In grade school, students learn that to fully understand a fictional work, they must develop the ability to “read between the lines”. Subtext, by definition, aims to reveal a hidden meaning in a story without the author directly stating it. This technique forces the reader to delve deeper to completely comprehend a story’s meaning. Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” uses subtext to humanize the relationship between two characters in a complicated situation and explain their relationship to each other.
Before the American and the girl begin to discuss the operation, Hemingway uses subtext to reveal information about their relationship. The girl explains, “Everything tastes of licorice. Especially all the things you’ve waited so long for, like absinthe” (Hemingway 369). As the couple enjoys a few beers, the girl compares the bittersweet taste of licorice to the feeling of falling in love; this discloses to the reader her relationship is also bittersweet. When dreaming of the warmth and happiness associated with love, people do not anticipate the difficulties that come with it. Love must endure hardships, and in the girl’s position, she must deal with an unexpected pregnancy that …show more content…
She proclaims, “Then I’ll do it. Because I don’t care about me.” (Hemingway 370). This shows that she will do anything to appease the man because she cares more about what he wants. The American continuously says that the operation is perfectly simple, and he knows many people who have gotten it done. Even if the girl wants to raise the baby, she agrees that if an abortion allows them to be happy together, she will get one. The man does not ask if she wants to keep the baby, which shows that he is the one primarily influencing the decision. The girl wants to be happy with the man and thinks that if she keeps the baby, their relationship will
Before the American and the girl begin to discuss the operation, Hemingway uses subtext to reveal information about their relationship. The girl explains, “Everything tastes of licorice. Especially all the things you’ve waited so long for, like absinthe” (Hemingway 369). As the couple enjoys a few beers, the girl compares the bittersweet taste of licorice to the feeling of falling in love; this discloses to the reader her relationship is also bittersweet. When dreaming of the warmth and happiness associated with love, people do not anticipate the difficulties that come with it. Love must endure hardships, and in the girl’s position, she must deal with an unexpected pregnancy that …show more content…
She proclaims, “Then I’ll do it. Because I don’t care about me.” (Hemingway 370). This shows that she will do anything to appease the man because she cares more about what he wants. The American continuously says that the operation is perfectly simple, and he knows many people who have gotten it done. Even if the girl wants to raise the baby, she agrees that if an abortion allows them to be happy together, she will get one. The man does not ask if she wants to keep the baby, which shows that he is the one primarily influencing the decision. The girl wants to be happy with the man and thinks that if she keeps the baby, their relationship will