Please respond to the following prompt:
What is the biggest conflict in the story? (Think about all of the different conflicts--between the couple, within each character, etc.) Use evidence from the story to support your view.
You must do two tasks for full credit:
1. Respond to the prompt above.
2. Respond to someone else's comment. You must respectfully agree or disagree and say why.
This assignment is due by 9 p.m. on Thursday, September 3rd.
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Happy posting!
I believe the biggest conflict in the story is in the relationship. We see that although the girl, is reluctant to give up the baby. She is willing, just to make her man happy. We see who has power in the relationship, through this story, because the man uses his girlfriends love for him against her. He manipulates her by saying things like they will be happy again, and the world will be theres if she goes through with it. The man justifies his manipulation by saying, he only wants her to do it if she wants too. When she knows that he is implying that he would be a lot happier if she went through with the abotion. She neglects her own body and claims, "... i'll do it. Because I don't care about me." It's an unhealthy dynamic where she will do anything to make her boyfriend happy, while sacraficing her own happiness.
ReplyDeleteI believe there is another conflict, the desicion wether or not to keep the baby. I think this conflict is important but is influenced so much by the power of her boyfriend that he inevitably influences her decision on wether or not to keep it. She wants to keep the baby, as we can see when she mocks her boyfriend, and says, "Can't we maybe stop talking?" This shows her discomfort in the situation yet is still thinking about getting the abortion. She does not choose to get it, but is pressured by her boyfriend, and her own want to please him that that she is about to do something she does not want to do.
Overall the main conflict is the dynamic in the relationship, and the man's want to satisfy his dreams, while manipulating his girlfriend to do what he says.
Nice analysis Princess! I agree with all of your points on the story and the relationship between the man and the girl.It was important to take some of the things we discussed in class and put it into your response. I think it was clever to include evidence on how the girl feels discomfort in the whole situation. I never thought to include the "Cant we maybe stop talking?" sequence, and that was a point in the story that showed the couple had discussed this for quite some time already. Overall good explanation in your analysis.
DeleteI completely agree Princess. The man has an unhealthy influence on her and I believe him to be the problem, because the man is the one who leads to her intrspersonal conflict. Many students said that her Jig had a conflict with herself but I believe that it was heightened with the man's pressure. He refuses to support her; he only pushes her to make the decision he agrees on. You are right about the unhealthy relationship. All she wants to do is please him and he even stops thinking about her own well being in the process.
DeleteI think that the biggest conflict in the story is between the man and the girl. Their relationship with each other seems to be strange in many ways. The man seems to be able to control what the girl wants to do in regards to her abortion. The woman seems to want to try and keep the baby, focusing on the guilt and the consequences that would result from the operation. However, her boyfriend/husband seems to only want the baby to disappear so he can focus on her. He doesn't really take his girlfriend's opinion into regards. He tries to manipulate her into believing "everything will be okay after the operation. Surprisingly, this method of guilt is effective. The girl seems to want to make her boyfriend/husband happy, even if it means sacrificing her future health/happiness in return. This is not beneficial in any way for a relationship. Overall, this conflict between the man and woman show off the dysfunctional relationship they have based on control, self-hatred, and unhappiness.
ReplyDeleteAntonio,
DeleteYour analysis was very insightful and gave me another perspective of the story, in which the root of the problem is the relationship itself. Even though we disagreed about what was the main conflict, you bring up excellent points about how manipulative the man is. My own analysis might be different if I included the possibility that the girl would never have considered an abortion without the man pressuring her to do so. Also, your explanation is made more persuasive by the fact that you feel strongly about your opinion. Excellent work!
I think the biggest conflict in the story “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway is the internal conflict of the girl, Jig, about whether to go through with the abortion or not. Everything hinges on her indecision, which seems to get worse as the story progresses. Although there is an additional conflict between the couple, the man’s responses to her play off of what he believes she feels, so the entire dialogue is, in effect, his effort to end her personal struggle. Even the title reflects her internal difficulties; the hills that “look like white elephants” are a metaphor for everything she wishes the abortion could give her. When Jig asks whether the man would still enjoy things like her comment about the hills, she is really wondering whether she could go back to the life she had before. However, the man thinks that she only needs to be reassured and persuaded, so he exaggerates by saying “We’ll be fine afterward” and “[the operation is] all perfectly natural.” In reality, such one-sided comments make the girl less certain of the possibility, thus perpetuating her own conflict. Jig’s doubts engulf her so much, in fact, that she grows tired of the man’s opinions and wishes to ignore the topic altogether: “Can’t we maybe stop talking?” Her conflict is the largest because it is the one that matters the most; no matter what happens during the couple’s argument, the decision is ultimately hers, and it will affect both of their lives enormously.
