Critical Analysis on Hemingways Hills Like White...

The thing that makes, Hills Like White Elephants, by Ernest Hemingway such a powerful story is the subtlety with which it is told. Hemingway is commenting on subject matter which for the time would have been considered taboo, but does so without actually spelling it out for the reader. As the characters sit together drinking beer and talking, it becomes immediately apparent that there is something weighty between them and as the conversation continues, the reader can feel pressure building between the two of them. At this point, the source of the tension could be anything and the reader follows along expecting not only some kind of outburst between the man and the American girl, but also to find out what has caused the rift. At first†¦show more content†¦Its the only thing thats made us unhappy (487), he is making his true feelings known, blaming her condition for any problems between them. Life, he suggests, would go back to normal once the deed is done. As they continue to talk, the man continually imposing his will on the girl, she becomes flustered. The girl knows that despite the fact that he says he doesnt want her to do anything she doesnt want, thats exactly what he is doing. Hearing him defend himself over and over pushes her to the breaking point until she begs him to stop, Would you please please please please please please please stop talking (489)? By now she has given up any hope of changing his mind. She has attempted to appear indifferent to herself, saying that she would do it simply because she wants him to love her again and when her selflessness fails to sway him she asks, Doesnt it mean anything to you (489)? She gives up and resolves herself to the procedure. However, despite the fact that they continually comment on how things will be better afterwards, it seems more like they are trying to convince themselves of that fact rather than actually believing it. In actuality, the reader, seeing that the girl is goin g to go through with the procedure even though she doesnt want to, and the mans indifference to both her and what their future could be with a child, feels more like the abortion might create a greater distance between them rather than solving all of theirShow MoreRelatedCritical Analysis of the Short Story ‘Hills Like White Elephants’ by Ernest Hemingway.1497 Words   |  6 Pages------------------------------------------------- Critical Reading of Literature in English Critical Analysis of the short story ‘Hills like White Elephants’ by Ernest Hemingway. Word Count: 1367 Hills like White Elephants – Ernest Hemingway â€Å"Will Jig have the abortion and stay with the man; will Jig have the abortion and leave the man; or will Jig not have the abortion and win the man over to her point of view?† (Hashmi, N, 2003). These are the three different scenarios that have been seriously considered in Ernest Hemingway’s shortRead MoreHills Like White Elephants, a Theme Analysis Essay1243 Words   |  5 PagesHemmingway uses time, place, and symbolism in Hills like White Elephants to intensify the central dilemma in a story about a man and a woman deciding on whether to go through with an abortion. Although a literal reading of the title may not seem to have any relation to the story, the title is rich in implications. Critics suggest that Hills refers to the shape of a womans stomach when pregnant, and Websters 21st Century Dictionary defines white elephant as: [An] awkward, useless possession. Read MoreEssay about Modernism: Hills Like White Elephants, by Ernest Hemingway1578 Words   |  7 Pagesseek to free the restricted human spirit. It had no trust in the moral conventions and codes of the past. 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He was also touched by the hopelessness of women and how their thinkingRead MoreHemingway’s Hills Like White Elephants Essay1908 Words   |  8 Pagesthe literary pieces he writes. Hemingway proves this by writing his short story, Hills Like White Elephants. Hemingway also quoted, â€Å"I never had to choose a subject - my subject rather chose me† (E. Hemingway, QuotesPedia). This also relates to Hemingway composing Hills Like White Elephants along with many of his other works. Hemingway refers to past events in his life in his writings. For example, in Hemingway’s novel, A Farewell to Arms, Hemingway is referring to his service in World War I,Read More Analysis of Hills Like White Elephants Essay1049 Words   |  5 PagesAnalysis of Hills Like White Elephants â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants†, by Ernest Hemingway, is a short story published in 1927 that takes place in a train station in Spain with a man and a woman discussing an operation. Most of the story is simply dialogue between the two characters, the American and Jig. This couple is at a critical point in their lives when they must decide whether or not to have an abortion. Certain themes arise from this story such as choices and consequences, doubtRead MoreThe Tell Tale Heart Analysis1295 Words   |  6 PagesIt can also be said that the style utilizes realistic techniques using narratives with surreal or dreamlike elements. An example of Magic realism in Sherman Alexie’s short story is how Thomas Builds-the-fire jumped off the roof and flapped his arms like an eagle. They describes him as â€Å"flying†. The story also likens his broken arm to that of a broken â€Å"wing†. Sherman Alexie uses this technique as he is an Indigenous American with ancestry for many different Native American tribes. What are the characteristicsRead MoreAnalysis Of Hills Like White Elephants By Ernest Hemingway2013 Words   |  9 Pagesstyle of writing. The latter arguably won him a Nobel Prize, and also influenced possibly an entire generation of aspiring writers who came after him. Hemingway’s short and economical style is perhaps best displayed in his earlier work, most notably in his short stories, and one of his earliest, and most famous, short stories is â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants.† The story is about two people who are simply referred to as ‘the American’ and ‘the girl,’ at a train station, waiting to catch the next expressRead MoreThe Many Styles Of Ernest Hemingway1768 Words   |  8 Pagesbrief, choppy sentences and were generally minimalistic and terse. More importantly, this is where Hemingway developed his skill for writing â€Å"on the surface†. Hemingway’s use of the iceberg effect, diction, and syntax were largely what made him successful due to the contributions these styles had on his stories. The iceberg effect is Hemingway’s most well known portion of his exceptional style of writing due to the effect it had on his stories. This writing style was influenced by his earlier writingRead More Reader-oriented Theories and Their Application to Ernest Hemingway’s Hills like white elephants2425 Words   |  10 PagesReader-oriented Theories and Their Application to Ernest Hemingway’s Hills like white elephants From the very beginning of the literature people tended to criticize the literary works according to some certain criteria. Some critics claimed that the text itself is important and some other said the author and his style is the thing that should be focused on. Form and content were the other significant elements in the history of the literary criticism. In addition, the social and political influences