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A Canary for One
First published in 1927, “A Canary for One” occurs in the early 1920s on a train headed toward Paris. Its three characters, an older wealthy woman and a couple in their late twenties, are all Americans; only at the end do we realize that the young husband is the actual narrator of the story.
6 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1927
3 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
Ernest Hemingway
2,291 books32.6k followersErnest Miller Hemingway was an American novelist, short-story writer and journalist. Best known for an economical, understated style that significantly influenced later 20th-century writers, he is often romanticized for his adventurous lifestyle, and outspoken and blunt public image. Most of Hemingway's works were published between the mid-1920s and mid-1950s, including seven novels, six short-story collections and two non-fiction works. His writings have become classics of American literature; he was awarded the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature, while three of his novels, four short-story collections and three nonfiction works were published posthumously.
Hemingway was raised in Oak Park, Illinois. After high school, he spent six months as a cub reporter for The Kansas City Star before enlisting in the Red Cross. He served as an ambulance driver on the Italian Front in World War I and was seriously wounded in 1918. His wartime experiences formed the basis for his 1929 novel A Farewell to Arms. He married Hadley Richardson in 1921, the first of four wives. They moved to Paris where he worked as a foreign correspondent for the Toronto Star and fell under the influence of the modernist writers and artists of the 1920s' "Lost Generation" expatriate community. His debut novel The Sun Also Rises was published in 1926.
He divorced Richardson in 1927 and married Pauline Pfeiffer. They divorced after he returned from the Spanish Civil War, where he had worked as a journalist and which formed the basis for his 1940 novel For Whom the Bell Tolls. Martha Gellhorn became his third wife in 1940. He and Gellhorn separated after he met Mary Welsh Hemingway in London during World War II. Hemingway was present with Allied troops as a journalist at the Normandy landings and the liberation of Paris. He maintained permanent residences in Key West, Florida, in the 1930s and in Cuba in the 1940s and 1950s. On a 1954 trip to Africa, he was seriously injured in two plane accidents on successive days, leaving him in pain and ill health for much of the rest of his life. In 1959, he bought a house in Ketchum, Idaho, where, on July 2, 1961 (a couple weeks before his 62nd birthday), he killed himself using one of his shotguns.
Hemingway was raised in Oak Park, Illinois. After high school, he spent six months as a cub reporter for The Kansas City Star before enlisting in the Red Cross. He served as an ambulance driver on the Italian Front in World War I and was seriously wounded in 1918. His wartime experiences formed the basis for his 1929 novel A Farewell to Arms. He married Hadley Richardson in 1921, the first of four wives. They moved to Paris where he worked as a foreign correspondent for the Toronto Star and fell under the influence of the modernist writers and artists of the 1920s' "Lost Generation" expatriate community. His debut novel The Sun Also Rises was published in 1926.
He divorced Richardson in 1927 and married Pauline Pfeiffer. They divorced after he returned from the Spanish Civil War, where he had worked as a journalist and which formed the basis for his 1940 novel For Whom the Bell Tolls. Martha Gellhorn became his third wife in 1940. He and Gellhorn separated after he met Mary Welsh Hemingway in London during World War II. Hemingway was present with Allied troops as a journalist at the Normandy landings and the liberation of Paris. He maintained permanent residences in Key West, Florida, in the 1930s and in Cuba in the 1940s and 1950s. On a 1954 trip to Africa, he was seriously injured in two plane accidents on successive days, leaving him in pain and ill health for much of the rest of his life. In 1959, he bought a house in Ketchum, Idaho, where, on July 2, 1961 (a couple weeks before his 62nd birthday), he killed himself using one of his shotguns.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 27, 2022
2.75 My coworker who loves Hemingway told me this was a good place to start with his work, and I can’t say I was disappointed! Though this short story is only about 3 pages, it certainly packs a punch in the symbolism department and leaves a lot for readers to discuss and analyze after finishing. Hemingway’s writing style might take a bit of getting used to with how short and concise his sentences are, but I could see how that no bullshit and to the point writing style could also be addicting and a breeze to get through. I think I’ll have to read a bit more to gauge how I feel about him as an author, but as it stands I’m very interested in his work!
June 6, 2023
the house on fire outside the train says everything about this deceptively simple seeming short story.
with a nice subtle twist of a last sentence.
with a nice subtle twist of a last sentence.
July 20, 2025
" I'm so glad you're Americans. American men make the best husbands," the American lady was saying. "That was why we left the Continent, you know. My daughter fell in love with a man in Vevey."
