A Comparative Analysis of “Hills Like White Elephant” and “Good Country People”

The brief story “Hills like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway and the short story “Good Country People” by Flannery O’Connor both depict male superiority. Both stories illustrate women being dominated by males. “Good Country People” and “Hills like White Elephants” even have a standard theme of innocence and expertise.

“Hills like White Elephant” begins with a protracted description of the setting of the story. There is a prepare station surrounded by hills, trees, fields in a valley in Spain. A man and his girlfriend sit at a table outside the station as they anticipate a prepare to Madrid.

Since it is hot, the person orders two bottles of beer. His girlfriend notes that the nearby hill appears like the white elephant to which the American man asserts that he has never seen one. As they proceed with the dialogue, they order extra drinks and bicker concerning the style of alcohol. The American man chastises her and marks that they should take pleasure in themselves.

The lady replies that she’s merrily having enjoyable and retracts her earlier comment saying the hills don’t seem like a white elephant to her either. They continue ordering more drinks and the man mentions that he needs the girl called Jig to have an operation, but he doesn’t specify what sort of operation. “He is agitated and tries to downplay the operational seriousness.” “The girl then hesitates for some time and asks what will happen after she goes by way of with the operation. The man affirms that every thing shall be fine just like the way they had been earlier than and that the problem shall be fixed.

He acknowledges that he is conscious of individuals who have undergone the operation and have discovered happiness afterward. the American man agrees that it’s the best plan of action, but he won’t pressure her. The girl argues that she’s going to undergo the operation so lengthy as the man liked her, and they’re going to reside happily afterword. They argue for some time, and later the lady says she’s doing fine”( p.15).

On the opposite hand, “In Good Country People”, Mrs Hopewell Persistent optimism is composed by what appears to be her daughter Joy’s chosen despair. The nature of Joy’s attitude makes her change her name to Hulga, it is the ugliest name she thinks of. Her name matches wilt her pale sweatshirt and her wood leg after she lost her leg in a hunting accident. “Her mother is frustrated by the bad temper of her daughter, and she is equally annoyed by her daughter taking Ph. D in philosophy because she is unable to determine her daughters accomplishes when compared to others”(p.71). Joy’s mom is worried that her daughter does not seem to get pleasure from anything not even younger males. The mother is worried when Hulga declines to allow her mom to maintain the Bible within the parlor. Hulga confronts the Manley Pointer, An earnest bible salesman who wins Mr. Hopewell’s belief via his brave tales and non secular devotion, making her agree to fulfill him for a picnic. At the picnic, it becomes obvious that pointer has related ideas, and he’s more cynical in comparability with Hulga. His hollow bible has enjoying card, condoms, and whiskey. His cynicism is what wins Hulgas confidence, making her let Pointer see the picket leg and even take away it from her, regardless of feeling helpless with out the leg. “Hulga falls in love with the Pointer, who is along with her sexual fathers and wins her trust” (p.71).

“Hills like White Elephants” units in a practice station. This highlights the relationship between American man and a girl who has a dilemma. The Station is in a desolate valley that could probably be a stopping level between Barcelona and Madrid. The primary character and the other vacationers must resolve where to go along with each other and continue their relationship. The quick story reveals that the lady who was in a dilemma of getting a baby or going by way of an abortion or operation. “The girl is torn between landscapes because she feedback on the beauty of the hills within the walks to the tip of the platform gazing out the brown vacancy across the station (p.52). On the Contrary, good country folks takes place on a tenant farm in Georgia with the intention of making a world view that narrows as properly as hierarchical. Mr. Hopewell is the owner of the farm whereas pointer works on the farm. There are two bigger settings In The story Including Mrs. Hopewells house, significantly the kitchen within the place beyond the home where Pointer seduces Hulga. The setting is significant as a end result of it’s a website for feminine domestication. The other setting is on the picnic website where pointer seduces Hulga for his benefit rather than the curiosity of each him and Hulga.

Both “Good country people” and “Hills like white elephant” have a standard theme of innocence and expertise. In “The Good Country People”, Hulga doesn’t perceive that she is harmless and considers herself to be skilled because her schooling degree gave her a chance to access philosophers similar to Nietzsche and underlined the primary level with blue pencils. Coincidentally, Pointer wears a blue shirt as. The strains within the Bible suitcase are blue, connecting her nihilism to evil masquerading as innocence. Hulga lacks the ability to recognize Pointers as a end result of in her viewpoint the evil has more that means than god. The innocence of you permits pointers spiritually to rape her which symbolized by taking her wood leg. Parrulli she thought she was the evil that was seducing an innocent man, but she realized The pointer is eviler than she thought. “Through pointers she falls into The world of experience, gaining data that evil exists, there’s a sense previous the nothing she encompassed on the graduation of the story” (p.73). Similarly, in the “Hills like White elephants”, is a conversation that has both audio system communicating with one another showing the rift between them. As a results of their difference towards abortion which is referred to as the operation by the man. Frustrated, the person says something to persuade innocent lady to undergo the operation. The man affirms her that he loves her and can do every thing to get back to the best way they used to be. The woman seems to be harmless when she concedes to have the abortion for the sake of making him stop speaking and hearken to what she was making an attempt to say and her level of you in direction of abortion. The inability of the lady to speak Spanish to the waitress Furthermore reveals the extent of innocence and dependence on the man. She has difficulties to precise herself to others and towards the American man.

In both stories, the lads are portrayed as dominant over ladies characters. The American man is petite as educated, has self-control, and is worldly even a tough situation. Even when he’s confused, he’s cool and he avoids the dialogue of their drawback. He handles their drawback by oversimplifying the operation and pushing her to have an operation. The girl is innocent and seems to be confused and indecisive. Similarly, in the good country people, pointer makes use of the Bible to hide his intention and gain his trust from Helga, who is harmless and has a lead somewhat expense in the path of life. He seduces and even to the extent of removing her leg, which makes her helpless as a result of she can’t stroll without the picket leg.

In conclusion at the picnic, it becomes apparent that pointer has related concepts, and he has more cynical compared to Hulga. His hole Bible has playing playing cards, condoms, and whiskey. His cynicism it is a whirlwind inform Gus confidence, making her leg pointer see the wooden leg and even take away it from her, despite feeling helpless without the leg. In the “Hills like White Elephants”, The man affirms that every little thing might be fantastic just like the means in which they had been earlier than and that the issue will be fixed. He acknowledges that he is aware of people who have undergone the operation and have happiness afterward. He agrees dispassionately, American man affirms her that it’s the best course of action, But he won’t drive her. In both tales, males are portrayed as dominant over the woman characters. The American man in “Hills like White Elephants” is portrayed as a great knowledgeable self-control and is worldly even in onerous situations.