Premium Essay

White Elephant Ambiguity

Submitted By
Words 444
Pages 2
We read stories like this one that hides clues that we can not understand through its ambiguity. The narrator is the author, Ernest Hemingway. The setting takes place at a train station in Spain. The setting provided a specific time and place and background information. The male character in the story is admirable because he’s avoiding the discussion between him and the female. The man wants the woman to get an abortion. I know because white elephant means something nobody wants. When the man said, It’s really not anything. It is just to let the air in, it means he wants an abortion. The female is not admirable because she wants her right to start a family. She is not sure whether or not to agree to get the abortion. She sounded tired of the man making all the decisions. …show more content…
The story didn’t mention if the man and woman are married or not. They might not be married because of their luggage, and the nights they spent in different hotels. She looked with fascination at the fields and trees across the plain, because the man told her if she got the abortion, they would both hold the whole world in their hands and be happy. Her comment about the hills being like white elephants is profound because the white elephant is referring to the wildlife. I sympathize with the girl more, because she was tired of letting the boy always make the decision. Also, he didn’t care for her or her choices on the idea of an abortion. She has reached her awareness. She has become more mature than the man does with her pregnancy. She understood what kind of man she was living with. The man will keep saying the same thing if this discussion goes

Similar Documents

Free Essay

English-Literature

...experiences of the writer that reader can establish connections or may acknowledge it as a worldly or personal crisis. In short story, “Country Lovers” by Nadine Gourdime and “Hills Like White Elephants” by Elswell Hemmingway, both centers around the conflict that involves the issues of forces that may threaten to end love relationships in way both couples didn't want, by exploring the use of literary techniques such as symbolism, climax, and setting. Both stories deal with forces that is causing a love crisis between each other. The theme in “Hill Like White Elephant”, the couples are dealing with the topic of their unborn child and abortion and in “Country Lovers” focus on the love of childhood friends that turn into sexual curiosity that is against society rules and expectation between blacks and whites. Hills Like White Elephants, the whole story is consist of dialogue between a young woman who is nicknamed “Jig” and the unnamed American lover, trying to talk to each other but neither are listening or viewing each other point of views. The “white elephant” symbolizes to Jig's unwanted pregnancy that in her perspective, is proving to be a unwanted gift but precious because of her statement about the setting she residing in where the “hills” located in Eros across a valley that “look like white elephants” are “lovely”, which enlightens the statements to be more of something she want to experience of having the child that is unwanted. However, her American lover only refer to it as...

Words: 881 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Jig's Development of Mind

...JIG’S DEVELOPMENT OF MIND IN “HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANT” Marta Benvinda dos Santos Silva[1] Márton Támas Gémes[2] In “Hills like white elephants”, a couple, Jig and the American, discuss whether an abortion is the best way to solve the problems they are having in their relationship. Their conversations show that the man is undoubtedly in favor of it. As he constantly repeats, it is “an awfully simple operation”. (HEMINGWAY, 1976, p. 40) Jig, on the other hand, seems to be very uncomfortable towards it, acting under pressure. However, she passes through a transformation of mind along the short story, from submissive to independent from her company’s demandings. In this paper, we intend to analyze the woman empowerment against the male dominance. We will therefore focus on the figure of Jig, whose development, can be analyzed in four major moments, according to Renner (1995): ordering drinks at the bar, the discussions about the abortion, the changes on the setting and the last conversations before the train arrives. Jig’s attitude since the very beginning reveals her dependant and submissive character as a woman. When ordering her drinks she felt the necessity of always refer to her companion and ask him for confirmation, as she needed to be sure if she was making a mistake or not: “What should we drink?”, the girl asked. […] “It’s pretty hot,” the man said. ...