ReplyDeleteNow that I think about it, this conflict wouldn't have really happened if the girl didn't begin to think about the "what ifs" in the situation. I agree with your last couple of points also. She is the one carrying the baby and that's why I think the girl is having these second thought unlke the man. No matter what the man says. No matter how many stories he tells about the relief in abortion, she is the decision maker for their future, and it will affect their lives a great amount. Even though our main conflicts are different, I feel like "Her internal conflict" is a great contender for the main conflict in the story. Nice job
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DeleteI said the same exact thing! Even though the story focuses mainly on the dialogue which indicates a direct external conflict I agree that the bigger conflict is the internal struggle Jig faces about her decision on abortion. We the readers can interpret this internal struggle by looking at Jig's actions, especially when she looks at the side of the river where it's lively. We can interpret this as a symbol of what she is thinking and how life would be like if she chooses to keep the baby. But in the end I think she is going more to the side of getting the abortion to please the man and make him happy. Her internal struggle on her decision will have a great impact on her life which is why I also think that this is the biggest conflict. Great analysis!
DeleteThat was very good Cassandra, very nice points. Although we did diagree, you make me think about the story in a new light. It made me in a way rethink my conflict. But I also believe that sme of the girls internal conflict is caused by her boyfriend's relentlessness to get her to go through with the abortion causes causes internal conflict within the girl. But I believe that in some ways our two conflicts coincide and influence eachother. Like the conflict of the couples conflict and power differences causes some internal conflict with the girl, because without the boyfriend arguing with her, she would not have had the same internal conflict. So in a way our two conflicts both rely on eachother to happen. I'm sorry if that doesn't make sense. It makes sense in my head.
DeleteCassandra, I agree with you 100%. I too believe that the biggest conflict in the story is the internal struggle that the girl is facing. It seemed as if she wasn't having any doubt about having the abortion there wouldn't really be a story. The doubt in her decision is what caused the argument between her and the man.
DeleteThe major conflict within “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway is the couple. In the story, the girl is hesitant on the abortion and starts to think outside of their “plan.” The girl begins to think about the great things that can happen by having the baby. She began describing the end of station that is filled with life, which represented having the baby. She states, “‘And we could have all this,’ She said. ‘And we could have everything and every day we could make it more impossible.'" However, even though she was hopeful that their lives wouldn’t change and that it would even get better, the man felt otherwise. As he stated, “...I don’t want anybody but you. I don’t want anyone else." The man also tries to fill the girl's mind with all of the great things that happen after abortion, and it really it just seems like he is manipulating the girl’s mind just so he himself can live the life he wants. The only option is his option and anything other than it, he refuses to put real thought into it. All in all, the conflict in this story is the couple’s inability to do what is best for them as a couple, and not just what is best for one person in the relationship.
ReplyDeleteI actually disagree I believe that the girl already had her mind made up and that she was already planning on having the abortion but was just feeling the need to justify it by asking the man if everything will be good which he is happy to reinsure I think she just wants to be happy and being with the man is what makes her happy right now in her life. I do think it was a decision that was made in the best interest of their relaionship.
