Soon they finally talk about the elephant in the room, but all the man wants to talk about is having the abortion, but she is willing to be a parent. She knows he doesn’t want to be a parent, so when the man tries to talk to her about the abortion she wants to avoid it altogether stating, “Would you please please please please please please please stop talking?” (Hemingway 314). Similarly, in today’s society, it is looked down upon to have a baby outside of marriage because there are instability and tension from both parents. In result, no one wants to talk about the pregnancy because it often comes with a lot of regret and confusion. Hemingway uses the characters of Jig and the American to portray this tension of the abortion, which in return relates to modern day society giving a sense of
He is constantly pushing the conversation even when she ask him to stop. For him the thought of death is an escape from his responsibilities. Her indecisiveness is hindering his plans to travel and he says if she does have an abortion then he will be happy again and then she will be happy too. He is so simple minded and egotistical that he tells her what she needs to do to be happy and that that’s the only way. At this point the American has indirectly said I cannot love you and be happy if we have a child, but if she has this procedure then everything will be back to normal.
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.
The text suggests that Jig will not comply with the American’s wish of aborting the baby because of her vision and the indicative dialogue between her and the American, and Sheri will conform to her religious beliefs and carry the child. Whereas Jig will leave the American due to his lack of obligation, Lane Dean Jr. will marry Sheri in his effort to be a good person. Jig’s sarcastic tone in her dialogues following the Americans’ is indicative of her decision to not get the abortion. After the American assures her that they will be happy like before and it is a “simple operation” (Hemingway 592) Jig retorts, “What makes you think so?” (592). Hence, it implies her disbelief and realization that things would not change much whether or not she got the abortion.
In Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants”, the short story describes an American man and a girl traveling to Madrid to have an abortion. Important factors to view in this essay are the relationship between the American and Jig, the symbolism and choices. Hemingway uses symbolism in conjunction with details to describe the couple’s mood. The girl is neither convinced nor comfortable with the decision to abort her unborn child. However, the American is adamant about the decision to have what he calls “a simple procedure”.
Hemingway uses these elements to develop the theme of the story. The theme is how Jig sees the opportunity to keep her child and have a happy life, while the man is unable to see the possibilities and work to persuade her to go through with the abortion. In the story, Jig watched the hills and said: They look like white elephants. The man replied: ‘I h... ... middle of paper ... ...g wrong with me. I feel fine."
The American is trying to settle her nerves by telling her “It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig,’ the man said. ‘It’s not really an operation at all.”(Hemingway) Although it seems like the American is trying to be supportive it changes when Jig replies. After thoroughly reading the story you come to find out the operation is actually an abortion. At first read you think the American is being supportive and trying to calm Jigs nerves but that later changes when you read Jigs reactions to what is being said to her. An argument flourishes and causes Jig to walk away and look at the scenery and dwell in the beauty.
Also, she figures it out that taking responsibility is the only solution. The solution is to keep her unborn fetus even at the expense her relationship. In addition to that, her man looks to agree with her decision. The American says “‘I’d better take the bags over the other side of the station’” (Hemingway 73). He sounds that it is time to give up and agree with his girlfriend.
Instead, the only reason that she is even considering the abortion is because her American lover does not want the baby and continuously tries to persuade her into having the abortion by emphasizing how simple the procedure will be. Jig’s boyfriend notices how apprehensive she is and tells her that if she truly doesn’t want to do it he’ll support her decision but also tells her that her having the abortion will make their relationship happy once again. Once again insinuating that it is the best decision. Jigg agrees to the abortion but only because she says she “does not care about herself”. Jiggs agreement to the abortion while also saying that the reason she is agreeing is due to her not caring about herself shows just how heavy of an emotional burden she is carrying.
()" 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.