The Killers Themes

The standard take on "The Killers" is that it is a typical "loss of innocence" story. Nick Adams, a main character and frequent protagonist in Hemingway’s short stories, experiences evil in t...

Passivity is condemned in "The Killers." The story’s arguable hero is a man of action who attempts to save a defeated man of inaction. The notion of passivity is largely contrasted with mascu...

Nothing is what it seems in "The Killers." The story is pervaded with feelings of confusion, unease, and uncertainty. From people to buildings to names, we just can’t trust what we see. Part...

The criminality we see in "The Killers" is that of the 1920s Chicago mafia. The two characters in question – the killers themselves – are attributed every mob cliché known to man:...

In "The Killers," masculinity has a lot to do with action. The killers themselves are decisive and resolved, sure of themselves, and unapologetic. As a result, they are undeniably male. Ironically,...