DeleteThere is an internal conflict of the girl on whether or not she should get an abortion (this was a more implied conflict) and the other conflict of the story is an external conflict between the man and the women about different views on whether or not to stick with the plan of abortion. So the conflict would be the external conflict I just pointed out, but we as readers can imply that there is are internal struggles for the girl. We can see that Hemingway (the author) expresses this conflict through dialogue. When the man says to the girl, "It's awfully a simple operation, Jig. It's not really an operation at all. It's just to let the air in." I feel like when the man says "operation" and "just to let air in", that's a really big clue that the reader can interpret that this man and girl are fighting about a decision on abortion. The man obviously wants the abortion to happen, especially when he says “That's the only thing that bothers us. It's the only thing that's made us unhappy,” (he's referring this to the baby/pregnancy). He also shows his disconnect from her feelings and her actions when he says that the operation is "perfectly simple", implying that it's not really a big deal and she shouldn't worry about it. On the other hand, the girl, Jig, is split between getting the abortion and not getting it. When she uses her sarcasm, when she looks on the side of the river where it's lively, and the many questions she asks, indicates that she is thinking hard about her decision. It's direct that this is an external conflict between this couple but also we need to look at this internal struggle Jig is facing which is her decision. It seems like she is only going through this operation to please the man and not really thinking about what she wants, but what HE wants. You could see this when she says, "Then I'll do it. Because I don't care about me." We can also see where she is still troubled about deciding when she says, "Doesn't is mean anything to you? We could get along." But if i were to say which one of these is the biggest conflict I would have to say the internal problem of Jig because in the end what SHE decides will impact her life in a big way, either ending in regret or sadness or to move on and look forward.
ReplyDeleteI like the two perspectives of levels of conflict, one being intrapersonal and one being interpersonal. It made sense when you said Jig's decision is the most important one, that she will decide whether or not to keep the baby, despite outward pressure to get an abortion. Even though we had different main conflicts, you explained your reasoning well and with a lot of evidence. It's interesting to see the man's "disconnect from Jig's feelings and actions", especially when he manipulates her emotions to suit his own throughout the story, and that she still has not made a decision by the end of it. Great analysis, Jahziel!
DeleteI believe the main conflict is between the man and Jig's baby. Before Jig became pregnant, the couple talks of their time together as carefree and happy, but now Jig might have a baby, the man thinks those days will be over. Jig seems set in her decision to keep the baby without input from the man, but she reconsiders when he insists on getting an abortion. This conflict probably would not exist if he did not cling to his carefree lifestyle and push Jig into getting an abortion, going so far as to make light of a procedure he would not even be a part of. He is so adamant against letting the baby take away his freedom that he manipulates her and uses their previous life together against her, saying that they can "have the whole world" and "it's the only thing that's made us unhappy." She sees the baby as hope for the future, however, and understands the fact that they cannot have the same lifestyle they had before the baby, saying, "...we could have everything and every day we make it more impossible." She sees the baby as an opportunity while the man sees it as a burden, an obstacle to keep him from living his life. I think this is the main conflict: the conflict between the man and the baby.
ReplyDeleteYou made me really think about the man having more of a role in the conflict! My answer focused more on the girl and how she makes the decision but I really like your focus on the man. It is a well known stereotype that men don't want to be tied down with babies and a real adult life and you captured that very well in your response. Good Job, Trinity!
DeleteThat's a very interesting and thoughtful take on the story. It's not so much about what happens during the story itself, but the implications beyond the events of the text. Personally, I sympathize with the man, but his tactics make me side with the girl, if not the baby (since it is a bit young for having a position in the conflict; it's more about what it represents.)
DeleteAlthough my answer to the prompt was focused on the girl's intrapersonal conflict I also agree with your argument as well. Due to the fact the man focuses on his life and the possibility of a child and not his life with Jig, it clouds what he should actually be focusing on in his relationship. Good analysis I enjoyed reading your point of view on the prompt.
DeleteLike everyone else I hadn't really thought of the conflict as being between the unborn baby and the partner. While i thought it was a very interesting point I respectfully disagree. At first I thought I thought he must be totally against having a child, but after awhile I started to think differently. Even though he makes various points about being happier without a child he makes sure that she understands that he will love her and be there for her no matter what she chooses to do. I started thinking about how he doesn't have a deep enough connection with the unborn baby to really care for it and therefore really just doesn't care about the child in any way. To him the situation is strictly between him and his girlfriend.
DeleteI have not thought of the conflict with the man and the baby. I wrote that the conflict is with the girl, because she has to make the decision to abort her child. But i do agree with you, because throughout the story,the man only considers himself. He does not think about how aborting the child will effect the girl, thus is why she wanted him to stop talking to her.
