Gender Role and Man
Giselle Johnson
Professor Sarah Ghoshal
English 106
4 March 2014
Hills Like White Elephants
In 1920’s society, the time period of Hills Like White Elephants, a man and girl prove their gender roles in that society. The characters in the story seem to fit in and challenge their 1920’s society at the same time. In Ernest Hemingway’s Hills Like White Elephants, The man and the girl named Jig start to fit in to what their own society’s expectations are. These expectations have to do with men being able to control women very easily, and women constantly obeying what they say. Then we see how the man and Jig evolve in the end. Gender roles change throughout just this story, and Hemingway makes it very clear, with small hints throughout. This story challenges societies stereotypes and proves that not every woman is going to follow what the man says in the end, no matter how their society will take it. In the nineteen twenties, gender roles were and always are a big part of society. Men were generally more superior to women. Women were starting to be more independent, after years passed of men being superior. Jig does this as well, showing the difference in women of this time period. In Hills Like White Elephants, Jig starts out as a dependent, and reliant young girl to an independent and decision making young woman in just a short conversation.
In Hills Like White Elephants, there are many moments where we can see that the girl is placed in a position where she has to make a decision that can either benefit her, or change any hint of stability she has in her life. The girl is clearly very young and is having a difficult time making her own decision about the abortion procedure. She is actually told by the man, “It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig ”(Hemingway 574). Which proves that he is used to making her think that things are easier than they really are. He expects her to listen, but she starts to fight against the fact that he wants her to go through
Professor Sarah Ghoshal
English 106
4 March 2014
Hills Like White Elephants
In 1920’s society, the time period of Hills Like White Elephants, a man and girl prove their gender roles in that society. The characters in the story seem to fit in and challenge their 1920’s society at the same time. In Ernest Hemingway’s Hills Like White Elephants, The man and the girl named Jig start to fit in to what their own society’s expectations are. These expectations have to do with men being able to control women very easily, and women constantly obeying what they say. Then we see how the man and Jig evolve in the end. Gender roles change throughout just this story, and Hemingway makes it very clear, with small hints throughout. This story challenges societies stereotypes and proves that not every woman is going to follow what the man says in the end, no matter how their society will take it. In the nineteen twenties, gender roles were and always are a big part of society. Men were generally more superior to women. Women were starting to be more independent, after years passed of men being superior. Jig does this as well, showing the difference in women of this time period. In Hills Like White Elephants, Jig starts out as a dependent, and reliant young girl to an independent and decision making young woman in just a short conversation.
In Hills Like White Elephants, there are many moments where we can see that the girl is placed in a position where she has to make a decision that can either benefit her, or change any hint of stability she has in her life. The girl is clearly very young and is having a difficult time making her own decision about the abortion procedure. She is actually told by the man, “It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig ”(Hemingway 574). Which proves that he is used to making her think that things are easier than they really are. He expects her to listen, but she starts to fight against the fact that he wants her to go through