Ernest Hemingway is well known for his intense masculinity in his writing. Almost all of his stories have focused on a man being the main focus and hero at the ending. In his life, he has a view of an extremely masculine world consisting of fighting, war, and hunting which reflect in his writing. But what are readers to make of Hemingway's view on women. I would say many feminist critics would find Hemingway might be a bit aggressive and hostile toward woman in a way. Women, are sometimes portrayed as a bad influence on men, weakening their heroic masculine powers. In Ernest Hemingway's story "Hills like White Elephants" is told through the dialogue of two protagonists at a train station in Spain.
All of the hotel labels on their bags are evidence of their busy traveling lifestyle, and their conversations show that they have a struggling romantic relationship. The girl in the story, Jig, explains that their unexciting lifestyle consists of nothing but "look at things and try new drinks." The absence of discussing the girl's feelings and emotions to the American suggests that their relationship is not meaningful or serious. The simple, and calm setting as well as the lack of imagery on their side of Ebro hills reflects their life, but contrasts the rise of tension in their conversations.
As their sitting
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The child inside Jig will require unconditional care, love, and much expenses once it's born. The American realizes that if Jig were to continue with the pregnancy, He would have to settle down and consider raising a family. Which would mean putting an end to traveling and seeing the world. Their lifestyle would not be possible with a baby, or it would be very difficult to continue in its current form. Therefore, the American thinks an abortion is the best
Hence, it implies her disbelief and realization that things would not change much whether or not she got the abortion. Jig’s desire to keep the child is further evident when she tells him “[they] can get along” (593). She sees the possibility of a happy life with the child; the American sees it as an obstacle. Therefore, he continues in his effort to persuade her otherwise because “[he knows] lots of people that have done it” (592).... ...
Through his endless amounts of pestering he never finds a way to get his desire and true feelings across to the young lady and becomes increasingly bothersome because of his inability to convey his feelings. “‘We can have the whole world,’ the American declares. ‘No we [cannot],’ Jig retorts. ‘ We can go everywhere.’ No, we [cannot]. It [is not] ours any more.’ ‘[It is] ours.’ ‘No, it [is not].’” (3) The American is insistent on continuing the nomadic lifestyle that the couple lives by aborting this baby, and pesters Jig continually hoping to sway her with the thought of living their same lifestyle that they currently live. However he never directly tells her his desires and instead attempts to manipulate her as he feels his desire is in their best interest regardless of how he achieves his desire. However he does not realize that in his examples he is strengthening Jig’s resolve and conviction in her own wishes. Earlier on in the narrative the American is quick to turn and begin attempting to conform Jig, without any warning or inkling of a change in topic he quickly turns it into what he wants: “‘Should we have another drink?’ ‘All right.’ ‘The [beer is] nice and cool,’ the man says. ‘[It is] lovely,’ Jig agrees. ‘[It is] really a simple operation, Jig… I know you [would not] mind it.’ [Jig] did not say anything.” (2) Without transition or a telling sign, the American quickly turns an agreement about how lovely the cool beer is on a warm day, into pressuring Jig to conform to his desires. All because of his selfish need and lack of responsibility to settle down and lead a life where they can raise the child, and his desire to continue living a life of excess and materialism, yet he cannot convey these desires of him
There is a common theme in “Hill’s like White Elephants” and “The Birthmark” of a life altering decision. Both women are thinking about having an operation that will affect them for the rest of their lives. In “Hill’s like White Elephants”, Jig and the American are debating whether or not they should have an abortion. This decision is something that will affect both of them deeply throughout their lives together. By the way the two characters interact with each other the reader can deduce how important they feel the operation is. There seems to be a tension in their sentences with each other. Jig says things like “Everything tastes of licorice. Especially all the things you've waited so long for” and “That's all we do, isn't it-look at things and try new drinks” (Hemingway 841)? These responses to the American show that Jig is in a distasteful state of mind which would most likely stem from her thoughts about the operation and what they will do in regard to it. Because these thoughts of the operation are affecting her socially, it shows just how important the operation is to her. How Jig interprets the scenery around them while they are discussing the operation also suggests the importance ...
Hemingway, does not, however, tell us that there is in fact an abortion. Jigg and her lover lead a very simple life before they are forced to consider a solution to their situation. “That’s all we do, isn’t it—look at things and try new drinks?” said Jigg (Hemingway 2). With the “awfully simple operation” (Hemingway 2), however, their entire world will be turned upside down. The American reassures Jigg “It’s really not anything…” and the entire process will be over in a few minutes; everything will be completely natural and fine. Yet Jigg, worried about their life together afterwards, asks the American what will happen. He responds, “Just like we were before.” (Hemingway 2). This leads one to believe absolutely no change will happen, at least in the eyes of the characters. In the story of Jigg and the American, there is what some consider a death (abortion) and what some simply consider an operation. Jigg is worried things will change from the way things were between herself and the American. The American continues to reassure Jigg that by having the “perfectly natural” operation things will go back to normal and “We’ll be fine afterward.” (Hemingway
...ision is left to be made that the 1930's society hasn't already made for them. The social makeup of the era lifted the ability of women to make such decisions on their own. Pro-choice wasn't even a concept at this time of near total male domination of the social and legal scene. It would be some time before women would actually have the ability to choose what to do with their own bodies and this choice is why this story wouldn't translate very well into a modern time. The ability of women now days to choose what to do with themselves and their ever increasing independence makes them less reliant on a man for support. This is power which Jig is lacking and has left her in her situation. Her complete dependence upon the American has granted him the control over her to do as he wishes. Unfortunately, Jig would have many years before the situation would change.
