The Killers

Short stories are always interesting to read as they allow for much interpretation.  When key details and plot points are left out, readers can, in a sense, develop the story for themselves.  In Hemingway's "The Killers" I found myself guessing the next action after every piece of dialog.  While one can do this with any type of story, long or short, short stories tend to leave out information that novels do not.  For instance, throughout the entire piece the reader is never filled in on the reason behind the visitors' plan to murder Anderson.  Some information is given, but never a decisive answer.  Furthermore, the reader is responsible for figuring out the characters.  Because almost every character is introduced rather quickly, it is easy to get sort of lost in the reading.  As a matter of fact, until I watched the video, I had some of the roles confused.  The differences between the story and the film adaptation surprised me a bit.  Trivial things, like name changes, were really the only contrasting parts.  While I would have preferred to see the entire film, the beginning was enticing.  Although I haven't had a lot of experience with this type of cinema, a film that seemed to have a related premise is David Lynch's "Blue Velvet".  The story quickly spirals out of control and opens into a labyrinth of unexpected twists and turns.  Seemingly normal characters reveal their undesirable pasts and peculiar series of events begin to unfold. While "The Killers" was less over-the-top than "Blue Velvet", they both open with an everyday setting and then quickly evolve into something much more bizarre.  Overall, I was pleased with the story.  It was interesting reading and I was constantly asking questions. Hemingway's plot was successful in captivating readers; it definitely kept me guessing.