Comparing King Of The Bingo Game And Hills Like White Elephant

Wyche disputes all the critics who suggested that the text was either about whether Jig should carry the pregnancy to a full term or have an abortion. Wyche feels that the text was a metaphor representing pain which comes as a result of an end of a relationship between two people. One of his main ideas was therefore to dispute some of the ideas that critics had put forward in the past and bring forward a new meaning to the short story. As Wyche noted most of the critics saw a metaphor of abortion but failed to see that the abortion could also be used as metaphor to mean something else which in this case means the pain of a breakup. By bringing other critic’s point of view into play, he successfully acknowledges what they wrote and their ideas but also presents him with a point to dispute the same. Even if he does not refuse the ideas produced by earlier critics, the author presents a different point of view from whatever was presented before.

Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman Brown” and Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” both tell stories using literary techniques of tone, symbolism, and irony that help to convey stories that leave the reader baffled by their ending. Although Hawthorne and Jackson utilize these literary techniques in a different way, both of the stories end with a sense of darkness.

Deborah Reber a famous poet once stated, “Letting go doesn't mean that you don't care about someone anymore. It's just realizing that the only person you really have control over is yourself.” Letting go of a loved one is never an easy decision to make because in reality, decisions will not keep the loved one alive. By allowing a loved one to be at peace, a person gives allows himself the opportunity to be at peace with whatever trial he faces. In “King of the Bingo Game” author Ralph Ellison includes the bingo wheel, the beam of light, and bingo button to act as symbolism, to show the trials he was facing in life.

In Ralph Ellison's "King of the Bingo Game", the African American narrator, whose name is unknown, finds himself in a position where he has the power to control his own destiny for once, or so he thinks. The reader learns that he is from the South, but has come up North, and is taking his shot at a bingo game. He is broke, hungry, his wife is dying, and he hopes to win the cash prize of $36.90 to help her. He eventually is called up to spin the wheel for a chance at the prize, but he freezes, and doesn't let go of the button. This is despite the fact that he explained how a short, quick press can land a winning double zero. He calls himself the "king of the bingo game" and keeps holding down the button until two officers drag him off

When comparing two works of literature it is always best to have a firm understanding of how each author expresses their thoughts and emotions through the stories they tell. In comparing Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” and David Foster Wallace’s “Good People” you get a different sense as to how each author conveys their thoughts of the very difficult and often taboo topic of abortion. Both stories are different in plot, conclusion, and construction, although they share common artistic similarities, including the large use of physical surroundings and metaphors. When comparing and contrasting stories of similar writings it is important to pick up on the subtle literary ways an author is able to convey their thoughts.

     In Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” irony is an underlying theme used throughout the story. The setting is introduced as a “clear and sunny” day, but ends with the brutal death of a housewife (715). The two people who essentially run the town, Mr. Graves and Mr. Summers, also have ironic names. In addition, the characters and the narrator make ironic statements throughout the story.

Ideas of slavery, identity, and what is acceptable behavior differ greatly in the past-Civil War North and South. Ralph Ellison’s “King of the Bingo Game” depicts how traditional southern slave mentalities are in conflict even after Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of the slaves, leading many, like the nameless main character to try and find a new identity and giving him a taste of power to control his life and the lives of others.

Both authors applied some of the same elements into their stories. However, the style of writing is unmistakably different. In "Hills like White Elephants," Hemingway provides the reader with little detail. At times, it is difficult to comprehend what the characters are discussing because the most information supplied is about an operation. Even then, the reader may have trouble understanding the plot. Because of Hemingway's vague style, much analysis and interpretation is brought about, giving the story an extraordinary twist. On the other hand, O'Connor writes with an inverted method. She provides an abundance of details to the

Earnest Hemingway provides a different way to reveal his characters without going into great detail about the characters in “Hills Like White Elephants”. Hemingway does not describe the characters appearances or their body language. Hemingway though decided to reveal the characters by their dialogue. By giving more details within the dialogue it reveals the character of the man and the girl in the story. It is revealed in the dialogue the dynamics of the relationship of the man and the girl. It is shown that they care for each other, even though they have some struggles. You can tell they care about each other, because in the story it is said “I’d do anything for you” and “I don’t want anybody but you”. While also revealing the strife between

There are three characters in the story. The protagonist and his wife are struggling with their life and emphasize the theme of hopelessness. The protagonist is a nameless African American who comes from the southern U.S. At the beginning of the story, he is watching a movie of a woman tied down to a bed. He tries to enjoy the movie, but Laura comes to his mind. Laura is the protagonist’s wife, as well as the incentive for the man to win the bingo game. The man is powerless and hopeless in the society, “he gets no birth certificate to get a job and Laura ‘bout to die’ cause they have no money for a doctor” (242). Thus, winning the bingo game is the only way he can pay a doctor to treat his sick wife. He must win the game because it is his only chance to save her. After he finds he gets all the bingo numbers correct, standing on the stage to spin the wheel to win the prize. He feels compelled to press the button because there is a voice in his mind: “who held the prize who was the king of bingo (246).” The man wants to be the king and overcomes all the difficulties in order to control his own life. He hopes to keep the bingo wheel whirling forever, only in this way Laura will be safe and he has the imagery that “if she is not safe, the wheel will cease

Jig's main objective throughout the story is ensuring that her partner is happy. This is apparent when she tells him that she will go through with the abortion. "Then I'll do it. Because I don't care about me." "And I'll do it and then everything will be fine." Through these comments it is evident that she truly believes if she has an abortion their relationship will be fine giving little thought to the emotional and physical trauma the procedure will cause. Jig's subservient attitude is indicative of her low self esteem throughout the story. She allows herself to be shaped by a man whose care for her is more than obviously not a reciprocation of hers for

The settings of these two short stories have a lot of impact of the characters and the plot. The setting of “Hills like White Elephants” is at a bar in a train station. This helps to highlight the fact that the relationship between the American man and the girl is at a crossroads. This crossroad is due to the severity of the dilemma they are faced with.

As the conversation escalates, Jig herself hides her true thoughts and instead, says the opposite: “Then I’ll do it. Because I don’t care about me.” (477). It may seems like she agrees to do the operation; but in fact, she is trying to ascertain the American man’s love for her. These implications and hints in the conversation keep them away from understanding each other and contributed to the failure of their relationship. Summing up, relationships in both stories show that communication problems are what tear them apart. Importantly, it is selfishness in the characters that initiate these problems; as they mostly speak from their view and for themselves, which then avert them from understanding their partner, and finally, a broken relationship is inevitable.

“Hills like White Elephants” is a story about a couple who is going to undergo an abortion together (which relates to the theme of death). While abortion is not said at first- the reader can tell it is being proclaimed. The story is filled with tension but the reader can tell that this couple loves each other. The tone of this story is hard to identify at first but it can defined as skeptical or confused. Due to the fact that these two young people are unsure about what they

Regardless of the type of society people live in controversial topics and cowardly individuals can create conflict. The stories “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson and “Hills like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway implement this concept. “The Lottery” is about a small town that holds an annual lottery in which the winner will be killed. “Hills like White Elephants” is the story of a couple’s discussion over the decision they must make of whether or not to terminate their pregnancy. The social controversies and the weak female characters in these stories are similar, although their social structure is very different.