DeleteI believe the biggest conflict in “Hills Like White Elephants” is centered on Jig’s internal struggle because she is the one who is grappling with the situation while the man is passive aggressively encouraging her to have the abortion. She wants to have the abortion because she wants things to be “like they were” and she wants the man to love her but at the same time she is reluctant to kill her baby. She keeps observing the white mountains and the lush greenery on the other side of the Ebro as if they are her unattainable ideal or the life of purity, love, and new life that would come along with having the baby. The mountains are very distant and the narrator describes the contrast between the mountains, “they were white in the sun”, and the country which “was brown and dry” to bring attention to Jig’s struggle. Jig and the man are on the brown side of the valley and her dreams seem far away. She is fascinated by the mountains that “look like white elephants” and keeps bringing up their beauty.
ReplyDeleteThe man, on the other hand, doesn’t even notice the mountains and brushes away Jig’s comments, more focused on getting what he wants out of the conversation. He is oblivious to her emotional turmoil and only wants one thing: the abortion. However, I say that the main conflict is within the girl and not in the relationship between the two because her choice is the deciding factor in this situation. Although the man has some say in the matter, it is ultimately the girl’s decision to either stick with her gut and keep the baby or have the abortion and stay with the man.
I completely agree with you! When I was reading the story, I observed the passive aggressive comments as well, and you did such a good job of articulating the way the man subtly tries to manipulate her into agreeing with him. You also made connections to the scenery that I hadn't made , and the significance behind the imagery that you're describing really adds an entirely new level to the piece for me.
DeleteI believe that the major conflict in the story, "Hills Like White Elephants," by Ernest Hemingway, is the internal struggle that the girl, Jig, is facing. She is trying to decide whether or not to get an abortion. This action can and will dramatically change her life no matter what she chooses to do, she will either have the responsibility of a child or the constant thought of "what if." If Jig didn't have this self doubt about her decision then a fight wouldn't have taken place between her and the man. The man seems so set on being able to live a carefree life that he doesn't consider that for Jig, having a baby is an adventure that she wants to take and not some oppressive burden like he sees it as. Jig has a huge life altering decision to make that causes "problems" both internally and externally in her life.
ReplyDeletei absolutely agree about Jig's self doubt affecting her choices in life, it really helps me see the story in another perspective, which I've never seen before. Really good answer.
DeleteWhile the story itself is centered around the conflict between the man and the girl, there are several other layers of conflict involved; some interpersonal, others metaphorical. As purported by the above students, I believe that the most important conflict to the story is the internal conflict within the girl, Jig. As the man continuously pressures her to get the abortion that is the center of conflict, she faces a fight within herself over whether to give in to her persistent partner or to stand by her own will and keep the child. Occasionally throughout the dialogue, we get hints that her confidence falters, while at other points she resists the man's pressures. The end of the story is very ambiguous, but I believe that she overcame her partner's insistence and set her mind on keeping the baby. Her final words, "I feel fine, there is nothing wrong with me. I feel fine" (Hemingway 4), indicate that she has accepted her pregnancy and has come to terms with her current state and future child. Nonetheless, her battle was still the most significant of the story, as the entire plot hinged on her decision. No matter how much she argued with the man, in the end, it was up to her own judgement.
ReplyDeleteThe biggest conflict in the story is the girls struggle with coming to terms with her decision to abort her child. The girl never goes directly against the decison and only looks to be reassured that it is what will make them happy. The man views the decision as simple and does not want their relationship to be burdened by a child stating "It's perfectly simple."and "The best thing to do." It gets to the point where it feels like her decision is predetermined and that it really was the man making the choice all along It feels as if the girl would rather abort the child and stay with the man as she says "It isn't ours anymore". The girls mind was made up from the start and so was the mans it was just an issue of accepting the truth.
