Compare and Contrast Essay: Two Short Stories Short stories are a form of literature works that authors use to communicate various themes and issues to the reader. As such, it is common for different short stories authored by different people to have a central meaning or theme that differs from each other. In addition, the way the author portrays his/her central theme or meaning would differ from the way other authors would craft their short stories to best portray their central meaning. While some would use characterization as a means of portraying the theme of their story, other authors employ the use of symbols to better communicate their theme. However, some slight similarities can always be drawn between short stories. ‘Hills like White …show more content…
However, the reader clearly gets the sense that the young girl is giving in to the man’s proposal just as a way of making him shut up. Essentially, this means that the issue is far from over because the girl is just postponing the real discussion as she cannot bear to hear what the man keeps on proposing. As the man continues to implore her, she cries out for the man to “please, please stop” with the demand as she realizes that their conversation will not lead to a logical conclusion any time soon …show more content…
In terms of drinking, the author uses it a means of showing just how much the two were not keen on having a meaningful discussion of their problems and how to solve them. Throughout the story as the two are waiting for the train, the author points out that they are both drinking alcohol as if they are trying to avoid the important discussions that they were having. As soon as the two set their foot in the station, they order large beers with the hope that drinking will take as much of their time as possible and would not give them the chance to communicate. The lack of commitment in the conversation about how to deal with the white elephant or the baby is shown when the girl requests to order more alcohol just to avoid having that discussion. The reader can also get the sense that the two are also drinking to forget about other problems that they seem to have throughout their relationship. This is depicted when the girl points out that the two do not really engage in other activities apart from the tasting out of new alcoholic drinks. One can also get the view that as a result of the drinking and the lack of communication between the two, the future is not that far for them and that they are bound to lead separate ways. This is shown as they separate when the girl is drinking with another
In a well-written short story, different literary elements and terms are incorporated into the story by the author. Ernest Hemingway frequently uses various literary elements in his writing to entice the reader and enhance each piece that he writes. In Hills Like White Elephants, Hemingway uses symbols to teach the reader certain things that one may encounter during daily life. Symbolism may be defined as relating to, using, or proceeding by means of symbols (Princeton). The use of symbols in Hills Like White Elephants is utterly important to the plot line and to the fundamental meaning of the story. Through this use of symbolism, the reader can begin to reveal the hidden themes in this short story.
Bicycles. A seemingly endless world of possiblilites. Yet, so singular. People. Some many different types, and separated from everything else. Who would ever say that two things couldn't be much different? But could they actually be similar?
The communication going on between the man and girl in the story, "Hills Like White Elephants,'; are not an honest one. The man seems to lead the conversation where as the girl is quiet. He brings up the subject of 'operation' which suggested abortion, but never mentions the word 'abortion' in the story to understate it. He tries to convince the girl to get the operation, but the girl seems bothered by this subject. However, he does not stop. Their relationship seems to be fine when the baby has not came in between them. We could see this where the guy says, "We'll be fine afterward. Just like we were before.'; The girl wants the relationship to become as before, but is in a huge dilemma whether to give birth to the baby or not. The man does not want the baby and has the choice of abortion in mind, not thinking of the other problems that would occur through operation such as the girl's health. Later on, the girl makes a melancholy remark that the hills look like white elephants. Probably the hills being a round shape reminded her of the baby. She walks toward the end of the station, and sees the beautiful nature. When she looks more toward the nature, one could see her small desire wanting the baby and thinks what may have been happened if she had the baby. The guy does not pay attention to that remark, because he is just concerned about making his point that he wants the operation done, not considering her side.
In my Opinion I found The Most Dangerous Game better, of course they were both great stories but The Most Dangerous Game was more action filled. I liked how Sanger Rainsford used his skills to in the end beat General Zaroff.
The ultimate goal in life is to find love. Both “Senior’s” by Alberto Rios and “Last Night” by Sharon Olds present a theme that sex is not love. Yet, “Senior’s” shows how a person’s view of sex and love changes with maturity, while “Last Night” tells that love does not come with sex.
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.