Mainly from the dialogue between America and Jig, it seems that the two are an unmarried couple. Their discussion suggests that they are facing some kind of problem. With further analysis, we can begin to discern that the couple was actually talking about having an abortion. It was not explicitly stated, but with their words, "this is really not an operation at any" one can perceive that they were in fact talking about having an abortion.
A baby is precious and life changing, which makes Jig desire to keep the baby and progress with her companion. Jig does not want to travel and repeat her everyday adventures for the rest of her life. Unfortunately, her companion will try anything to convince Jig to have an abortion. "We'll be fine afterward. Just like we were before." "What makes you think so?" "That's the only thing that bothers us. It'...
Hills Like White Elephants, written by Ernest Hemingway, is a story that takes place in Spain while a man and woman wait for a train. The story is set up as a dialogue between the two, in which the man is trying to convince the woman to do something she is hesitant in doing. Through out the story, Hemingway uses metaphors to express the characters’ opinions and feelings.
The character of Jig is also very indecisive. After The American Man is persuading her to have an abortion, she states that she is willing to have the operation if it will make The American Man happy, and insures he will no longer worry. She also states that since she doesn’t care about herself, she will have the procedure because it will please The American Man. Later during the story, while they are outside looking at the hills, the two have the conversation of:
The Scarlet Letter can easily be seen as an early feminist piece of work. Nathaniel Hawthorne created a story that exemplifies Hester as a strong female character living with her choices, whether they were good or bad, and also as the protagonist. He also presents the daughter of Hester, Pearl, as an intelligent female, especially for her age. He goes on to prove man as imperfect through both the characters of Dimmesdale and of Chillingworth. With the situation that all the characters face, Hawthorne establishes the female as the triumphant one, accomplishing something that, during Nathaniel Hawthorne’s time, authors did not attempt.
From Jigs transition into thinking they could have the child and “get along” we notice the transition the American makes as well, when he goes to the ‘other side’ of the tracks and finally goes into the bar. As described earlier, the other side of the tracks are where Jig saw the fields of grain and the Ebro. The man unknowingly walked into his decision. After all, he did reaffirm to Jig that “I don’t want you to do it if you don’t want to”, after she asks “Doesn’t it mean anything to you” he replies “Of course it does”. (Hemingway) Ernest Hemingway is asserting that no matter what Jig decides, the man will be there. We can translate this into his code hero, by being courageous even when he sees it as the death of his way of life. Once the man puts the bags down there are three important factors that come into play. He look sup the track but does not see the train and he goes into the bar, something that had separated the two from the very beginning was the bead curtain. Not seeing the train gives us the idea that they couple ultimately des not decide to go to Madrid and there for does not have the abortion. When he returns from the bar he also walks through the curtain, which was seen as a barrier the entire time in the story. This is his transition that he listens to Jig and in the end understands that she is wanting to have the child. Code hero tells us that the man will be courageous and in the end lose to the
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
Upon first look, Hemingway drops the reader right into that conversation and leaves them to deciphering what the couple is talking about. It is not until the reader recognizes the couple is talking about having an abortion that they can truly understand the depth of the story. Starting with just the setting, the couple sits at more than just a train station. Instead, they sit at a juncture from which they will either have or not have the abortion. Even the sides are polar opposites, with one side covered in “fields of grain” and “mountains”, the other “dry” with a few hills (Schlib 299). Jig constantly admires the fertile side, leading toward a “settled family life” (Akers 168) and using the landscape to relate the truth of how she feels about her unborn child. During this, Jig acts as “her own chorus” by “standing outside herself and seeing the larger situation” (Akers 167) when she says “And we could have all this… And we could have everything and every day make it more impossible” (Schlib 299). However, Hemingway spares no imagery and symbolism as Jig sees “the shadow of a cloud” (Schlib 299) moving over the field foreshadowing “the death of her unborn child” (Akers 168). All the while, the American fights for Jig to have the abortion. The white elephants mentioned in the story is an analogy to the unborn child. While a white elephant is
The taste of freedom to this American Man is something he can’t do without. The thought of leaving his life style would make him put someone’s life at risk. The American Man manipulate Jig to get want he wants is to make life without him hard to do. “He chooses his words advantageously, almost deceitfully when trying to convince the girl who an abortion is easy surgery.” (Susanty) The manipulating in this story is hard to define the love that is between The American man and Jig. The American man is making men more dominated over women. That the only way to love someone is to make sure everything is all right by putting other’s lives in risk. The women in the story are either waiting on commands by men or treated like helpless children. Hashmi says, “the American does have "metaphorical capacity," and if he seems unable to grasp the white elephant’s simile it is because he "sees nothing of the beauty or the promise of a more romantic life that prompts Jig's simile. He simply chooses to "shut off" the discussion.” He didn’t want the images or thought of being a father, yet not having as much freedom like he does now. To keep Jig focused, The American stops her from discussing it. This will put Jig back in her place as far as who is dominant in the
Society was constructed in such a way that is must adequately fit and mold into the needs necessary for the succession of man, and man only, within the early twentieth century. Though our societal values and morals have gradually shifted over the years, there are still subtle reminders that gender inequality still exists within today’s society. A notably recognized feminist and social activist, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, utilized her nonfiction work to strongly support and promote her social theories and beliefs. Particularly, Gilman’s short story, “The Yellow Wallpaper”, was unique in such a way because it exposed vulnerable truth behind the treatment of women dealing with their mental health in a society that heavily relied on man’s guidance