Hemingway
Where was Hemingway born & raised?
Oak Park, Illinois (pg. 1030)
Which character is more talkative in the dialogue and tries to control the conversation?
The American man. (Page 1034)
What does the white elephant represent inepub this story?
An unwanted gift or women’s pregnancy.
How many wives did Hemingway have?
4 Times (pg. 1031)
What trait does Jig show when she compares everything to tasting like licorice?
Bitterness toward the American, awareness and dissatisfaction with their relationship/lifestyle.
What does the alcohol symbolize in the story?
The alcohol symbolizes an escape from reality, both of them, but especially the women seems to want to escape from her present situation.
List 4 published works of Hemingway mentioned in his biography.
The Sun also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Snows of Kilimanjaro, Hills Like White Elephants, To Have and Have Not, A Moveable Feast, The Old Man & The Sea
What trait best describes the American’s attitude towards the situation?
Self-centered and manipulative/controlling. (Page 1035 “I don’t want anybody but you… I don’t want anyone else.”)
What does the train station scene represent?
The women and the American reach a crossroads showing their decision to be made and their future paths.
List two of Hemingway’s major injuries and describe how these affected his health later in life.
Wounded from Shrapnel when serving in the war, plane crash in Africa (pgs. 1031-1032)
How does their demeanor change when the server comes by and what does this show?
Emotional tension to polite and casual behavior.
Isolation of their conflict. They might be in public, but it shows they are alone in their decision.
This is a chance for both to avoid the conflict they have when the waiter walks by.
What is the meaning behind the line, “Would you please please please please please please please stop talking?”
The women recognize manipulation, a shift in power, emotional outburst. The American overpowering her (pg. 1035)
What does the iceberg theory mean?
It represents that there is hidden meaning in mostof Hemingway’s work. “There is 7/8’s of it under water for every part that shows” (pg. 1031)
What trait is represented by Jig on the last line of Page 1035.
Emotional Defeat and self-sacrifice. Jig gives into this decision not because she agrees, but because she is too emotionally exhausted from their conversation to keep resisting.
At what point does Jig begin to treat the pregnancy as her own rather than being controlled by the American?
“White elephants” – independent thinking
She asks him to stop talking. – standing up for herself and pregnancy
American leaves for the luggage – shows a separation between them
“There’s nothing wrong with me. I feel fine.” – shows her fight back towards the American