ReplyDeleteEvan,
DeleteI really liked your take on what you think is the conflict of the story. I never really thought about this while I was writing my response. I thought it was interesting seeing other people's perspectives on the story, and yours was very insightful. The part where you said that, "The girl never goes directly against the decison and only looks to be reassured that it is what will make them happy" was really engrossing because I have never really looked at it like that. Good answer :)
In the story, "Hills Like White Elephants" by Emest Hemingway, the biggest dispute is the intrapersonal conflict within Jig. Although the conflict between Jig and her partner is important, the hardest decision is whether she should abort this child or not. Jig has to decide whether she wants to keep her freedom with her partner or to carry the responsibility of a child. Her options given are similar to a double edged sword because both choices have their pros and cons. If she were to keep the child she would have to physically and mentally support it. If she chooses to abort the child she has a high possibility of living the rest of her life in guilt over not letting the baby live. Although, if this really was an issue with Jig she could possibly keep the child and after its birth put it up for adoption. In addition, she also has the underlying pressure of wanting to please the man she's in a relationship with, who does not seem to want the child. As a result of this she may be afraid that the man will abandon her with child if she chooses not to go through with the abortion. In the end it's Jig's decision to choose the man or the child who both will affect her life greatly in the long run.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Kathleen, but I also think that the conflict between Jig and her partner is just as important. While it's her decision whether or not she wants to abort her child, there are also points in the dialogue where I feel like he's trying to influence her decision and peer pressure her using passive-aggressiveness into getting the abortion. For example, "It's really an awfully simple operation, Jig. It's not really an operation at all," and, "Well, if you don't want to you don't have to. I wouldn't have you do it if you didn't want to. But I know it's perfectly simple." I like your simile when you compared Jig's situation to a double edged sword, and I think you did a good job connecting to how men often leave the girl in a relationship if she becomes pregnant or doesn't do what they want. Nice work!
DeleteThe biggest conflict in the short story, "Hills Like White Elephants" is the man and his role in the women's decision. The man is extremely passive- aggressive in this situation and reluctantly tries to influence the woman's final decision. For example, as the couple is discussing their next course of action, the man explains, " 'If you don't want to, you don't have to. I wouldn't have you do it if you didn't want to. But I know its perfectly simple'" (Hemingway 47). In this instance, the man is pretending to give the woman a choice when he is obviously persuading her to go through with the abortion since its so "simple". Not only does the man use a passive- agressive tone with the woman, but he also persuades her to go through with the abortion by sugar-coating the process. The man assures the woman, "'They just let the air in and then its all perfectly natural'" (Hemingway 476). At this point it is more than clear the man does not want to have the child, the woman is still unsure of what she should do. She makes a choice but the problem is the choice might not even have been hers because the man had a very biased role in the matter, in which he was not allowing the woman to make her own decision. Although he seems calm and under control, the man desperately wants the woman to carry on with the abortion. So much so, he actually reassures the woman of the wonderful life they will have afterwards. He is trying to do all in his power to ensure the woman has the abortion. He refuses to allow her to make the decision on her own, which results in major conflict for the indecisive woman torn between the possibility of two different lives.
ReplyDeleteTotally! I absolutely agree! The man (sadly) dominates the relationship and hence, has a lot of control in major life decisions. The girl, emotionally dependent on the man but inwardly seeks to make the choice herself, is absolutely "torn between the possibility of two different lives." An imbalance of power right?
DeleteIn "Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway, there are two main conflicts: the girl, Jig, is debating whether or not to get an abortion, and the other one lies in the relationship between Jig and her boyfriend/partner. Throughout the story, it is evident that Jig is torn about what the correct decision is for not only her, but also her boyfriend. In her head, she compares both scenarios to the scenery around a train station; one side is dry and barren, without any sign of life- much like a desert, and the other side is full of fields of grain and trees and even a river. She knows that no matter what she chooses to do, her decision will impact her life drastically; she could either have the responsibility of being a mother and taking care of another life, or live with the fact that she killed her own child. In my opinion, it's obvious that she wants more time to think about what she wants to do, and it doesn't help that her partner is partial to Jig getting an abortion: "'I know you wouldn't mind it, Jig. It's really not anything. It's just to let the air in... They just let the air in and then it's all perfectly natural."'
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, her relationship with her partner seems to be estranged due to her life-altering decision. He is passive-aggressive, due to the fact that he wants her to and even indirectly encourages her to get the abortion. Jig is frustrated that her partner doesn't seem to care much about the baby, and instead cares more about how things were before she even got pregnant: "'We'll be fine afterward. Just like we were before... You've got to realize that I don't want you to do it if you don't want to. I'm perfectly willing to go through with it if it means anything to you."' She becomes increasingly sarcastic with him, and is sometimes close to antagonizing him: "'Would you please please please please please please please stop talking?"' I think one of the other main reasons why she's so fed up with him is because he constantly says he "loves her" and that "other people have done it and are happy", and makes it seem like it's not a big deal to kill an unborn child, instead of having a rational discussion with her about why he doesn't want her to keep the baby. Even through the man doesn't have a say in whether or not to go through with the abortion, I can tell that they love each other, but it's not in his place to tell her what to do, especially if she's the one carrying the baby.
