The Decision
The Decision
Ernest Hemingway?s ?Hills Like White Elephants? is a despondent portrait of a relationship at the point of dissolution. It?s a picture of two people who are at the brink of a decision that will effect the rest of their lives. To the girl, the decision will be life altering. To the man, the decision is simple. However, for one of them this decision will mean a new found freedom; for the other it will mean a new beginning.
The man in the story has no name and is referred to as the ?American.? He has a girlfriend he refers to as ?Jig.? There is no real seriousness to their relationship. All they do is travel from place to place drinking and looking at scenery. They have never been confronted with any decisions other than what kind of alcohol to drink.
Suddenly they are confronted with a life altering decision. The decision is whether to keep the baby or to abort the baby, which Jig is pregnant with. While kicking back a few drinks, they begin to discuss their decision. The ?American? tries to assure ?Jig? this is a ?simple operation.? He tries to reassure her that it?s ?not an
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