In Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” I found many layers of symbolism, and a fascinating psychological underplay afoot between his two characters. It begins with the girl’s comment about a line of white hills seen in the distance, which she compares to white elephants. The man responds with the comment “I’ve never seen one.”
The symbolism of a white elephant is widely known as something very large or apparent that no one wishes to acknowledge or speak of in American society. It is an interesting opening to a very strained conversation concerning an apparent pregnancy, and the man’s wish to terminate it. The couple’s careful avoidance of actually naming the problem, or the proposed solution, suggests the situation in which a mate, reluctant to assume responsibility, or unprepared for the task of parenthood, is lobbying to prevent it.
In her next comment, “No, you wouldn’t have.” the girl returns a very passive aggressive riposte, perhaps suggesting that the man cannot, or will not, recognize an unpleasant issue. His defensive reaction to her response suggests that she is correct. She then changes the subject casually, as though retreating from his irritation. He plays along with it in a placatory manner, seemingly eager to avoid an escalation of the tension that obviously exists between them. Clearly, the woman in this story is reluctant to abort her pregnancy, while the man is strongly committed to making it happen.
After he orders them...
Gale. Weeks, Lewis E., Jr. "Hemingway Hills: Symbolism in 'Hills like White'" Elephants. Studies in Short Fiction. 17.1 (Winter 1980): 75-77.
There is a never ending list of what makes some people amazing story tellers. Some writers have vast imaginations, other writers use the lives of others in their stories and other writers use their lived experiences in order to write moving works of art. Most books, works of poetry and short stories that revolve around lived experiences share a common theme of love, hate or both. As these are emotions that all humans share, However, there are some stories that have far more unique. Stories like “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien and “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway. Both O’Brien and Hemingway come from two completely separate walks of life but were both able to write stories using the same theme of emotional and physical
---, "Hills Like White Elephants." The Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway. New York: Charles Scribner?s Sons, 1953. 273-278.
Initially, light during Hester’s stay in prison is a reminder of the judgements of society. When Hester first comes out of the prison to face her trial, “She bore in her arms a child, a baby of some three months old, who winked and turned aside its little face from the too vivid light of day; because its existence, heretofore, had brought it acquainted only with the gray twilight of a dungeon, or other darksome apartment of the prison.” (Hawthorne, 50). Within the confines of the prison, Hester and the baby were safe from the judgments of the townspeople. This is why, during the child’s first exposure to the town, she turns away. She is not used to the invasive light and the cruelty. However, in the forest, light transforms into a symbol of truth and purity, just as Pearl’s relationship with it does too. As Hester and Pearl are entering the forest to meet Dimmesdale, Pearl is captivated by the sunlight, and notices that it does not shine upon her mother, due to the scarlet “A” on her chest. Meanwhile, Pearl absorbed the sunlight. “As she attempted to do so, the sunshine vanished; or, to judge from the bright expression that was dancing in Pearl’s features, her mother could have fancied that the child had absorbed it into herself” (Hawthorne, 180). This scene reinforces the symbolism of light to depict purity and truth. Pearl had always been truthful, and never sinned, thus
Firearms changed the landscape of the world. They brought a chilling reality to the easiness of death, and forever altered the way human civilization operated. Upgrading from swords and shields to firearms forever changed the battlefield, and our streets. A movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, Sandy Hooks Elementary School, a Sikh religious center, and even U.S. Military Installations have all been targeted by gun violence, showing us that guns are dangerous in all situations. Gun control has been an issue that plagues not only the United States as a nation, but rather affects the world as a whole. The violence that can be caused by a firearm is inevitable and extremely dissatisfying to many people around the world. Unless you’ve been living your past years without a Internet connection, newspapers, or television, you have probably heard everything when it comes to gun control. Jeffery Goldberg is one of the many who chimed in on the matter to try to add some opinion. After reviewing the works of Goldberg, “The Case for More Guns (and More Gun Control)” , we discovered some key fallacies including false analogy and hasty generalization. Although Goldberg is a reputable author, fallacies in his arguments made his work less credible, and made his argument weaker. However, before we can divulge into the article, we must first know why gun control is such an important issue in America, and why such a rampant debate rages on, even today.
“Hills Like White Elephants”, is a short story by Ernest Hemingway. It was first published in August 1927, in the literary magazine Transition, then later in the 1927 short story collection Men Without Women. “Hills Like White Elephants” tells the story of an American man and a woman having some beers outside the station bar as they wait for the train to Barcelona. It elaborates on how an irresponsible couple, unaccustomed to serious communication, interact in a poisonous relationship and try to manipulate each other to get what they want. “Hills Like White Elephants" is an extraordinary example of human communication.