A Canary for One -~- Ernest Hemingway
I've spent much of today reading Hemingway after finding a volume of his stories that had fallen under my bed.
Nationalism, control, identity, discontent and separation ~~ A Canary for One has them all. An American woman having bought a canary in Palermo is bringing it back for her daughter who has lost interest in life because she cannot marry the man she loves. This American woman talks to a younger couple in the compartment with her on the train, who are also Americans, yet all is not as it seems.
A Canary for One -~- Ernest Hemingway
I've spent much of today reading Hemingway after finding a volume of his stories that had fallen under my bed.
Nationalism, control, identity, discontent and separation ~~ A Canary for One has them all. An American woman having bought a canary in Palermo is bringing it back for her daughter who has lost interest in life because she cannot marry the man she loves. This American woman talks to a younger couple in the compartment with her on the train, who are also Americans, yet all is not as it seems.
December 16, 2016
A curious short story about how nationalism and our preconceived notions about people can blind us. Unlike other Hemingway works, this one had discernible layers, engaging dialogue, and a surprising ending that tied the story together well. More like a 3-star read compared to other Hemingway works, but still a 2-star read when juxtaposed with all of the great writers that exist today (check out my five-star shelf for some of them and their work.)
Four more Hemingway reviews left! Hallelujah.
Four more Hemingway reviews left! Hallelujah.
September 20, 2021
This one reminds me a bit of O. Henry stories because the last sentence puts a completely different spin on things, though there are some hints of things before. And, indeed, that isn't really necessarily the prevailing theme.
September 22, 2022
1/5 estrellas.
Malísimo.
Malísimo.
April 12, 2020
Hemmingway short story that symbolizes control issues. An American lady who wants to control her daughter's life or a least control who she falls in love with. The canary who is in a cage and is under the control of the American lady is trapped and so is her daughter. The lady believes the canary will mend her broken heart so she is bringing it to her in hopes of controlling who she falls in love with. Good luck nothing like having a mother control you love life. That's probably the only thing I found amusing about this story. I wonder if Hemmingway was giggling when he wrote this story.
April 12, 2017
The last sentence summarized this short story and made me confused for a second. That was unexpectedly.
Неожиданный поворот.
Неожиданный поворот.
June 27, 2022
Hemingway's "A Canary for One" is a short story about a mother looking to keep her daughter away from marrying a foreigner.
➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖
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The canary chirped and the feathers on his throats stood out, then he dropped his bill and pecked into his feathers again. The train crossed a river and passed through a very carefully tended forest. The train passed through many outside
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of Paris towns. There were tram-cars in the towns and big advertisements for the Belle Jardinière and Dubonnet and Pernod on the walls toward the train. All that the train passed through looked as though it were before breakfast. For several minutes I had not listened to the American lady, who was talking to my wife. “Is your husband American too?” asked the lady. “Yes,” said my wife. “We’re both Americans.” “I thought you were English.”
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert
An American mother refuses to let her daughter marry a foreigner she loves and looks to keep her under her care, bringing home a canary for her. The mother meets an American married couple and tells them about her daughter. The mother sees the American husband and says that they make the best husbands, yet unknown to her the couple are separated and they go to their separate residences, apparently their marriage is not so happilyu
Highlight (Yellow) | Page 259
“Oh, no.” “Perhaps that was because I wore braces,” I said. I had started to say suspenders and changed it to braces in the mouth, to keep my English character. The American lady did not hear. She was really quite deaf; she read lips, and I had not looked toward her. I had looked out of the window. She went on talking to my wife. “I’m so glad you’re Americans. American men make the best husbands,” the American lady was saying. “That was why we left the Continent, you know. My daughter fell in love with a man in Vevey.” She stopped. “They were simply madly in love.” She stopped again. “I took her away, of course.” “Did she get over it?” asked my wife. “I don’t think so,” said the American lady. “She wouldn’t eat anything and she wouldn’t sleep at all. I’ve tried so very hard, but she doesn’t seem to take an interest in anything. She doesn’t care about things. I couldn’t have her marrying a foreigner.” She paused. “Some one, a
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very good friend, told me once, ’No foreigner can make an American girl a good husband.’” “No,” said my wife, “I suppose not.”
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“Americans make the best husbands,” the American lady said to my wife. I was getting down the bags. “American men are the only men in the world to marry.” “How long ago did you leave Vevey?” asked my wife.
