Hills Like White Elephants
Question B: Tension helps the climax of many short stories. In this story the climax is understated yet is as serious as any death or battle. Explain how the climax builds and shapes the outcome of this story.
A Tough Decision
In this journey we call life, we are confronted with many challenges, most of which we share as a society. One such challenge is the issue of abortion (pro-life vs. pro-abortion). Throughout the world this remains a hotly debated topic among many people (families, religions, and governments). Exploration of such a challenging topic does not require us to look too far before we run into controversy. It is readily available in print, music, art, media, and on the worldwide web, in addition to other channels. In this analysis, I shall attempt to examine some aspects of the core issue of abortion through a short story, and observe the climax, tension, and heart felt emotions people endure because of their differently held cultural views. The short story “Hills like White Elephants” was written by Ernest Hemingway in 1927. He brought the characters to life with his vivid imagery and strong dialogue. The short story is about a young couple in the country of Spain, awaiting the arrival of a commuter train outside a restaurant. The couple is in a heated discussion centered on the girl’s pregnancy. The American man tries to use his powers of persuasion to convince the girl (Jig) to have an abortion, however, she has a different view on the thought of having an abortion; she did not want to go through with it. The American man knew within himself that he was not ready to assume the responsibilities of fathering a child, so the abortion was his solution to their problem. He tried desperately to convince Jig that having an abortion was the best resolution for their tough situation when he said: “It’s really an awfully simple operation Jig ….That’s the only thing that bothers us. It’s the only thing that’s made us unhappy,”(Hemingway
A Tough Decision
In this journey we call life, we are confronted with many challenges, most of which we share as a society. One such challenge is the issue of abortion (pro-life vs. pro-abortion). Throughout the world this remains a hotly debated topic among many people (families, religions, and governments). Exploration of such a challenging topic does not require us to look too far before we run into controversy. It is readily available in print, music, art, media, and on the worldwide web, in addition to other channels. In this analysis, I shall attempt to examine some aspects of the core issue of abortion through a short story, and observe the climax, tension, and heart felt emotions people endure because of their differently held cultural views. The short story “Hills like White Elephants” was written by Ernest Hemingway in 1927. He brought the characters to life with his vivid imagery and strong dialogue. The short story is about a young couple in the country of Spain, awaiting the arrival of a commuter train outside a restaurant. The couple is in a heated discussion centered on the girl’s pregnancy. The American man tries to use his powers of persuasion to convince the girl (Jig) to have an abortion, however, she has a different view on the thought of having an abortion; she did not want to go through with it. The American man knew within himself that he was not ready to assume the responsibilities of fathering a child, so the abortion was his solution to their problem. He tried desperately to convince Jig that having an abortion was the best resolution for their tough situation when he said: “It’s really an awfully simple operation Jig ….That’s the only thing that bothers us. It’s the only thing that’s made us unhappy,”(Hemingway
Cited: Hemingway, Ernest. “Hills like White Elephants.” Living Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. Ed. John Brereton. New York: Pearson Longman, 2008. pp. 537-540. Print. Natasha Daniel Dr. Yarborough 211-02 Title: Effects of Abortion.