loneliness through his compassion for the old man and others like him. For example, when the younger waiter remarks that he wishes to go home for the night, the older waiter says, “I am reluctant to close because there may be some one who needs the bar” (Hemingway 161). Through the comparison between the old man and the older waiter, the author reveals the waiter's loneliness and desire for youth. The narration communicates the personality of the older waiter. For example, the narrator describes the old waiter as “not dressed to go home” (Hemingway 161). The author is implying that the older waiter will be looking for a drinking area, just like the bar, after the bar closes. Like the old man, the older waiter also doesn't want to go home.