38 pages 1 hour read

Ernest Hemingway

To Have And Have Not

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1937

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Chapters 18-20Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 18 Summary

Albert and Harry are waiting on the boat when an explosion comes from the bank, and the Cubans run out, shooting everyone in their path. While Albert screams about helping the poor bank customers, Harry watches the men jump into the taxi and speed toward them. They arrive and quickly throw the bags full of money into the boat. When Albert protests that these men are criminals, Roberto, the big Cuban, shoots Albert three times in the chest, killing him.

As Harry pushes the boat full throttle, he knows there are only two speedboats that can catch them, and both are out of commission. Harry is clearly angry that the Cubans killed Albert but pretends to be friendly and helpful to them in order to seem unsuspicious. He suggests throwing Albert’s body overboard, and while he and Roberto do so, Harry kicks the man’s machine gun overboard as well, eliminating one potential threat. As the men settle in for the night, Harry questions a young polite man, Emilio, about the Cuban revolution. Harry listens as Emilio speaks about “free[ing] [the country] from tyranny” (168) but inwardly dismisses him as a “radical” (166).

After dark, Harry takes a few sips from the Bacardi bottle, steps down into the cockpit, and grabs the semi-automatic weapon hidden there.