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“Two years ago this fall. It’s her, you know, that I’m taking the canary to.” “Was the man your daughter was in love with a Swiss?” “Yes,” said the American lady. “He was from a very good family in Vevey. He was going to be an engineer. They met there in Vevey. They used to go on long walks together.” “I know Vevey,” said my wife. “We were there on our honeymoon.” “Were you really? That must have been lovely. I had no idea, of course, that she’d fall in love with him.”
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“It was a very lovely place,” said my wife. “Yes,” said the American lady. “Isn’t it lovely? Where did you stop there?” “We stayed at the Trois Couronnes,” said my wife. “It’s such a fine old hotel,” said the American lady. “Yes,” said my wife. “We had a very fine room and in the fall the country was lovely.” “Were you there in the fall?” “Yes,” said my wife.
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The porter brought a truck and piled on the baggage, and my wife said good-by and I said good-by to the American lady, whose name had
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been found by the man from Cook’s on a typewritten page in a sheaf of typewritten pages which he replaced in his pocket. We followed the porter with the truck down the long cement platform beside the train. At the end was a gate and a man took the tickets. We were returning to Paris to set up separate residences.
➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖
Highlight (Yellow) | Page 259
The canary chirped and the feathers on his throats stood out, then he dropped his bill and pecked into his feathers again. The train crossed a river and passed through a very carefully tended forest. The train passed through many outside
Highlight (Yellow) | Page 259
of Paris towns. There were tram-cars in the towns and big advertisements for the Belle Jardinière and Dubonnet and Pernod on the walls toward the train. All that the train passed through looked as though it were before breakfast. For several minutes I had not listened to the American lady, who was talking to my wife. “Is your husband American too?” asked the lady. “Yes,” said my wife. “We’re both Americans.” “I thought you were English.”
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌spoiler alert
An American mother refuses to let her daughter marry a foreigner she loves and looks to keep her under her care, bringing home a canary for her. The mother meets an American married couple and tells them about her daughter. The mother sees the American husband and says that they make the best husbands, yet unknown to her the couple are separated and they go to their separate residences, apparently their marriage is not so happilyu
Highlight (Yellow) | Page 259
“Oh, no.” “Perhaps that was because I wore braces,” I said. I had started to say suspenders and changed it to braces in the mouth, to keep my English character. The American lady did not hear. She was really quite deaf; she read lips, and I had not looked toward her. I had looked out of the window. She went on talking to my wife. “I’m so glad you’re Americans. American men make the best husbands,” the American lady was saying. “That was why we left the Continent, you know. My daughter fell in love with a man in Vevey.” She stopped. “They were simply madly in love.” She stopped again. “I took her away, of course.” “Did she get over it?” asked my wife. “I don’t think so,” said the American lady. “She wouldn’t eat anything and she wouldn’t sleep at all. I’ve tried so very hard, but she doesn’t seem to take an interest in anything. She doesn’t care about things. I couldn’t have her marrying a foreigner.” She paused. “Some one, a
Highlight (Yellow) | Page 260
very good friend, told me once, ’No foreigner can make an American girl a good husband.’” “No,” said my wife, “I suppose not.”
Highlight (Yellow) | Page 260
“Americans make the best husbands,” the American lady said to my wife. I was getting down the bags. “American men are the only men in the world to marry.” “How long ago did you leave Vevey?” asked my wife.
Highlight (Yellow) | Page 260
“Two years ago this fall. It’s her, you know, that I’m taking the canary to.” “Was the man your daughter was in love with a Swiss?” “Yes,” said the American lady. “He was from a very good family in Vevey. He was going to be an engineer. They met there in Vevey. They used to go on long walks together.” “I know Vevey,” said my wife. “We were there on our honeymoon.” “Were you really? That must have been lovely. I had no idea, of course, that she’d fall in love with him.”
Highlight (Yellow) | Page 261
“It was a very lovely place,” said my wife. “Yes,” said the American lady. “Isn’t it lovely? Where did you stop there?” “We stayed at the Trois Couronnes,” said my wife. “It’s such a fine old hotel,” said the American lady. “Yes,” said my wife. “We had a very fine room and in the fall the country was lovely.” “Were you there in the fall?” “Yes,” said my wife.
Highlight (Yellow) | Page 261
The porter brought a truck and piled on the baggage, and my wife said good-by and I said good-by to the American lady, whose name had
Highlight (Yellow) | Page 261
been found by the man from Cook’s on a typewritten page in a sheaf of typewritten pages which he replaced in his pocket. We followed the porter with the truck down the long cement platform beside the train. At the end was a gate and a man took the tickets. We were returning to Paris to set up separate residences.