Words: 1080 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Hlwe

...Indecisive: Essay on “Hills like White Elephants” Communication is often mistaken by just talking and talking. We interrupt, advise, reassure, judge, analyze, criticize, etc. But, good communication requires good listening as well as talking. In the story “Hills like White Elephants” what seems to be the cause of the characters dispute is that neither of them can express themselves clearly to one another. Although the story is basically a conversation between the American man and the girl (Jig), both have a point to say but does not understand each other. Mainly because the man has his mind set on convincing Jig to take the operation no matter what and that if Jig takes his option, their lives will go back to the way it was before. In the beginning Jig described the child she is bearing as a “white elephant” meaning, something not wanted. As the story progresses Jig then realizes that the child is not totally a white elephant. But she is not certain that if she took the man’s option, their life would be the same as he says. Jig does not directly says that she wants keep the child. Though she was giving small hints to the man but the man ignores this little action. Alcohol played a big part in the story. They needed alcohol because the characters think that this will help them discuss their dispute or avoid discussing what they need to discuss. When Jig stated “I want to try this new drink. That's all we do isn't it- look at things and try new drinks?” She is as if accusatory...

Words: 588 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Analysis of Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants”

...Analysis of Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” In Ernest Hemingway's short story "Hills Like White Elephants," the decision on whether or not to have an abortion puts strain on the characters’ relationship. The two characters, Jig and the American, have differing views on abortion. Hemingway uses the elements of symbolism and dialogue to portray such a serious conversation in which a major life decision is about to be made. Like the proverbial elephant in the room that everyone sees, but no one wants to acknowledge, not once is the subject of abortion mentioned, but it is implied. The reader must be willing to read what is not there. While most writers set the stage for their readers, Hemingway leaves the interpretation completely up to the reader. This story takes place in 1926 in Spain, a country where abortion was illegal until 2009 (“History of Abortion”.) The fact that the procedure was illegal is probably why the word abortion was never mentioned during their public conversation in the bar. Money is obviously not an issue for the American as referenced to the many hotel stickers on their suitcases and as we know, money can buy anything including medical services. Jig is interpreted as a young and naïve girl, who is struggling with the decision that is laid upon her. The American is interpreted as an harsh, manly man who is adamant during his dialogue about what he wants, even to the point of trying to downplay the procedure by stating that it was an “awfully...

Words: 591 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Contemporary Methods

...Introduction The urgency is that last years the imperative need of using a foreign language appears in all areas of a science, manufacture and culture. Importance and openness of the problem of effective teaching foreign languages have caused its topicality, and consequently the choice of a theme for the given course work. In present practice of teaching foreign languages there is a problem facing the teacher to address to experience of the colleagues, to innovative ideas, to a science, is that low authority of a subject because of shortages of a present technique of teaching. Aim to investigate the role of contemporary methods in teaching foreign languages, to distinguish the most rational techniques of teaching a foreign language which can be used in school. In this work it is necessary to solve the following primarytasks: 1. To investigate the bases of teaching a foreign language 2. To study effective ways and techniques of teaching a foreign language 3. To observe ways of teaching English language in contemporary methods 4. To work out exercises for using innovation technologies of teaching English language in contemporary methods The subject of this course paper is variety of methods and ways and their effectiveness of using in teaching a foreign language. The object of research is the process of teaching and pupils who are the subjects of this teaching process. Theoretical value of this course paper is in its results, having received which it will...

Words: 8104 - Pages: 33

Free Essay

Hello

...9-803-127 REV: DECEMBER 2, 2010 NANCY F. KOEHN Leadership in Crisis: Ernest Shackleton and the Epic Voyage of the Endurance For scientific discovery give me Scott; for speed and efficiency of travel give me Amundsen; but when disaster strikes and all hope is gone, get down on your knees and pray for Shackleton. — Sir Raymond Priestley, Antarctic Explorer and Geologist On January 18, 1915, the ship Endurance, carrying a highly celebrated British polar expedition, froze into the icy waters off the coast of Antarctica. The leader of the expedition, Sir Ernest Shackleton, had planned to sail his boat to the coast through the Weddell Sea, which bounded Antarctica to the north, and then march a crew of six men, supported by dogs and sledges, to the Ross Sea on the opposite side of the continent (see Exhibit 1).1 Deep in the southern hemisphere, it was early in the summer, and the Endurance was within sight of land, so Shackleton still had reason to anticipate reaching shore. The ice, however, was unusually thick for the ship’s latitude, and an unexpected southern wind froze it solid around the ship. Within hours the Endurance was completely beset, a wooden island in a sea of ice. More than eight months later, the ice still held the vessel. Instead of melting and allowing the crew to proceed on its mission, the ice, moving with ocean currents, had carried the boat over 670 miles north.2 As it moved, the ice slowly began to soften, and the tremendous force of distant currents...

