Hills Like White Elephants By Ernest Hemingway

The author of Hills Like White Elephants, Ernest Hemingway, writes a stimulating short story about the mysterious conflict between an American man and his girlfriend. The American man is portrayed as a stereotypical masculine figure; he is the decision maker of the relationship, and the one with most control. He remains calm in the event of a crisis and attempts to reason with his girlfriend. Similarly, the girl is portrayed as a stereotypical feminine figure; she is indecisive, perplexed and dependent on the American. This is best demonstrated when she remarks that the line of hills resemble white elephants. Noticing his lack of interest, she decides that perhaps "they don't really look like white elephants" (Hemingway 2) and waves off her
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When the discussion of the operation is brought up, the American emphasizes the simplicity of the process. It is evident that he wants the girl to go through with the operation. Despite this, he offers her the choice to refuse it and states he will love her anyway. Doubting his words, the girl decides that she will go through with the operation as she only cares about the happiness of the man. Thus, these characters represent the traditional gender roles of this period of time.