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Hills Like White Elephants Mood Analysis

1043 Words5 Pages

What you can't say owns you, what you hide controls you. Uniquely, in "Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway, the girl hides these emotional scars, instead of revealing them. "Hills Like White Elephants" challenges the ideology of concealing one's emotions by using symbolism to challenge the ideology, utilizing the dominant mood of the story, and by highlighting the dangers of the ideology through the main conflict. Various symbols within the text introduce readers with an impression on the structure of their relationship. The text points out how dominance over a spouse can lead to an individual to fear of communicating their emotions. This is clear when the man "picked up the two heavy bags and carried them around the station to …show more content…

For instance, during their discussion on drinks, the girl states "I wanted to try this new drink. That's all we do, isn't it, look at things and try new drinks" (Hemingway 2). This utilization of mood demonstrates the girl being despondent with the life she is experiencing with the man. There is not a genuine heading in their life and this presents readers with how she is already worn out on their migrant way of life. Indeed, living a life of traveling regularly and drinking at their brief destinations. However, concealment of emotions can be seen with how she does not mention her sadness, but readers in general can sense how she is worn out and unhappy with the life she is living. It is seen with how she words her experiences with the man as just "looking at things and trying new drinks". Given these points, the tone of the text points to their failing relationship that in result has led the couples to hide their emotions from one …show more content…

In the text, the girl does not discuss how she feels about the operation and avoids receiving any help to her situation This can be seen when the girl says "But I don't care about me. And I'll do it and then everything will be fine" (Hemingway 3). This verse shows readers how the man has pushed the girl in such a way, where she is forcing herself to go through the operation and hating herself for it. She could have avoided it all through communication with the man, instead she conceals her feelings and assumes everything will be "fine".This point is clear because the girl has concealed her emotions on the topic of abortion and it has led her to commit in something she obviously does not want to undergo and it has made her lose her sense of self worth. By saying she doesn't care for herself and assuring everything will be fine, it is obvious that the girl has a fear of abandonment. She fears that if she disagrees with the man he will leave her and that is not what she wants because she wants everything to be fine. In response, she avoids giving a voice so she doesn't lose the only person in her

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