There is no single answer to end the debate on gun control. Many variables must be examined but the evidence presented cannot be ignored. Gun control does not end violence, but makes the law-abiding citizens more vulnerable. In the 1878 Arkansas case of Wilson v. State, a judge stated, “Common sense dictates that inanimate objects, such as guns, are not responsible for human behavior. We don’t hold a match responsible for arson or a camera responsible for pornography. We rightly hold the people who misuse these tools liable. The same should be true for guns.”
Emily Elizabeth Dickinson is known for being one of the greatest American poets. She is described as a death-obsessed writer whose poems embodied the truth and hidden humor about death. She proved that death is a mystery and it must be unveiled. Through her poem “If I Should Die”, Emily Dickinson confronts death peacefully. Her approach to death in this poem reflects her spirituality and defines her title as a metaphysical poet.
Hemingway, Ernest. "Hills Like White Elephants." Exploring Literature: Writing and Thinking About Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and the Essay. Second Edition. Frank Madden. New York: Pearson Education, 2004. 486-489.
In "Hills like White Elephants", Hemingway exposes the complexities of a relationship between an American man and a girl. In order to do this, he clarifies unspoken opinions of the main characters through the symbols of the white elephants, beaded curtains and the landscape; showing that a compromise can never be achieved. As with every relationship, couples need to communicate effectively to be happy. Hemingway uses the symbols to not only give us a better understanding of the story but also to carry out the theme of communication vs talking in his story.
Cullina, Alice. Chainani, Soman ed. *Emily Dickinson's Collected Poems Summary*. GradeSaver, 26 July 2009 Web. 26 March 2011.
On average, around 15 million abortions occurred among younger, unmarried women ranging within the childbearing ages of 15-44. In which case, the reader could infer that Jig was among that age range in the text because she was bearing a child. It does not state if the man and Jig were married, but one could infer that they were not married due to the way they were described as young and were traveling instead of settled while Jig was pregnant. This could also infer that Jig became pregnant unexpectedly and very sudden. Becoming pregnant unexpectedly leaves a woman at a higher risk for considering an abortion. The higher risk could be due to her or her partner unready for a child or have an unmet need for contraception. Which could explain why the young couple was highly considering the abortion. Allowing the reader to know this information, it could enlighten them to realize why the man is encouraging Jig to have the abortion at a subtly aggressive extent. He is unready to have the responsibility of a child or a family. In Spain, where the story occurs, abortion is a legal option for women in the first 14 weeks of their pregnancy. This implies that Jig would receive a safe abortion, meaning after receiving the
Almost unknown as a poet in her lifetime, Emily Dickinson is now considered as one of the most mysterious and original American poet of 19th century for her innovation in rhythmic meters and creative use of metaphors. Her poems were rarely published in Russia because most of them had religious content (to express religious feelings was restricted in Russia for almost a century). However, some poems that I read impressed me at the first glance. Dickinson’s poems spoke powerfully to me about meaningful events in living. Many impressions that she compressed into only few words helped me to understand my own experience through her emotional clarity. It was not easy to understand Dickinson’s poems. I had to read “between lines” to get what she meant. However, her poems contained the pain and sorrow to which I can easily relate because of several losses that I had to go through in my own personal life.
I thought I had a good grasp on it at first, but soon I came to realize that I didn’t have any goals. I tried to make some goals but they all turned out to be aspirations. Since then I’ve put a lot of thought into it and made sure my goals met all the points of the SMART system. So looking at the future I want I can’t predict anything but I can plan what I will be doing to get there. I have committed my time to school, work, and fitness. School will always come first, because if I want to become a professor it is the important for my future career. Work is second because I want too much and everything costs money. My truck and gas and insurance all come out of my pocket and there crucial so that I can get to and from school. I did not work out at all this summer and I since then have gone to the gym every day and have found that I feel better. I want to be healthy so this is now something I want to commit my time
Almost unknown as a poet in her lifetime, Emily Dickinson is now considered as one of the most mysterious and original American poets of 19th century for her innovation in rhythmic meters and creative use of metaphors. Her poems were rarely published in Russia because most of them had religious content (to express religious feelings was restricted in Russia for almost a century). However, some poems that I read impressed me at the first glance. Dickinson’s poems spoke powerfully to me about meaningful events in living. Many impressions that she compressed into only few words helped me to understand my own experience through her emotional clarity. It was not easy to understand Dickinson’s poems. I had to read “between lines” to get what she meant. However, her poems contained the pain and sorrow to which I can easily relate because of several losses that I had to go through in my own personal life.