A sense of modern life’s futility permeates the text of “A Clean, Well-Lighted Place.” The story itself is an exercise in futility, as the characters remain unchanged. The night the story takes place does not seem to be of significance; it is just as any other night would be. The old man is a frequent customer at the café, and he is known to stay late and get drunk. The waiters know what to expect from him. Likewise, the younger waiter points out, “I never get to bed before three o’clock” (289), indicating that his late nights at work are a regular occurrence, and even though he desires them to change, they do not. His attempts change nothing; they are futile.

Finally, the shift in language in the last paragraph to include the word “would” indicates that the older waiter has not yet done the activities being described, such as walking home, getting in bed, and staying awake until dawn. Instead, these are presented as a hypothesis of what the older waiter will do next. That his actions can be predicted also indicates that no matter what he does, whether he stops at a bar for a drink, closes the café early, or meditates on “nothingness,” he will not change the outcome of his night.