To which story do you relate the most, and why?
To which story do you relate the most, and why? In two strong paragraphs, explain what it is about the tone and/or imagery of the story that speaks to you and why. Use some text examples to support your response.
Hills like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway is a tale about Jig (the girl) and an American man who are having drinks at a bar outside a train station. The young couple is having a problematic issue that has affected their relationship. The American man wants Jigs to have an operation without mentioning its exact name. He states, “It’s just to let the air in,” and “I know it’s perfectly simple” (77). By creating the character Jig, Hemingway is displaying his perception on the issue of abortion. According to the American man, the operation will guarantee their happiness, but he contradicts himself when he states, “I don’t want you to do it if you feel that way” (77).
The reason why Hemingway’s tale stood out is because of the lesson readers can learn from the story. Although the American allows Jig to do what she feels is right, the man’s convincing powers are extreme. One of the lessons one can learn from the tale is that individuals who place other people’s needs before their own may possibly end up unhappy. Hills like White Elephants is a story most couples can relate with. I struggle to have a serious conversation with my partner, and most times, I prefer addressing such issues through texting than face to face. Jig and the American man discuss an operation, a topic they are having a difficult time discussing, and that is why they prefer talking while taking beer. The couple has a hard time mentioning directly what the issue they are discussing is all about, and that is why they use phrases like, “It’s just to let the air in”(77). The tone used in the tale signifies that the couple is talking about a topic considered to be a taboo like abortion. Most people use phrases to refer to an issue which they do not want people around them to know what they are talking about.
References.
Hemingway, E. (2017). Hills like white elephants. In L. Kirszner & S. Mandell (Eds.), Portable literature: Reading, reacting, writing, 9thed (pp. 74-79). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. (Original work published 1927)