In the short story Hills Like White Elephants, many feminist theory red flags stood out to me. In this short story, it began with a couple stopping for a few drinks at a bar in the train station where they were waiting. It started off, so innocents as they ordered their alcoholic beverages, and the female character started to describe their scenery. The conversation then began to get more aggressive as the two characters began discussing if they should get an abortion or not.
Ernest Hemmingway portrayed the male character in this story, as many stories did during this time, as a man of power and control. Even though we the audience can see that he has the hand of power here, the male character does not want to appear as if he is deciding for the female character, known as Jig. Instead, the male character tries to comfort her and acts as if he will support her no matter what decision she makes.
Throughout the story, he attempted to make it seem like it is her decision but continuously suggests that the ‘operation’ is safe, simple, and the best option for them. Jig does not know what she wants to do. Multiple times she repeats that she will do it if it will make him happy and make him love her, but we can see that she, in fact, does not want to have the abortion. In the 1900s or the early 20th century, men were seen as the authority holders in relationships. During this time women were made to look inferior to men, and their male companion guided all of their decisions.
127 our experts are availableright now
In this short story, the woman decided to make her own decision even though she was attempting to make her male partner happy she ultimately decided against having abortion. I can see that she made this decision when the man said, ‘I’d better take the bags over to the other side of the station.’ Her partner now sees that she does not want to continue this conversion any further and in a small but strong way she is showing him that she will decide for herself, based off what she feels is right for her.
Lastly, she tells the man, ‘There’s nothing wrong with me. I feel fine’. I believe her to be referencing her emotional feelings as well as her being pregnant and becoming a mother. Jig’s final line and the further refusal of the conversation let us know that she was not in a hurry to do as her boyfriend said. In doing so, she not only defies her oppressive boyfriend, she challenges the constraints of her society. Women today still struggle with expectations of compliance to men’s demands even with years of struggle to become powers in industry, politics and the workforce.
