A Very Short Story

In Ernest Hemingway’s “A Very Short Story,” the motif of letters is used to trace the emotional connection between the soldier and Luz. The exchange of letters highlights that distance is a critical factor in their relationship, and that it affects the intimacy and quality of their communication. Letters first emerge as a motif as the soldier is sent to the front line. Luz sends 15 letters to the soldier. These letters become the sole means of communication between the lovers and hold emotional significance, especially for the soldier who, upon receipt of the letters at the same time, “sorted them by the dates and read them all straight through” (Paragraph 4). Initially the letters symbolize the couple’s hope for a future together and their love for one another, as Luz writes that it is “impossible to get along without him” (Paragraph 4). Yet the letters also accentuate the distance that exists between them and the difficulty in communicating with each other as they grow apart, emotionally and physically.

While letters initially serve as a means of communication and a source of comfort for both Luz and the soldier, as time goes on and the emotional distance between them increases, Luz no longer writes many letters.