February 4, 2020
Compared to some other of Hemingway's stories, this is quite skilful and he does pull something off. But don't believe the hype. This is from his second collection of short stories, Men Without Women, and the man and his distinct writing style were at the time — 1927 — still novel and unusual and making waves.
Sadly, it's artfulness has paled over time, and although it would get a second look compared to some work, it would today be seen as an 'also-ran'.
The notable thing about Hemingway is that he hit the ground running with his first collection of stories and his first novel, but even that novel was a tad lame for those expecting fireworks, although its — for then extremely raunchy subject matter (boozing! extra-marital shagging! my!) and writing style made it sell with the young ones. After that it really was a slow — a very slow, but definite — decline.
A Farewell To Arms sold well, but was to be frank pretty ordinary, the 1930s work was negligible, then came For Whom The Bell tolls in 1941, judged by many either to be bad with good bits, or good but with some extraordinary bad bits (the line 'Did the earth move for thee?' asked by a man of his lover after sex is from the novel), and after that, zilch.
Even Hemingway enthusiasts were lukewarm about his final huge success, The Old Man And The Sea, and many accused him of parodying himself. I don't think he did, he just wasn't very good. He didn't die for another seven years.
The work published 'posthumously' and heavily edited to make it readable is bollocks. Therer you have it, 'a legend'.
Sadly, it's artfulness has paled over time, and although it would get a second look compared to some work, it would today be seen as an 'also-ran'.
The notable thing about Hemingway is that he hit the ground running with his first collection of stories and his first novel, but even that novel was a tad lame for those expecting fireworks, although its — for then extremely raunchy subject matter (boozing! extra-marital shagging! my!) and writing style made it sell with the young ones. After that it really was a slow — a very slow, but definite — decline.
A Farewell To Arms sold well, but was to be frank pretty ordinary, the 1930s work was negligible, then came For Whom The Bell tolls in 1941, judged by many either to be bad with good bits, or good but with some extraordinary bad bits (the line 'Did the earth move for thee?' asked by a man of his lover after sex is from the novel), and after that, zilch.
Even Hemingway enthusiasts were lukewarm about his final huge success, The Old Man And The Sea, and many accused him of parodying himself. I don't think he did, he just wasn't very good. He didn't die for another seven years.
The work published 'posthumously' and heavily edited to make it readable is bollocks. Therer you have it, 'a legend'.
July 1, 2025
I just read A Canary for One by Hemingway, and honestly, I wasn’t a fan. I’d give it 2 stars. The writing itself is fine—it’s Hemingway, so it’s got that clean, stripped-down style—but the story left a bad taste in my mouth.
The whole thing takes place on a train, with this older American woman talking nonstop about how only Americans should marry other Americans, and how her daughter couldn’t marry a foreign guy because of it. And yeah, it’s pretty racist. I know Hemingway was probably trying to show how narrow-minded and oblivious she is, but still, having to sit through her rambling was kind of exhausting. I just didn’t enjoy reading it.
The “twist” at the end is kind of clever—when you realize what’s actually going on with the narrator and his wife—but it didn’t make up for how annoying the lady was or how uncomfortable her worldview made me feel. Maybe that was the point, but it didn’t feel like there was enough pushback or commentary on it. It just sort of... sits there.
Anyway, 2 stars. Technically well-written, but not something I’d recommend unless you’re doing a deep dive on Hemingway or need it for class. Just not enjoyable.
The whole thing takes place on a train, with this older American woman talking nonstop about how only Americans should marry other Americans, and how her daughter couldn’t marry a foreign guy because of it. And yeah, it’s pretty racist. I know Hemingway was probably trying to show how narrow-minded and oblivious she is, but still, having to sit through her rambling was kind of exhausting. I just didn’t enjoy reading it.
The “twist” at the end is kind of clever—when you realize what’s actually going on with the narrator and his wife—but it didn’t make up for how annoying the lady was or how uncomfortable her worldview made me feel. Maybe that was the point, but it didn’t feel like there was enough pushback or commentary on it. It just sort of... sits there.
Anyway, 2 stars. Technically well-written, but not something I’d recommend unless you’re doing a deep dive on Hemingway or need it for class. Just not enjoyable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2021
Analysis of Short Story 02: Found nothing Special...
