Sympathetic In Hills Like White Elephants By Ernest Hemingway

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Prompt: In what way is your chosen character sympathetic or unsympathetic?

The man and woman protagonists of Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” have a deep and meaningful talk while waiting for the train. Dialogue between characters propels the plot, but we do not learn much about their inner lives or what drives them. This paper will center on the female character and present evidence that she deserves our sympathy. The woman in the story evokes sympathy from the reader despite her ambivalence and doubt because she must make a tough choice and fight for her own needs despite her partner’s interference.

As a result of her moral and emotional depth, the woman in the story attracts

As the story progresses, the man keeps telling her that the abortion will be easy and that their lives will go as before. He is continuously cutting her off and brushing off her concerns, making it abundantly plain that he wants her to do as he says. The male might remark, “Well, I care about you,” in response to the woman saying, “I don’t care about me” (3). Despite her obvious reluctance, he brushes off her worries and insists she go through with the operation. The woman’s vocabulary reflects her internal conflict over how to express her needs and wants. She is shy and unsure of herself; therefore, she tends to use phrases like “I guess” and “I don’t know” when she speaks (2). She seems to be having trouble expressing herself and may be holding back her genuine wishes for fear of offending the man. This can be noticed in the fact that she repeatedly begs, “Would you please please please please please please please stop talking?” (4). This statement demonstrates both her anger and her desire to be heard and respected. Furthermore, the woman’s choice to imbibe and sidestep the man’s questions regarding the abortion are further indicators of her reluctance to stand up for what she wants. She wants to make her own choice, but the man is constantly pressuring her and trying to steer the debate in his

Some readers may see this as a story about a lady who is not fighting for her desires but instead opting to give in to her partner’s demands to keep the relationship together. The woman seems resigned to her destiny on occasion throughout the story. When her partner says things like “we can have everything,” to which she replies, “No, we can’t. It isn’t ours anymore” (3). In doing so, she may have surrendered some of the power she once had in the partnership. Nonetheless, despite her resignation, I still think the woman is a likable character. Although she is not aggressively pushing back against her partner’s pressure, she still has to make a life-changing choice. Moreover, she is doing it in a culture where women are generally limited in their freedom of choice due to patriarchal structures and societal