I agree! It's like a struggle of who's in charge of the situation! I really like your analysis it makes a lot of sense to me. But I like to respectfully inform you the idea of "killing her own child" is not very accurate. I get what you're trying to say, since it is a HUGE decision. But abortions does not kill the baby it simply ends a pregnancy (preventing the fetus from growing any further). So, a "child" or "baby" is a term used after pregnancy... sorry,but I have to point that out! :3 This is all I know about abortions... it's defiantly not a murder or a "killing"XD
DeleteI agree! It's like a struggle of who's in charge of the situation! I really like your analysis it makes a lot of sense to me. But I like to respectfully inform you the idea of "killing her own child" is not very accurate. I get what you're trying to say, since it is a HUGE decision. But abortions does not kill the baby it simply ends a pregnancy (preventing the fetus from growing any further). So, a "child" or "baby" is a term used after pregnancy... sorry,but I have to point that out! :3 This is all I know about abortions... it's defiantly not a murder or a "killing"XD
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ReplyDeleteThe biggest conflict in “Hills Like White Elephants” is the relationship between the couple. The man and the girl seems to have a rather problematic love life based on their dialogue with each other. The dialogue, which is mainly argumentative in nature, indicates the uneasy state of their relationship. The two discuss about the girl potentially undertaking an abortion. The man emotionally manipulates her by saying that after going through with the “simple” operation, they will be fine afterwards and that her pregnancy was the “only thing that’s made us unhappy.” The man obviously wants her to abort the baby, but appears passive aggressive by repeatedly saying, “I don’t want you do it if you don’t really want to.” The girl, on the other hand, is hesitant about aborting, but wants to appease to her lover’s wishes. At one point, she asks, “And if I do it you’ll happy and things will be like they were and you’ll love me?” As one can see, the girl is emotionally dependent on him and only complies because “I don’t care about me.” Her emotional dependency on the man is beneficial to him because she neglects her own needs in order to please his even though it is HER choice and HER body. This type of relationship is dysfunctional and unhealthy and can only result in more conflicts if continued.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what you said about the girl being emotionally dependent on him. I also think that it is her own body and she should take charge of it, it is okay for her to get advice and his opinion but the ultimate decision is really on her. He created the child but he is not carrying the child she is. I feel that even if he does not want the baby but she does, she should be strong enough to keep the baby instead of getting rid of it because he'll love her more after she does.
DeleteI believe the major conflict in the short story, “Hills Like White Elephants," by Ernest Hemingway, is the couple's problematic relationship and lifestyle. I say this because, throughout the dialogue-driven story the man, is the driving force for this conflict, he tries to persuade his significant other to have an abortion. He claims that their relationship will be back to “normal”, because their unwanted baby is the only thing that kept them from being truly happy, as said, “That’s the only thing that bothers us. It’s the only thing that’s made us unhappy.” He also tells her, that she doesn’t have to do the abortion if she doesn’t want to. Despite these claims, he is overall very manipulative during the situation. He often brings up the topic of having an abortion multiple times, whenever the girl feels unsure or reluctant about it. She may also be dependent on him, as she asks permission for having drinks; and since they are in Spain, she is now even more dependent since she does not know the language. I would imagine this to be very stressful for her. I would like to note that this story is made during the 1920s. At that time abortion was seen as immoral and was even seen as a criminal offense in some countries. With that said, I would assume that the two couple would have little knowledge of how abortions work. This lack of knowledge emphasizes the girl’s unwillingness of having an abortion. Another conflict I’d like to point out is their lifestyle together. Their lifestyle is problematic for their relationship, as it is implied that the two travels a lot. As they spend nights in various hotels and drink new drinks. This lifestyle rather fast-paced lifestyle which made the girl tired, and bored, she even commented, “That’s all we do, isn’t it- look at things and try new drinks?” It’s clear that the two are trying to have a long-term relationship, but they cannot obtain that if they continue to wandering around. She is TIRED of it. She wants to settle down eventually, but as long as they stay in this relationship she will find herself following in his footsteps.