Words: 21552 - Pages: 87

Free Essay

Ct Paper

...of the course, your knowledge of this material will help you to complete the challenging “Critical Thinking Assignment.” So, carefully work your way through this. Best of wishes!  --Prof. Hartog Week #14: Critical Thinking Lecture Guide adapted from Moore/Parker by John Hartog 3 points will be awarded with the assumption that you have worked your way through this Lecture Guide in preparation for the Assignment.  A statement is ambiguous when it is subject to more than one interpretation, and which interpretation is the correct one is not clear. Example: “How Therapy Can Help Torture Victims” [a headline in a newspaper].  There are three kinds of ambiguity: (1) semantic, example: “I am a huge Mustang fan.” (2) syntactic, example: “The two suspects fled the scene before the officer arrived in a white Ford.” (3) grouping, example: “College professors make millions of dollars a year.”  A statement is vague when it lacks sufficient precision to convey the information appropriate for its use(s). Vagueness is a matter of degree. Examples: (1) Jim is not feeling well. (2) Jim has flu-like symptoms. (3) Jim has an upset stomach and a fever. (4) Jim is nauseated and has a fever of more than 103.  In order to think critically, one must think clearly. Some definitions can enable clearer thinking. There are major three kinds of definitions: (1) definition by synonym, example: “‘Decaffeinated’ means without caffeine.” (2) definition by example, example:...

Words: 4993 - Pages: 20

Premium Essay

Unemployment

...TIME ALLOWED : 2 Hours No. of Sections : 3 , 55 questions in each section. No. of Questions: 165 CAT-1999 SECTION I Number of questions: 55 DIRECTIONS for questions I to 5: Sentences given in each question, when properly sequenced, form a coherent paragraph. Each sentence is labelled with a letter. Choose the most logical order of sentence from among the four given choices to construct a coherent paragraph. 1. A. In rejecting the functionalism in positivist organization theory, either wholly or partially, there is often a move towards a political model of organization theory. B. Thus the analysis would shift to the power resources possessed by different groups in the organization and the way they use these resources in actual power plays to shape the organizational structure. C. At the extreme, in one set of writings, the growth of administrators in the organization is held to be completely unrelated to the work to be done and to be caused totally by the political pursuit of self- interest. D. The political model holds that individual interests are pursued in organizational life through the exercise of power and influence. 1. ADBC 2. CBAD 3. DBCA 4. ABDC 2. A. Group decision making, however, does not necessarily fully guard against arbitrariness and anarchy, for individual capriciousness can get substituted by collusion of group members. B. Nature itself is an intricate system of checks and balances, meant to preserve the delicate balance...

