The Oppression of Women During The Late 19th Century
Short fiction- a literature composed of characters or things that portray an overall theme or mood. In the works, “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway, they both carry multiple themes throughout their stories. However, one of the most significant themes throughout them both are the oppression of women in dominating male relationships. Within these stories there are underlying plots and motifs throughout them both. In “The Yellow Wallpaper” the audience witnesses her husband telling her she is getting healthy, when she is actually getting worse and worse everyday. As well as, in “Hills Like White Elephants” we see the relationship …show more content…
The names of the couple in “Hills Like White Elephants” is never known. Throughout the story they are referred to as the American, who is the man, and his significant other is known as the girl. The girl however is sometimes called “jig”, which is somewhat of a derogatory term towards her. Within this story it is clear that the American wants her to have some kind of operation done. ‘“It is really an awfully simple operation”’ (Hemingway 564). While Hemingway is clear on what the American wants her to have done it is unclear on what kind of operation is in mind. Until he states, ‘“It’s just to let the air in”’(Hemingway 564) it is then implied that it is an abortion that he wants her to have done. Until later in the story. We also later learn that they are not married or even really dating. Their relationship is more of a traveling, drinking, and sleeping together type deal. Thus the reason for the abortion in the first place. They do not have a set relationship of boyfriend / girlfriend. He does not want to be monogamous it seems. He then says, “I wouldn’t have you do it if you didn’t want to. Though it is perfectly simple” (Hemingway 565) thus still manipulating her saying she does not have to have it done, even though it is “really easy” to do. He plants a seed of doubt into her brain already, she internally …show more content…
It is intelligible to see the almost relentlessness overruling of each male figure in the stories. They insist on things being their way or no way. Reading these stories shows how far the society has grown since then and how in most relationships each person is treated as
Short fiction- a literature composed of characters or things that portray an overall theme or mood. In the works, “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway, they both carry multiple themes throughout their stories. However, one of the most significant themes throughout them both are the oppression of women in dominating male relationships. Within these stories there are underlying plots and motifs throughout them both. In “The Yellow Wallpaper” the audience witnesses her husband telling her she is getting healthy, when she is actually getting worse and worse everyday. As well as, in “Hills Like White Elephants” we see the relationship …show more content…
The names of the couple in “Hills Like White Elephants” is never known. Throughout the story they are referred to as the American, who is the man, and his significant other is known as the girl. The girl however is sometimes called “jig”, which is somewhat of a derogatory term towards her. Within this story it is clear that the American wants her to have some kind of operation done. ‘“It is really an awfully simple operation”’ (Hemingway 564). While Hemingway is clear on what the American wants her to have done it is unclear on what kind of operation is in mind. Until he states, ‘“It’s just to let the air in”’(Hemingway 564) it is then implied that it is an abortion that he wants her to have done. Until later in the story. We also later learn that they are not married or even really dating. Their relationship is more of a traveling, drinking, and sleeping together type deal. Thus the reason for the abortion in the first place. They do not have a set relationship of boyfriend / girlfriend. He does not want to be monogamous it seems. He then says, “I wouldn’t have you do it if you didn’t want to. Though it is perfectly simple” (Hemingway 565) thus still manipulating her saying she does not have to have it done, even though it is “really easy” to do. He plants a seed of doubt into her brain already, she internally …show more content…
It is intelligible to see the almost relentlessness overruling of each male figure in the stories. They insist on things being their way or no way. Reading these stories shows how far the society has grown since then and how in most relationships each person is treated as