Hills Like White Elephants Feminist Analysis

Liberty Through Assertion The crusade against female oppression has made immense progress throughout the centuries. "Feminism is the radical notion that women are people" (Cheris Kramarae and Paula Treichler). This portrays the empowerment of females and eradication of the submissive role that women have been defined by throughout history. Women refusing to assume the inferior position under men is how androcentric societies have since progressed towards a more gender-equal civilization. In the 1927 short story, "Hills Like White Elephants", Ernest Hemingway illustrates the hardships and oppression most women in any patriarchal society face through careful diction and detailed depiction of feminist personalities. The oppression of females
Jig's demeanor towards her partner conveys the stereotypical submissive role that most, if not all, women of that era assume from birth. To begin, her mannerisms towards her partner shows her acceptance of his dominance over her. The story begins with the pair having drinks by a train station somewhere in northern Spain. Jig heavily relies on the man to translate and order for her, presumably because she cannot speak Spanish. She asks her companion many questions, including "What should we drink?" (Hemingway, 475) and "Is it good with water?" (476). This implies the knowledge disparities between the man and Jig, a common situation during the 1920s when the story was written, where it was believed that higher education was only meant for men. Jig's decision to consume multiple alcoholic beverages during her pregnancy is also another indication of her lack of education or knowledge. In a brief dispute with her partner, she says "I wanted to try this new drink. That's all we do, isn't it – look at things and try new drinks?" (476). It is unclear as to whether she
When describing the pair, he chooses to call them "The American and the girl with him" (Hemingway, 475). This clearly indicates the difference in authority, though the status of the relationship between the two is not described. Jig is regarded as "the girl" despite being pregnant, and is given a nickname, while the man remains unidentified. Hemingway's choice of words to refer to her as the girl accompanying the American man implies her lesser status. When Jig gazes at the hills along the horizon, she tells the man that "They look like white elephants" (475). The symbolism behind the meaning of the white elephant has two distinctly contrasting interpretations. One is that the white elephant is "something that requires a lot of care and money and that gives little profit or enjoyment" (Merriam-Webster). The other interpretation is that it is a rare sacred entity, one that symbolizes life. The juxtaposition of the two contrasting interpretations also symbolizes the different opinions regarding the abortion between Jig and the man. The man's personality would undoubtedly agree with the white elephant as a costly and useless possession, whereas Jig would see the white elephants, or the child, as a rarity that is to be revered. Near the end of the story, Hemingway depicts Jig's change of heart, almost as if suddenly realizing her true power in the situation. The shedding