Ernest Hemingway's short story "Hills like White Elephants" provides insight on 19th century gender roles. The story takes place in the Spain's Ebro Valley and is a tale of a couple that appears to have been backpacking through Europe staying at various places. At first the narrator describes a grating image of a train stop, a transit location where people pass en route to another destination. The couple sit down a order two beers to pass time as they are waiting for there connecting train to arrive in forty minutes. Suddenly, the girl who is nicknamed Jig, brings up the comment "[The hills] look like white elephants". As a dialogue unfolds you learn that Jig has something else on her mind. Then her friend, says "It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig". It becomes apparent that Jig is pregnant and her male companion is attempting to convince her to have an abortion. The pregnancy seems to be a result of all the parting they have been doing. Now that a baby has been conceived the man is doing everything in his power to stop the pregnancy.
Jig is reluctant to do the abortion and continued to observe the scenery, showing her emotional state. The man eventually is successful in convincing that the abortion is the best and simplest option. In the process the couple display very different behaviors; the male as a analytical and very cold attitude while Jig shows a very warm perspective on life. Jig attempts to save the baby. by trying show her friend how go they can be together. Even though the story is focused on the conversation of the abortion, Hemingway presents the reader with multiple underlying problems with the gender roles. The characters are polar opposites and the irony of the fact that they are crossroads and seem to be heading in different directions in life. The girl is exploring the world with emotions and her boyfriend appears to see the world in a cold "rational" manner.
The true genius of this short story this that the two are avoiding discussing the "elephant in the room"; the unwanted child for him and the opportunity to build a family and settle down for her.
Well put. The conversation definitely appears to be about abortion. The man does want the girl to get one, but she is undecided. There is so much that can be taken from this conversation, such as you said, the differences between the couple. But sometimes I get the sense that the woman can go either way with the abortion. I don't get the sense that she wants the baby as much as others may think. If she did, then why would she be drinking while pregnant
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