The guy keeps saying that the abortion is “perfectly natural” and “perfectly simple”— he is forcing the girl to have the abortion while he claims that he wouldn't have the girl do it is she “didn't want to”. The guy thinks that the child would anchor him down, which impedes him from living the life that they are leading now— trying one drink after another, changing from one hotel to another, and traveling from places to places. On the other hand, the girl is tired of this unstable lifestyle; she is tired of keeping to“look at things and try new drinks”; she is tired of dealing with all the uncertainties. Moreover, she later on retracts her previous comment on the hills, “they don't really look like white elephants”; by this she implies her wish to keep the unborn child, but the American misses it. The guy thinks that the baby is the “only that bothers” them and he persists the girl to have the operation by saying how he will stay with the girl “all the time” while she does the operation. The girl now realizes how a barely-fixable, problematic relationship it is, and she now knows what to expect from the
To class this comparison and contrast of The Matrix with regards of readings of Plato and Descartes would be a challenge. On this account, the comparison would be that all three questioned what is reality? What is real?, Am I dreaming?, or Am I up? Considered reading and re-reading all three texts to see that one comparison staring right at in the eye was difficult. The deliberation any cognitive ability to question what’s real seems to be a few centuries old questions. Nevertheless, the contrast would be having the opportunity to free our minds from all cares. In the Matrix the contrast was freeing our mind from a super computers.
Gale. Weeks, Lewis E., Jr. "Hemingway Hills: Symbolism in 'Hills like White'" Elephants. Studies in Short Fiction. 17.1 (Winter 1980): 75-77.
Ernest Hemingway is an incredible writer, known for what he leaves out of stories not for what he tells. His main emphasis in Hills Like White Elephants seems to be symbolism. Symbolism is the art or practice of using symbols, especially by investing things with a symbolic meaning or by expressing the invisible or intangible by means of visible or sensuous representations (merriam-webster.com). He uses this technique to emphasize the importance of ideas, once again suggesting that he leaves out the important details of the story by symbolizing their meaning.
In “Hill Like White Elephants”, the story is about the conversation about the baby and getting abortion between a couple, the American man and his girlfriend. The story begins with the scene of them having a drink. Alcohol plays a big role in this story. They order two big beers and they think that beer will helps them to avoid the problems and fill their free time with anything but discussion about the matter. After a while, at one point, the girls says, “I wanted to try this new drink. That’s all we do, isn’t it – look at things and try new drinks?” (Hemingway 30). This is not a statement that someone would say if they are in a healthy, happy relationship. The girl, in fact questions
Symbolism has a major role in the modernistic period as well as it does today. A title is the name of the whole text and has a part in why the story is called “Hills Like White Elephants.” First glance at this story, readers expect it to be about hills or even about the wild, but when reading this, it is clear that it is not about either of those, but it is included in the text. Jig says, “They look like white elephants,” while she was looking out the hills in the distance. This could symbolize several things based on the way that the audience interprets it. I interpret it as she looks out to the hills wishing she could have a better life, but she could never see it similar to the way you never see white
While reading short stories, two stood out: Ernest Hemingway’s Hills Like White Elephants and Raymond Carver’s Cathedral. The themes in both stories are powerful and convey strong messages that really pose existential thoughts. Not only is each story’s theme attention grabbing, but so is the common and reoccurring use of symbolism throughout the stories. They did not just use the Element of Fiction symbolism, but even used one common symbol. Ernest Hemingway’s story Hills Like White Elephants and Raymond Carver’s story Cathedral each contain existential and similar themes such as talking versus communicating and looking versus seeing, as well as demonstrating creative and comparable symbolism throughout.
Symbolism is commonly used by authors that make short stories. Guin is a prime example of how much symbolism is used in short stories such as “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” and “Sur.” In both of these stories Guin uses symbolism to show hidden meanings and ideas. In “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” there is a perfect Utopian city, yet in this perfect city there is a child locked in a broom closet and it is never let out. A few people leave the city when they find out about the child, but most people stay. Furthermore, in “Sur” there is a group of girls that travel to the South Pole and reach it before anyone else, yet they leave no sign or marker at the South Pole. Guin’s stories are very farfetched and use many symbols. Both “Sur” and “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” have many symbols such as colors, characters, objects, and weather. The four types of symbols that Guin uses help the readers understand the themes in her short stories. Although her stories are farfetched, they need symbolism in them or the reader would not understand the theme; therefore the symbols make Guin’s stories much more enjoyable.
In Hills Like White Elephants, a couple sits at a train depot in Europe on their way to Madrid. Their conversation seems social and casual at first but quickly exposes an unspoken struggle between the two. "That's all we do, isn't it -- look at things and try new drinks?()" This statement by the unnamed girl shows a hint of discontent with the blasé lifestyle she and her companion live. The conversation soon turns to an "operation" that the gentleman appears to be persuading the girl into having. Phrases like "letting the air in" (Hills, 276) lead the reader to believe that they are talking about an abortion procedure. He tells her it is "the best thing to do" (Hills, 276). The man clearly wants her to have the abortion, forget about the child, and continue living the simple life they live together. However, she is quite obviously not satisfied with this and wants more, but for some reason, she refuses to stand up for herself in the face of this issue. She sarcastically states, "Oh, yes. But I don't care about me. And I'll do it and then everything will be fine"(Hills, 275).