Good People And Hills Like White Elephants: A Literary Analysis

Even though both of these stories are very similar in most areas there are a couple differences involving a few details the authors did grant us. The first difference between the stories is the reversal of roles. Both of these stories have one of their main characters against the abortion. In “Black Man and White Woman in Dark Green Rowboat”, it is the man that states, “I wish I could just leave you here,” (pg. 66). He is indicating that he wants to leave her on the island, where they are fishing, so she is not able to get the abortion procedure done. In “Hills Like White Elephants”, we see that Jig is against giving up the child, but she feels as though her companion will not love her. He begins to make promises about giving her everything she needs and loving her even more if she proceeds to abort the child.

As the two share their stories of their journey so far, having come from the same town, It becomes clear that Faithful's earnestness is at least equal to Christian's. His resistance to Wanton, Adam the first, and Moses differ from Christian's encounters, but you might say that this represents the variety of obstacles one can face on such a journey.

Both short stories, “Good People” by David Foster Wallace and “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway, deal with the dilemma of abortion. An American in “Hills Like White Elephants” wanted his girlfriend Jig to have an abortion. Likewise, a boy named Lane and his girlfriend Sheri in “Good People” had an abortion scheduled. Jig and Sheri interacted with their partners differently, and both were distressed, however, due to religious and moral reasons, Sheri did not go through with the abortion while Jig did.

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.

What is the purpose of the trip the two travelers are taking? (The narrator never tells us, but the careful reader can deduce this with relative certainty.)

As humans, we tend to rely on others to guide us in choosing “right” decisions. In “Hills Like White Elephants,” Ernest Hemingway tells a story of an American man with a girl, named Jig, having a conversation about whether or not Jig should undergo this “operation,” which we could assume is abortion. Jig looks to the man to tell her what she should do and what would happen afterwards, basically looking for a “right” decision. The girl is torn between listening to the man, who pushes her to have an abortion, or separating from the man, to instead, keep the baby. Hemingway uses setting and symbolism to interpret the girl’s struggle with abortion.

Most men side with the men, and most women side with women. In the short story Hills Like White Elephants, Ernest Hemingway explores a power dynamic through a situation that is still controversial today. While this short story explores the decision-making process between a girl and a man, the controversy arises: whose decision is it? This power struggle for a decision that, arguably, mainly affects the life of the girl. While the man may choose to wish to be a part of the child’s life, the pregnancy and abortion is solely affecting the girl, not the man. Hemingway strips the girl of any authority and knowledge by differing between girl and woman, yet by closely examining the interactions between the girl and the man, it is the girl remains authoritative over the decision of a possible abortion.

Ernest Hemingway was a groundbreaking author during the 20th century and he left behind many famous pieces of work. He used his own life experiences to contribute ideas and inspiration for his stories whether they involve his military career or his family life (“Ernest Hemingway). Hemingway also uses language in such ways that can convey feelings and ideas throughout his pieces. His use of language and dialogue in some of his short stories really paint a picture for the reader on the situations presented (Link). In the short story, “Hills Like White Elephants,” Hemingway uses Jig’s ambivalence towards the whole situation with herself and the American to convey the idea that Jig holds all the power in the decision although the American, who is powerless, believes he has a say in the matter.

The final theme derived from this story is how men and women relate to each other. Most of Hemingway’s stories are masculine in nature, but “Hills Like White Elephants” shows the woman’s point of view as the more rational of the two (Short Stories for Students 158). The man is shown as being selfish and irresponsible by starting this relationship and then lacking the support Jig needs (Hamid 78). The American sees life as being very straightforward and rational, while Jig is considered to be romantic and living in an emotional world (Beacham 8). Clearly, these themes are still applicable in modern societies concerning this issue of abortion.

Ernest Hemingway, the author of “Hills like White Elephants” will leave his readers guessing due to his vague information put into his short story, ¨Hills like White Elephants¨. The understanding of figurative language, sensory details, and the use inferencing skills are needed to interpret what the author is trying to get across. If the short story is analyzed carefully the reader will understand that the couple in the story are deciding whether or not to have an abortion. Although “abortion” is never blatantly said it is shown through prolific figurative language. Symbolism, simile, and conflict are all prominent examples of figurative language throughout Hemingway's “Hills like White Elephant”.

In Ernest Hemingway's “Hills Like White Elephants”, the use of imagery and symbolism in the landscape of surrounding Ebro Valley, as well as the use of language and tone, shape our understanding of the conflict between the two main characters. The man referred to only by “The American”, is trying to convince Jig to get an abortion. Though the word (abortion) is never stated directly in the entirety of the story, it is conveyed by the use of symbolism and imagery in the surrounding landscape. Furthermore, we can conclude that the topic at hand will come to a final and abrupt solution that Jig will, in fact, get the abortion due to her tone and language at the end of the story.

Major characters in stories often encounter moral conflicts. The way in which the characters respond to these dilemmas frequently emphasizes the author’s intended message. In “Good People”, written by David Foster Wallace, a young Christian couple is faced with an unplanned pregnancy, forcing them to make a decision regarding the termination of the child; causing them to battle with several moral and religious predicaments. Wallace mimics the anxiousness of a 19-year-old male through an unorganized style of writing and uses various details to illuminate the underlying message of the story. Similarly, in Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants”, a man, referred to as the American and a women named Jig deal with an unexpected pregnancy, disrupting the normality of their relationship. Through symbolism, Hemingway is able to connote the limitation of language and demonstrate the complications the couple faces. In the short stories “Good People” and “Hills Like White Elephants”, both authors use literary techniques to reveal the struggles of communication, as well as the complexity of making choices.

In the story, "Hills like White Elephants" written by Ernest Hemingway, the main character Jig faces a life changing event, abortion. The struggles with the complications of abortion concern and desire Jig to want to keep the baby. Bringing a new life into the world is a long time commitment and it is something Jig feels she can treasure forever. However, her companion attempted to persuade her in another direction, to proceed with the abortion. As naïve as he is, he feels his persuasion can overcome Jig's desires. Jig is a sarcastic yet reserved woman, who desires to bring a new life into the world, even if her companion does not approve; she knows what is best.

In “Hills Like White Elephants”, and “Good People” Ernest Hemingway and David Foster Wallace identify the political and moral problems of abortion and how it effects on loving affairs. Even though the characters in their story share similar behaviors, shown by the dominant males promoting the operation to remove an unborn child, the females who value even though they face some difficulties of child rearing, as well as the two couples’ refusal to discuss conflicts with each other, both authors have different conclusions resulting from the sharp differences in setting, diction, and role of religion; Hemingway indicates love is bare and dull as well as presented by woman’s submissive role to the male’s prerogative while Wallace

Hemingway places two train tracks along the station whose destinations are divergent. The decision that has to be made by the young girl is accentuated through the two train tracks, the beads, and the beaded curtain. The two train tracks represent the opportunity to escape into two different worlds; one being the flourishing fertile side, and the other being the juvenile side with no “attachments.” Illustrating the reminder that a decision has to be made between the two worlds is the beaded curtain, “ The girl looked at the bead curtain, put her hand out and took hold of two strings of beads.” The differing