Hills_Like_White_Elephants

Earnest Hemingway presents to us his readers a straightfoward short story of a man and young woman who battles over a life changing decision. The interaction of Jig and her American man where not completely of the norm of 1927. You have a man whom of which comes off as if he is in control of the decisions of his mate Jig (from what she drinks right down the obortnation of her child) yet still concerned with his mates overall happiness against his own and Jig a woman who comes into acuantance and realization of her strong femenist side. Back during 1927 it was most likely that the man posessed the power and the woman was more submisive and went easily along with all decisions made by him. However, here in this peace we have Jig who speaks her mind all while being somewhat submisive, but wins her battle of personal choice in the end. Hemingways dialogue usage between his two main characters is much more than a brief conversation between two lovers, it shows us his themes, characterizations and even gives those of us readers who pay close attition, the eventual outcome and posible final decision. Two seasonal travelers whom look to have been together for quite some time sit on the side of the train staition where the view is of barren and desolate land, with “no shade and no trees refered to as hills like white elephants by Jig; this sybolizes the unwanted baby, (white elephant: a possession entailing great expense out of proportion to its usefulness or value to the owner) (White elephant, n.d).The White Elephant is an animal that is considered rare, precious and sacred—symbolizing their unborn child (Weeks 1). Hints of hotel labels are given to us pointing out that the two live a transient lifestyle and gives us the reason and understanding of why the two are sitting at the train station discussing whether or not the girl should get an abortion. Throughout the conversation we see the American man constantly attempt to downplan the abortion procedure“It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig,” the man said. “It’s not really an operation at all.” (Hemingway, 1927) and continually push things into his favor, yet but to only lead Jig to developing an even more strong feminist mindset. Minipulation defeated! Tired of being on the sideof the train station with the view of the barren land, Jig finally asserts herself and is able to separate herself from her male companion; physically distances herself by leaving the table and walking to the other end of the station with the opposing view of the hills (Renner 5). This is where Jig's power shines most, her walking away to other side where the hills seem reminiscent of a pregnant stomach, full of life and excitement and signifies her looking at another image of life, giving herself opportunnity to think in peace and for herself of her dilemma without the outside pressure of the American man miliputive reasonings of her proceeding to have the obortion. Here in this moment is where Hemingway shows us the strength of a woman who defies the submissive expectation of women. This is strongly emphasized when Jig asks, “Can’t we maybe stop talking'” (Hemingway 575), demonstrating her frustration with her male companion and a willingness to finally stop his coercion. Jig showing her courage and feminist strength takes it even futher as to threatening her boyfriend that she will scream if he continues to press the subject. A display of her defiance of female oppression is seen here when she physically stands up and standing up for herself against her boyfriend Jig. Much sybolism is seen throughout the short story, the White Elephant, the train station two sides (on one side barren and desolate land, with “no shade and no trees, and the other hills, vegetation, “fields of grain and trees,” and life) and hotel labels signifing their travel and transient lifestyle.These two clearly have a huge huge decision to make, one side of the tracks or the other, a child or an abortion, and the few lines of descriptive scenery aid to explain this struggle. The two sides of the hill reflect the story’s conflict over the abortion: the side the couple first sits at described as “brown and dry” and having no trees (Hemingway 95), whereas “the other side, having fields of grain and trees along its banks” (Hemingway, 35 and 70). The first side is barren, dry and lacking life reflecting the decision to have an abortion. The other side of the hills is full of life and color symbolizing the chance to have a family and to keep the baby (Weeks 2). At first reading its seems as if Hemingway leaves it up to us to determain the stories ending. However this is not so upon my second reading I saw that the end is where Jig advaces her completion of her strong feminist feeling and development of deciding against the wanted abortion request of her American companion. This is done in her lines“There’s nothing wrong with me. I feel fine” (Hemingway 575). These two strong statement lines refers to her pregnancy and her relizing nothing is wrong with wanting to have her child and coming to this decision by herself. Her power is shown here as her satement and understates her true feelings of triumph over her boyfriend and society’s emphasis on men dominating women (Renner 6). It is in Hemingways way of ending the story with Jig's physical movement from on lifeless side of the train station to the other colorful and more lively side as to the same in her companion moving the lugage, him agreeing with her of the decision she expressed of being against the abortion, “I’d better take the bags over to the other side of the station” (Hemingway, 105). Above in my discusion I brought up Jig threatening to scream and further speak about the abortion, here is where the man realizes that she has made a decision and that decision lead the two to the oposite side of the track the side with trees, grain and life connotative of the decision to keep the baby (Fletcher 1).“She was sitting at the table and smiled at him” (Hemingway, 105). The smile signifies a positive outcome, and satisfaction felt for asserting herself, making her own decision and the obvious excitement involved with becoming a mother (Fletcher 2). References Fletcher, Mary Dell. "Hemingway's 'Hills Like White Elephants'" Explicator 38.4 (1980): 16-19. Ebsco. Literary Reference Center. CCCCD. 12 Apr. 2007 . White elephant. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Retrieved October 17, 2011, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/white elephant[->0] Renner, Stanley. "Moving to the Girl's Side of 'Hills Like White Elephants'" Hemingway Review 15.1 (1995): 27-42. Ebsco. Literary Reference Center. CCCCD. 12 Apr. 2. Weeks Jr, Lewis E. "Hemingway Hills: Symbolism in 'Hills Like White Elephants'" Studies in Short Fiction 17.1 (1980): 75-78. Ebsco. Literary Reference Center. CCCCD. 12 Apr. 2007 . [->0] - http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/white%20elephant