Love and Licorice :: essays research papers

In order for a relationship between a man and a woman to flourish and grow, both people should be reasonably mature and honest with one another. Their goals in life should be similar. Otherwise, it is difficult to maintain a substantial base in the partnership, and inevitably, it will wither and die. Hemingway ¡Ã‚ ¯s "Hills Like White Elephants" is a very short story covering less than forty minutes in the lives of the two main characters. It doesn ¡Ã‚ ¯t take long, however, to discover that the relationship between them is not particularly deep or meaningful. Jig and her lover lead a nomadic life, spending nights here and there, as the labels on their luggage indicate. All they really do, she laments, is "look at things and try new drinks." They bicker childishly; when he warns her to "cut it out," she retorts, "you started it." In an attempt to make clever conversation, she observes aloud that the line of hills off in the distance "look[s] like white elephants." Instead of trying to make her feel "bright," Jig ¡Ã‚ ¯s companion tells her flatly, he ¡Ã‚ ¯s "never seen one." Annoyed by his lack of imagination, she attacks with "no, you wouldn ¡Ã‚ ¯t have." It seems that they must really "try" hard to "have a fine time." This is not a mature relationship. Nor is it honest. Rather than admit the fact that he doesn ¡Ã‚ ¯t want the responsibility of a baby, Jig ¡Ã‚ ¯s lover tries to flatter her by saying, "I don ¡Ã‚ ¯t want anybody but you." He also avoids taking any blame for their faltering relationship. After all, being pregnant is "the only thing" that has made them unhappy. He makes light of the abortion by telling her, "It ¡Ã‚ ¯s not really an operation" and that it ¡Ã‚ ¯s "perfectly simple," even "natural." Of course, she "doesn ¡Ã‚ ¯t" have to if she "doesn ¡Ã‚ ¯t want to," but he knows that it ¡Ã‚ ¯s "the best thing to do." Best for whom, I wonder. Jig really thinks she ¡Ã‚ ¯s ready to settle down and have a child, or she wouldn ¡Ã‚ ¯t be struggling so hard with the question of abortion. She too has trouble approaching the problem honestly. When she announces "I ¡Ã‚ ¯ll do it because I don ¡Ã‚ ¯t care about me," she ¡Ã‚ ¯s hoping that he ¡Ã‚ ¯ll feel guilty and change his mind. When he continues to resist, she tries to cut the conversation off: "I ¡Ã‚ ¯ll scream," she threatens. Jig is beginning to realize that life may not turn out the way she had planned.