A Femanist View of Hills Like White Elephants
A Feminist View of , “Hills Like White Elephants”
Noelle Taylor
South University Online To be a women in Hemingway 's story “Hills Like White Elephants” meant not be a typical women of the time period. It was more like being a womean of today.In the time we live it 's still not the “norm” to have an abortion,but it is safer than it was then. She was stereotypical for the time (meaning she was the lesser sex who would do anything for her man)but there was more to it. She was being faced with making a life altering decision. Moderen women are still forced at times to make the same type ofdecisions. One that would change her and the relationship of the man she was in love with. As the story starts we see a young couple. At first glance it is a stereotypical gender couple. The man is in charge. He does the ordering for them He makes the decisions as to what and how much they will drink. She allows him to be in charge (letting him be the stronger one the male). She even ask him “What should we drink?” (Hemingway, 2012, p.4) She lets him be in control. Like most women of the time period (1920 's -1930 's) Jig wants to to please her man. She is willing to do this at any cost. Jig would even have an abortion if that 's what it will take to please him. “And if I do it you 'll be happy and things will be like they were and you 'll love me?” (Hemingway ,2012, p.55) Abortions were not a simple operation during that time period as the man would have her believe. “It 's really an awfully simple operation, Jig” the man said, “Its not really an operation at all” (Hemingway, 2012, p.40) Truth is they were illegal at that time and could be complicated. He however goes on through out the story to convince her to have it. “I know you wouldn 't mind it jig. It 's really not anything. It 's just to let the air in.” (Hemingway, 2012, p.40) Jig like most women of that time period and even today wanted to keep her relationship alive. To her it meant doing anything she had to
Noelle Taylor
South University Online To be a women in Hemingway 's story “Hills Like White Elephants” meant not be a typical women of the time period. It was more like being a womean of today.In the time we live it 's still not the “norm” to have an abortion,but it is safer than it was then. She was stereotypical for the time (meaning she was the lesser sex who would do anything for her man)but there was more to it. She was being faced with making a life altering decision. Moderen women are still forced at times to make the same type ofdecisions. One that would change her and the relationship of the man she was in love with. As the story starts we see a young couple. At first glance it is a stereotypical gender couple. The man is in charge. He does the ordering for them He makes the decisions as to what and how much they will drink. She allows him to be in charge (letting him be the stronger one the male). She even ask him “What should we drink?” (Hemingway, 2012, p.4) She lets him be in control. Like most women of the time period (1920 's -1930 's) Jig wants to to please her man. She is willing to do this at any cost. Jig would even have an abortion if that 's what it will take to please him. “And if I do it you 'll be happy and things will be like they were and you 'll love me?” (Hemingway ,2012, p.55) Abortions were not a simple operation during that time period as the man would have her believe. “It 's really an awfully simple operation, Jig” the man said, “Its not really an operation at all” (Hemingway, 2012, p.40) Truth is they were illegal at that time and could be complicated. He however goes on through out the story to convince her to have it. “I know you wouldn 't mind it jig. It 's really not anything. It 's just to let the air in.” (Hemingway, 2012, p.40) Jig like most women of that time period and even today wanted to keep her relationship alive. To her it meant doing anything she had to
References: Hemingway, E. (2011). Hills like white elephants. In D.L. Pike and A.M. Acosta 's (Eds.) Literature: A world of writing stories, poems, plays, and essays [VitalSource digital version] (pp. 444-445). Boston, MA: Pearson Learning Solutions. |