Words: 17948 - Pages: 72

Free Essay

Longman

...Instructor’s Manual to Accompany The Longman Writer Rhetoric, Reader, Handbook Fifth Edition and The Longman Writer Rhetoric and Reader Fifth Edition Brief Edition Judith Nadell Linda McMeniman Rowan University John Langan Atlantic Cape Community College Prepared by: Eliza A. Comodromos Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey New York San Francisco Boston London Toronto Sydney Tokyo Singapore Madrid Mexico City Munich Paris Cape Town Hong Kong Montreal NOTE REGARDING WEBSITES AND PASSWORDS: If you need a password to access instructor supplements on a Longman book-specific website, please use the following information: Username: Password: awlbook adopt Senior Acquisitions Editor: Joseph Opiela Senior Supplements Editor: Donna Campion Electronic Page Makeup: Big Color Systems, Inc. Instructor’s Manual to accompany The Longman Writer: Rhetoric, Reader, Handbook, 5e and The Longman Writer: Rhetoric and Reader, Brief Edition, 5e, by Nadell/McMeniman/Langan and Comodromos Copyright ©2003 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. Instructors may reproduce portions of this book for classroom use only. All other reproductions are strictly prohibited without prior permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. Please visit our website at: http://www.ablongman.com ISBN: 0-321-13157-6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 - D O H - 05 04 03 02 CONTENTS ...

Words: 78100 - Pages: 313

Free Essay

Work and None Work Models

...Psychological Bulletin 1980, Vol. 88, No. I. 60-77 Work and Nonwork: A Review of Models, Methods, and Findings Boris Kabanoff School of Social Sciences, Flinders University of South Australia, Bedford Park, South Australia This article examines theory and research in the field of work/nonwork relations. Three different theories of work/leisure relations are examined—compensation, generalization, and segmentation. All three theories have received some support; however, the review indicates that much of the available research evidence is constrained by conceptual and methodological problems. A number of paradigms for describing work/leisure patterns are reviewed, and it is concluded that most of these paradigms are more suitable for classifying leisure definitions than for guiding empirical research. Research in this field requires objective definitions of attributes common across life spheres. A task-based description of work and nonwork is discussed, and its research utility is illustrated. It is recommended that future research be concerned with describing different work/leisure patterns, the processes underlying these patterns, and the life consequences associated with different patterns. The meaning and the relationships between labor and leisure, work and contemplation, or in the most general sense, work and nonwork have been a source of intellectual, political, and religious debate for a considerable period in Western history. However, the view that the interplay...

Words: 11863 - Pages: 48

Premium Essay

Paper

...The American Review of Public Administration http://arp.sagepub.com/ Mission Mystique : Strength at the Institutional Center Charles T. Goodsell The American Review of Public Administration 2011 41: 475 originally published online 25 May 2011 DOI: 10.1177/0275074011409566 The online version of this article can be found at: http://arp.sagepub.com/content/41/5/475 Published by: http://www.sagepublications.com On behalf of: American Society for Public Administration Additional services and information for The American Review of Public Administration can be found at: Email Alerts: http://arp.sagepub.com/cgi/alerts Subscriptions: http://arp.sagepub.com/subscriptions Reprints: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsReprints.nav Permissions: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav Citations: http://arp.sagepub.com/content/41/5/475.refs.html >> Version of Record - Aug 9, 2011 OnlineFirst Version of Record - May 25, 2011 What is This? Downloaded from arp.sagepub.com at GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIV LIB on April 23, 2012 409566 American Review of Public Administration ARP41510.1177/0275074011409566GoodsellThe Invited Essay Mission Mystique: Strength at the Institutional Center The American Review of Public Administration 41(5) 475­–494 © The Author(s) 2011 Reprints and permission: http://www. sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0275074011409566 http://arp.sagepub.com Charles T. Goodsell Abstract Despite discussion...

Words: 12813 - Pages: 52

Free Essay

Architectural Innovation

...Guns, Germs and Steel Page 1 GUNS, GERMS, AND STEEL: The Fates of Human Societies By Jared Diamond, 1997 About the Author: Jared Diamond is a professor of physiology at UCLA School of Medicine. He is a recipient of a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship and was awarded a 1999 National Medal of Science. He is also the author of The Third Chimpanzee. SUMMARY The book asks and attempts to answer the question, once humankind spread throughout the world, why did different populations in different locations have such different histories? The modern world has been shaped by conquest, epidemics, and genocide, the ingredients of which arose first in Eurasia. The book’s premise is that those ingredients required the development of agriculture. Agriculture also arose first in Eurasia, not because Eurasians were superior in any way to people of other continents, but because of a unique combination of naturally occurring advantages, including more and more suitable wild crops and animals to domesticate, a larger land mass with fewer barriers to the spread of people, crops, and technology, and an east-west axis which meant that climate was similar across the region. The book is well written and contains not only information about the history of cultures around the world, but excellent descriptions of the scientific methodologies used to study them, from how archeologists study the origin of agriculture to how writing evolved to how linguistics can trace the movements of peoples across huge geographic...

