"Summarize the author's key ideas. Identify at least three examples/details that enhanced your understanding of the story. You can also address questions that the analysis provoked, or parts that you did not understand or agree with."
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ReplyDeleteIn "Moving to the Girl's Side in HLWE," the author claims that the girl in the story decided not to go through with the abortion. I agree with this claim because although the gender roles were different during the time period that this story took place, she seemed to keep rebelling against her husband/boyfriend even when he insisted that he wanted the abortion.
ReplyDeleteThe author also stated in this analysis that the symbolism reveals a bit more detail since Hemingway shows little detail in the story. "The girl stood up and walked to the end of the station. Across, on the other side, were fields of grain and trees along the banks of the Ebro. Far away, beyond the river, were mountains. The shadow of a cloud moved across the field of grain and she saw the river through the trees" (Hemingway, 2). These fields of grain and trees symbolize life, and this may also be used as foreshadowing and the outcome of the girl's decision on whether or not to abort the child.
I also learned from the previous quote that the two sides divided by the mountains represent two different lives and two different outcomes. The side with grain and trees represents the "girl's" side and choosing to keep the baby, and the other side represent the "American" side and choosing to live by gender roles for that time period and to obey the husband and abort the child. This article gave me new insight on the short story because I never knew the outcome could be found by the symbols within the story.
Good job with your analysis! I did not think so before, but after reading your post, I can also see why it can be inferred that the girl did not go through with the abortion. You are right; it would not make sense for the girl to keep debating with the American about the abortion only to get the abortion anyway. She seems pretty set on keeping the baby. I like how you thought the fields on either side of the mountain could foreshadow the girl's decision. I can see how the author could mention some details about the landscape to hint at the outcome of the decision.
DeleteIn "Moving to the Girl's Side in HLWE," the author claims that the girl in the story decided not to go through with the abortion. I agree with this claim because although the gender roles were different during the time period that this story took place, she seemed to keep rebelling against her husband/boyfriend even when he insisted that he wanted the abortion.
ReplyDeleteThe author also stated in this analysis that the symbolism reveals a bit more detail since Hemingway shows little detail in the story. "The girl stood up and walked to the end of the station. Across, on the other side, were fields of grain and trees along the banks of the Ebro. Far away, beyond the river, were mountains. The shadow of a cloud moved across the field of grain and she saw the river through the trees" (Hemingway, 2). These fields of grain and trees symbolize life, and this may also be used as foreshadowing and the outcome of the girl's decision on whether or not to abort the child.
I also learned from the previous quote that the two sides divided by the mountains represent two different lives and two different outcomes. The side with grain and trees represents the "girl's" side and choosing to keep the baby, and the other side represent the "American" side and choosing to live by gender roles for that time period and to obey the husband and abort the child. This article gave me new insight on the short story because I never knew the outcome could be found by the symbols within the story.
Good post Gerson. You talked a lot about how Bierce used symbolism to convey and deeper meaning. You also covered how the environment and setting of the short story plays a crucial part in the meaning of the text. By mentioning the time period of the short story and gender roles, you gave an explanation of your thoughts. Great analyzing.
DeleteIn Ernest Hemmingway’s short story, “Hills Like White Elephants”, the reader is left to determine for him/herself whether or not the couple decided to have the abortion or not. When I first read through, I believed that they did not have the abortion for my own reasons, but after a group discussion, I was persuaded that they did have the abortion. After reading, “Moving to the Girl’s Side of ‘Hills Like White Elephants’” by Stanley Renner, I once again am lead to believe that they did not go through with the abortion. Renner summarizes and analyzes all of the reasons why he believes that the abortion did not happen in this article.
ReplyDeleteHe first reason that really convinced me is that when the girl says, “Then I’ll do it. Because I don’t care about me” (41), she is actually being sarcastic because she is actually “an ironic attack on his own stubborn selfishness” (Renner 31). Renner goes on to point out that as Hannum says, the girl’s actual meaning is that since you are forcing me to do this, you don’t actually care about me. She knows that an abortion is a dangerous procedure, the knowledge comes with being a woman; and she knows that the American knows, so she doesn’t believe that he actually cares about her at all since he is trying to make her go through with this.
Secondly, Renner brings up the setting. From where the couple is sitting all that they can see is the barren, desert-like hills, which represent the abortion/sterility. The reader knows that the girl’s mind is made up when she is described as dramatically getting up from the table and walking down the train station to where the lush green land is shows representing fertility and life. The side of sterility is the American’s side and he stays on this side for most of the story. He even calls the girl “back in the shade” when he realizes that she is making a decision that is different than what he wants. The side of fertility is the girl’s side and she is able to see this side for most of the story, which represents her opinion on the matter.
Finally, Renner brings up how Hemmingway describes the girl as smiling towards the end of the short story. If the girl had decided to go through with the abortion, she would not be smiling, but she is, so this could only mean that she has decided to protect herself and the baby by continuing the pregnancy. The smile is mentioned two times near the end of the third movement and once in the fourth (the final) movement. Renner even brings up the fact that she could just be smiling as thanks to the waitress, but knowing that in this short story every single detail matters, he doesn’t believe that.
I am glad I read this article because it has given me the chance to analyze points that I would not have otherwise looked at. It has strengthened my understanding of the small details leading me to believe, once again, that the couple did not go through with the abortion.
Great post Sydney, I agree with your interpretation of the short story. I particularly liked the symbolism of the contrasting landscape. As you alluded to, the transition of the desert to fertile land is symbolic of her mind changing. With a changed mindset the reader now knows what Jig wants, to have the baby, and she will be unhappy if that does not happen.
ReplyDeleteThis perfectly ties into what you were saying about Jig smiling. That must mean that she is happy and she got what she wanted. I'm glad you were able to see and undestand the story so well and compose with such clarity.