ReplyDeleteHere's some links on Abortion in the 1920s and prior (It's pretty interesting)
http://www.unb.ca/saintjohn/arts/projects/crimepunishment/cases/abortion.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/abortion/legal/history_1.shtml
In my opinion, the biggest conflict in the story is the conflict that the girl is having with the american, over whether to get an abortion. I believe this because in my opinion, the american seems like he is trying to coerce her into agreeing with him, using a variety of different tricks. At first, the american tries to frame the abortion as though it wouldn't be a big deal for the girl. Then, the american makes it seem as though the child is the only obstacle in the way of the two of them having a wonderful relationship, like they used to, when in reality I imagine the situation must be far more complicated than that. Then, the American tries to use peer pressure to persuade her, telling her that he knows lots of people who have gotten abortions, and afterwards they were all happy. To me, the discussion that the two f them are having is the central conflict of the story, because it occupies the largest portion of the story, and seems the most pressing.
ReplyDeleteTo me the biggest conflict in the story is between the girl and her choices so basically her intrapersonal conflicts. An unwanted pregnancy is very hard on couples but especially the woman carrying the child. She sees that he only has two choices and on top of that stress she has her partner complicating her situation by being indecisive. She is at a literal crossroad in her life and she has to make a decision that will affect her entire life.
ReplyDeleteAlso I forgot to mention how she perhaps starts to feel guilty about her decision. Although we don't know how long the couple has known they were with child, we can infer that they havent known long since there is an expiration date for that type of procedure. In the end she seems to have made her decision fairly quick, but throughout the story it sounds like she maybe feeling guilty because she had already made up her mind before they started talking. When she notices the setting of the hills it could be her subconscious reminding her she does have a choice to make. As the story continues her tone makes it seem like she is finally at peace with her decision and she will continue with the operation as she had originally planned.
DeleteI believe the biggest conflict of the story is the couple's relationship. I think that this is the main conflict of the story because the man is trying to convince the woman to go through with the abortion in an understated way. It becomes very problematic because it creates a disturbance in this couple's relationship. The man views the woman's pregnancy as a burden in their life an he is trying to persuade the woman to "let the air in" so he and the woman can live a normal life," just like they were before" and "be happy", because he thinks that killing the baby inside his partner, "is the best thing to do". This man is trying to pressure the woman into a operation that he think is the best for their lives, without really giving the woman any say in this. He is telling her to do the procedure but in an indirect way by saying things like, "But I don't want to do it if you don't really want to." But in reality he would like the procedure done because he is spending all this time to try to satisfy the woman in this situation.
ReplyDeleteI believe the major conflict in “Hills Like White Elephants,” by Ernest Hemingway, is the internal conflict of the girl deciding whether she should choose to abort her child. The story is about a girl and her man arguing about abortion. In one of their conversation, she states, “Everything tastes of licorice. Especially all the things you’ve waited so long for….That’s all we do, isn’t—look at things and try new drinks,” it implies that the girl wants change in her life by having a baby and waiting nine months for the baby to finally arrive; would be sweet, like licorice. As their conversation goes on, her man declares, “It’s really an awfully simple operation…It’s not really an operation at all… We’ll be fine afterward. Just like we were before…I know we will,” this shows that her man wants her to get an abortion. With this in mind, she is more indecisive about having the baby, the girl mentions that, “We could have everything…the whole world,” But her man replies with, “No, we can’t,” here she is worried that she will upset her man if she tells him she wants to keep the baby, so she decides to go through with the abortion stating, she does not care about herself. This prompted her to tell her man to stop talking.
ReplyDeleteI think the biggest conflict in the story is the miscommunication between the two characters. He is being passive aggressive and she is also not stating what is entirely on her mind. The girl knows exactly what she wants but she does not tell the man straight up. The same can be applied to him. He repeatedly tells her "I don't want you to do it if you don't want to". Also, instead of discussing with him she constantly tries to distract them both by mentioning having a drink. So the main conflict is merely the couple not solving the major conflict which is the abortion.
ReplyDelete-Kristine Aulachong