The Barren Land Short Story Analysis

Ernest Miller Hemingway is known for his unique style and theories of writing, especially the iceberg theory. In the Death of the Afternoon, Hemingway says that “The dignity of movement of an ice-berg is due to only one-eighth of it being above water. A writer who omits things because he does not know them only makes hollow places in his writing.” (92) Simple words, vivid images, rich emotions and deep thoughts are the four basic elements of the iceberg theory. Talk about how these stories illustrate four elements of theory. In both short stories, Hemingway describes scenery and characters with simple words directly to give readers a vivid image. Under this sketch, readers can know characters’ emotion and get the theme through their imagination and analysis.

It is stated, “It was merely a nondescript collection of houses and buildings in a region of farms- one of those sad American places with sidewalks, but no paved streets; electric lights, but no sewage; a station but no trains that stopped…And it was 150 miles from any city at all (Hughes, 3).” Even though Cora was a relying, humble and hard working women she was unaccepted to white society. Cora was only seen for her labor. It is stated, “Cora iron my stockings, Cora come here… Cora, put… Cora… Cora… Cora! Cora! (Hughes, 4).” At a very young age colored people had to work for a living. On the other hand white society had an education and a far better future. Therefore, the circumstance of working with unpleasant superior was not discussed. Any job at the time was appreciated. Throughout the years that Cora worked with the Studevants she fell in love and had a child. At this time contraception or birth control was illegal. Even though Cora was looked down by society she had no shamed and became a proud mother. Unfortunately, due to the lack of medical assistance her child died from whopping cough. The years passed and the Studevants had a child named Jessie which Cora nursed and treated her as a daughter. When Jessie was in high school she experienced Cora’s situation, pregnant and unmarried. On one side Cora advise to have the child and become a proud mother just like her, but the mother disagreed she viewed this situation

“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, doubt and ambiguity, and how men and women relate. Hemingway also uses many examples of symbolism in “Hills Like White Elephants”, including descriptions of the surrounding scenery, the hills themselves, and the station where the action takes place.

Source: CAPPELEN DAMM AS, Oslo 2008 – ''Access to English literature, VG3''. Anthony, Burgess, Mikkelsen & Sørhus. Chapter 1, page 23-24.

“Hills like White Elephants,” written by Ernest Hemingway is a short story about two characters and their’s turning and twisting arguments about an operation and also how the settings affect on both this characters perspective and attitude toward the abortion. The story begins at the train station somewhere in Spain where this couple waiting for a train to Madrid and discussing whether to keep baby or no. While in the stations, different events take place as highlighted by the author of the story where the girl explore surrounding of the train station and compare each thing with her situation such as the nearby rail tracks, trees, river, the hills, alcohol. On the other hand, the American responds by stating that he has never come across white elephants and refuse her perspective and shows his decision to not have a baby. The two characters continue ordering more drinks while having their discussion. In a nutshell, the story “Hills like White Elephants,” is a short story about a young girl name Jig and American man who waiting for a train and discussing about whether a girl have an abortion or no, based on abortion, there is a conflict of their relationship derived on the environmental setting of the short story.

Over the train tracks, there's an alcohol store on the left side and a low-price store on the right. At the red light, there're a gasoline station and a bank next to it on the right, and a tax helper building on the left with the post office next to it. These are a few of the buildings in the village, but they're not important.

“Breaking the Land” discusses three major components throughout the book; cotton, tobacco, and the rice culture. Pete Daniel, the author, discusses the transformation of these three subjects throughout history. The different agriculture crops are described by explaining the environment that they are in and the difficulties they come across. The book explains how the crops and the environment have changed because of the difficulties they have faced. Diseases, race, inflation and deflation of crop prices, laws, and the economy are some of the main problems that helped transform the environment of the crop industry. The book explains in great detail the challenges that each crop undertook to become a more modern industry, along with the increase of technology. Technology plays a large role in creating a more modern life for the agriculture industries. Daniel goes on to explain the new technology that is used during the timeline of events for the development of agricultural crops.

I Am The (Great plain) By: Antwaan valadez I am the Great Plains I wonder how most Indians hunt I hear animals in the forest I see many young Indians I want a new tomahawk I am the Great Plains I pretend that i'm a big and strong Indian I feel amazing

Hills Like White Elephants, published in 1927, embodies Hemingway’s style, and explores the issues of responsibility, communication, and unexpected life decisions, and does so in just four short pages. Hemingway drops us off in the middle of a conversation between a boyfriend and girlfriend, in which the couple discusses whether or not to abort their unborn child. The man, known as the American, pressures the girl, known only as Jig, into going through with the abortion, while Jig subtly suggests that she would rather keep the child and settle down. Neither of the characters states anything outright, and our limited perspective leaves it solely up to us to decipher the meaning of the story. Ernest Hemingway uses the symbolic setting and the themes of communication and unpredictability to drive home his belief that life is far from being happy, and rarely conforms to what we expect.

Most teens learn to use irony as a way to avoid telling the truth, tip-toeing around the truth. They do this to deal with or avoid issues in their lives that they do not want to face directly. They would prefer to mask their feelings with lies, then be direct and turn to irony to convey emotions they cannot be honest about. In Joyce Carol Oates short story, this is exactly what Sunny does. The understanding and meaning of a free world between Sunny and Zachary display just how differently people view and relate the outside world to their life choices and responsibilities. A discussion could be brought on about this topic, or if teens view it as a free world too, and how they feel about their own responsibilities and choices, in this free world.

In “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway, which takes place in 1927, a character who goes by the American makes abortions seem like a harmless procedure: “It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig… It’s not really an operation at all” (140). This, however, is not the case and Jig knows that there is more to it than it just a simple surgery. Whether it was a manipulation driven tactic or pure ignorance, the American couldn’t have been further from the truth. During the twenties, an overwhelming number of women either died or suffered severe medical complications during an abortion due to its taboo nature. With abortion being illegal in that time, Hemingway tastefully leaves it to the readers to figure out what type of

Imagine a world with no pain or suffering. The typical human being would think that a world that does not have to endure pain or suffering would be wonderful, but not Flannery O’Connor. This American writer expressed her theory about why the world was not created to have perfect human beings who live perfect lives by using fictional short stories. Due to her religious beliefs, Flannery O’Connor feels it is necessary to inform her audience the importance of undergoing a hardship, demonstrated in many forms of symbolism. Throughout the short stories “Good Country People” and “Everything That Rises Must Converge”, Flannery O’Connor validates the necessity of distress, whether it be physically or emotionally, in order to reach a state of redemption.

Though Hills like White Elephants is a very short story, it offers a lot to be taken away from it. I feel like every person that reads it can get a different message from the story. That is one of the things that makes Hills like White Elephants such a great story. I can relate to this story very easily because I have been in situations that are somewhat similar to the one the American and Jig is in.

In the short story “Where Is Here?” There are three main characters they are all described an characterizes in different ways. There appearance was explained on multiple occasions. The man who was visiting had a rather creepy presence. He wore all black suit he had a limp an something just seemed off about the man.

Are you ready to analyze three stories? Yes? Awesome! No? Too bad, because here we go! The three stories in question are The Leap by Louise Erdrich, The Contents of a Dead Man’s Pockets by Jack Finney, and Ambush by Tim O’Brien. The authors of these stories use aspects of their stories to shape the plot, show the theme, and to change the views and opinions of the characters in the stories.