Summary Of Abortion In Hemingway's Hills Like White Elephants

Hemingway has created a minimalistic approach to the discourse of pregnancy and abortion in multiple short stories. By creating ambiguous plots, Hemingway establishes gender roles in his Men Without Women. Two particular short stories, “Hills like White Elephants” and “Indian Camp”, execute a mutual understanding of what it meant to be a woman in different eras, cultures, and geographical locations. Hemingway highlights the early stages of pregnancy and the moment of labor. While doing this, Hemingway also contributes to the notion of what is meant to be a man and the obliged power associated with manhood. Through two different scenarios in “Hills like White Elephants” and “Indian Camp”, Hemingway creates an approach that influences the perception …show more content…
In Spain, women could rightfully receive an abortion if she was raped, or if the pregnancy caused severe mental or physical health issues to either mother or child. Consequently, abortion was not permitted for social or economic reasons and any women who pursued an abortion that was not performed in a health care establishment would be penalized (United Nations 101). Given that in “Hills like White Elephants” the word abortion is not uttered only implied, one could infer that the abortion the young women and the American man are contemplating is not legal. Published in 1927, the short story captures the role of women and general view of abortion in Spain. While we do not know the culture of the girl in the story, we do know that she is currently situated in Spain. The dialogue between her and her partner makes it clear that the man is quite older and authoritative. His inputs are a vital factor in her choice to have the abortion performed (Levin 587). This further opens us discourse to female sexuality and female choice. “Hills like White Elephants” contributes to the political and social matters that stood behind the matters of abortion. The story still rings truth for women in Spain who seek illegal abortions because they wish to express the personal choice of …show more content…
The men in Hemingway’s “Hills like White Elephants” and “Indian Camp” portray Hemingway 's rigid concept of masculinity. The men are immediately established as having authority over the women; they are “omniscient, knowledgeable, worldly, and always in control of [themselves] and the situation at hand (Assemi et al. 6).” Both short stories are wholly male-dominated. While the cultural disparities of the different women discussed clash because of their geographical locations in “Hills like White Elephants” and “Indian Camp”, both exemplify Hemingway’s portrayal of the role of women, particularly with topics regarding