Words: 18440 - Pages: 74

Free Essay

A Passage to India

...A Passage to India E. M. Forster Online Information For the online version of BookRags' A Passage to India Premium Study Guide, including complete copyright information, please visit: http://www.bookrags.com/studyguide−passageindia/ Copyright Information ©2000−2007 BookRags, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. The following sections of this BookRags Premium Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare &Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources. ©1998−2002; ©2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design® and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license. The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". © 1994−2005, by Walton Beacham. The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". © 1994−2005, by Walton Beacham. All other...

Words: 37224 - Pages: 149

Premium Essay

Cognitive Poetics

...This page intentionally left blank This practical coursebook introduces all the basics of semantics in a simple, step-bystep fashion. Each unit includes short sections of explanation with examples, followed by stimulating practice exercises to complete the book. Feedback and comment sections follow each exercise to enable students to monitor their progress. No previous background in semantics is assumed, as students begin by discovering the value and fascination of the subject and then move through all key topics in the field, including sense and reference, simple logic, word meaning, and interpersonal meaning. New study guides and exercises have been added to the end of each unit (with online answer key) to help reinforce and test learning. A completely new unit on non-literal language and metaphor, plus updates throughout the text, significantly expand the scope of the original edition to bring it up-to-date with the modern teaching of semantics for introductory courses in linguistics as well as intermediate students. JAMES R. HURFORD is Professor of General Linguistics, University of Edinburgh. BRENDAN HEASLEY is Consultant (Postgraduate Training), Sharjah Women’s College, United Arab Emirates. MICHAEL B. SMITH is Associate Professor of Linguistics, Oakland University. Semantics A Coursebook SECOND EDITION JAMES R. HURFORD Professor of General Linguistics, University of Edinburgh BRENDAN HEASLEY Consultant (Postgraduate Training), Sharjah Women’s College...

Words: 122224 - Pages: 489

Premium Essay

Lcase

...No. 12-3 pìéêÉãÉ=`çìêí=çÑ=íÜÉ=råáíÉÇ=pí~íÉë= _______________ JACKIE HOSANG LAWSON AND JONATHAN M. ZANG, v. FMR LLC, ET AL., _______________ Respondents. Petitioners, IN THE On Writ Of Certiorari To The United States Court Of Appeals For The First Circuit _______________ BRIEF FOR RESPONDENTS _______________ STEPHEN M. SHAPIRO TIMOTHY S. BISHOP MAYER BROWN LLP 71 South Wacker Drive Chicago, IL 60606 (312) 706-8684 MARK A. PERRY Counsel of Record PORTER N. WILKINSON GEOFFREY C. WEIEN GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP 1050 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 (202) 955-8500 mperry@gibsondunn.com RACHEL S. BRASS GIBSON, DUNN & CRUTCHER LLP 555 Mission Street Suite 3000 San Francisco, CA 94105 (415) 393-8200 Counsel for Respondents QUESTION PRESENTED Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 provides “[w]histleblower protection for employees of publicly traded companies.” 18 U.S.C. § 1514A(a). The question presented is whether this provision covers only employees of public companies. ii LIST OF PARTIES Respondents FMR LLC, Fidelity Management & Research Company, FMR Co., Inc., and Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC disclose the following information: The named defendant FMR Corp. was merged into a limited liability company prior to the filing of the complaints in this action. FMR LLC is the surviving entity; FMR Corp. no longer exists. FMR LLC is the parent of Fidelity Management & Research Company. FMR Co., Inc. and Fidelity Brokerage Services...

Words: 17158 - Pages: 69