Characteristics:
Background is a train ride of 3 human beings and a canary. Canary is like the symbol of the whole story. There is a barrier between the humans and the bird which is the cage. Humans used this cage to enslave the bird and for their own pleasure. The bird has emotions of it own which we don't care!! We, the humans, as a species or as individuals, only think about us, not about others (Narcissism)! And this Narcissism leads to disaster in human relations (that's the main theme).
Hemingway was always a twisted mofo. He kinda ruined 50% of readers imaginations in the last line and he did it deliberately. The whole story was dull and boring and in the last line you just get a shock, somehow you are relieved, somehow you are shocked also, thinking, why the fuck do you have to do that, hemingway? Yet, if he did not include the last line, then there wouldn't be any meaning of the story at all. That is the genius of Hemingway!
Characteristics:
Background is a train ride of 3 human beings and a canary. Canary is like the symbol of the whole story. There is a barrier between the humans and the bird which is the cage. Humans used this cage to enslave the bird and for their own pleasure. The bird has emotions of it own which we don't care!! We, the humans, as a species or as individuals, only think about us, not about others (Narcissism)! And this Narcissism leads to disaster in human relations (that's the main theme).
Hemingway was always a twisted mofo. He kinda ruined 50% of readers imaginations in the last line and he did it deliberately. The whole story was dull and boring and in the last line you just get a shock, somehow you are relieved, somehow you are shocked also, thinking, why the fuck do you have to do that, hemingway? Yet, if he did not include the last line, then there wouldn't be any meaning of the story at all. That is the genius of Hemingway!
June 30, 2024
This piece of writing convinced me about the power of symbolism that Hemingway holds. Reading about the American lady, a central character of the book, demolished a wall between me and the human prototype developed throughout the lecture. Also, for me, the canary represents the theoretical image of the daughter. I really believe it is a great illustration of how the mother acts around her infant. It is an opportunity to analyse the protective and biased behaviour of the American lady. This kind of attitude affected the relations her and the daughter were involved in, especially reflecting the young girl’s love life. Furthermore, this specific piece of literature can be read by everyone, including children. There are plenty of “tokens” for each and every age, so the book could have several meanings and impacts, depending on the person reading it.
It is definitely one of my favourites!
It is definitely one of my favourites!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 3, 2026
I mean, I heard it as an audiobook so... that's not the best way to experience Hemingway's subtle writing, so take that as you may.
The story is OK, I searched for the meaning afterwards and that helped me understand it better but yeah, I guess it's just okay. NOT BAD! Not brilliant, it's just a good experiment on writing and reading.
If you are thinking about checking it out, then do yourself a favor and read it slowly, no audio version.
The story is OK, I searched for the meaning afterwards and that helped me understand it better but yeah, I guess it's just okay. NOT BAD! Not brilliant, it's just a good experiment on writing and reading.
If you are thinking about checking it out, then do yourself a favor and read it slowly, no audio version.
January 1, 2022
If the other reviewers, and the bumptious Hemingway, had read more French literature they would understand why an American woman wouldn't want her daughter involved with a man from Vevey. It doesn't have anything to do with nationalism, provincialism, or naiveté, quite the opposite actually.
Want to read
June 24, 2020How to read this book?
Can anyone tell me
Can anyone tell me
January 7, 2021
This one is sad, and I love it.
February 24, 2022
Not my favorite Hemmingway short story but definitely good for practicing understanding symbolism and recognizing themes
June 20, 2023
"We were returning to Paris to set up separate residences"
April 4, 2024
Gotta love Americans
April 6, 2024
A short- short story with a twist at the end...no spoilers.
October 1, 2024
Are there layers to Hemingway’s works that I’m not reaching? This story makes me wonder.
September 7, 2025
The description about black people is just jarring and the story is boring and the dialogue repetitive
October 14, 2025
Last sentence is a punch to the gut. Hemingway doesn’t bullshit you.
October 24, 2025
Mildly interesting short story about how a controlling mother can ruin your life.
December 16, 2025
I was considering two stars for my rating while reading, but the ending saved this story.
Read
January 23, 2023Quintessential Hemingway in its European train setting, with feeble, talkative women. You don’t read Ernest and assume his glorification of the opposite sex, which might be more jarring than it is if it weren’t adjacent to an almost equally negative depiction of men, at least in this story. This story, like many Hemingway’s do, worked toward a finality achieved in its last line, that upended the clearly mistaken idea championed in the beginning. Not his best, but had all the ticks of classic Ernest.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews