“Hills Like White Elephants”: Review

Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” is a story about a dying love. Or, possibly about a love that has died. What makes this story great is the realization it gives the reader upon close reading (if done multiple times). This realization is that communication between men and women (and probably between all humans regardless of sex) happens on more than one level. Words only exist on the surface. The deeper, real meaning is hidden beneath the simple words. That’s why it is possible to claim that one character does not necessarily love another even when he says he does. Take, for example, the following exchange:

"It tastes like licorice," the girl said and put the glass down.

     "That's the way with everything."

     "Yes," said the girl. "Everything tastes of licorice. Especially all the things you've waited so long for, like absinthe."

     "Oh, cut it out."

These people are discussing drinks, seemingly. But they are really discussing life, especially their lives. So much is said here without resorting to real accusations. In fact, the accusation put in the metaphorical form, they way the main heroine does here, hurts the man even more. Why? Precisely because of its ambiguity, but also because a complaint expressed this way sounds much more global, more sinister, more hurtful. The man says that “everything” tastes like licorice. This is a very global statement. It sounds not only like a disappointment in some specific event, but disappointment with life itself. And, in addition, the woman is to blame because, otherwise, why say something like that in such a tone? The woman answers the attack by putting the blame on the man, the blame for unfulfilled expectations. Thus, we see two people speaking not in riddles, but in metaphorical language in order to hurt each other without direct confrontation. Probably without realizing the seriousness of what they are doing, they are actually engaging in rather aggressive behavior. This love story is over.

The Yellow Wallpaper: Review

Charlotte Perkins Stetson’s short story “The Yellow Wall-Paper” is a story of the main heroine’s gradual descent into insanity. However, this story is not simply a psychological commentary or an attempt to figure out or describe the anatomy of going mad. This is rather a study of human relationships, especially the spousal, during the times when women depended on their husbands for their livelihood. In fact, the main theme of the story is probably entrapment. Jane is stuck in her husband’s reality the way that imaginary woman is stuck in between layers of pattern within the wallpaper. Jane tries to break out, but she does not have the physical or emotional power to do so. Her entrapment is not obvious at the first glance, because she and her husband seem to have a loving relationship. He is always trying to prevent her from succumbing to her unhealthy urges. And she is always agreeable in order not to upset him or feel guilty about being a nagging wife of a sort. In reality, he is quite obstinate and blind to the deterioration of his wife’s mental and emotional states. And she simply does not have enough mental or emotional stamina to stand up for herself. Besides, she must always fight the guilt of being an ingrate. And it looks like she has postpartum depression. It would be helpful to look deeper into the relationship and pretty much all of the dialogue between the spouses to see that the wallpaper really is not the culprit. The husband’s lack of understanding and the unwillingness to hear out and take her seriously finally take Jane’s sanity. She is another victim of marriage, much like the main heroine in “The Story of an Hour.”

Response to Kate Chopin's "The Story of an Hour"

Mrs. Mallard, the main heroine of Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” is an example of why the feminists’ movement was necessary and eventually took off. The obvious point - the fact that Mrs. Mallard is miserable in her marriage - becomes painfully clear when she whispers the words “free, free, free.” An intense feeling of relief comes over her and she begins to muse about the future, picturing herself enjoying life for herself. One subtle aspect of the story is the way Mrs. Mallard must fight shame and guilt in order to enjoy this feeling of relief. When Chopin writes that “There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it, fearfully,” she wants to convey how hard it is for this woman to be honest with herself about her feelings. True, her husband was not an evil man - there is no evidence of that in the story. But it is a huge burden to live with a person you don’t love. The heroine must fight her guilt and shame to finally arrive at the exalting “free, free, free!”

Another subtle aspect of this event is the way Mrs. Mallard is treated by the others in the house. Everyone seems totally clueless as to her possible true feelings. People seem to be completely oblivious to the emotional realities of marriage without love. Otherwise why would they fear for her health: “Louise, open the door! I beg; open the door - you will make yourself ill. What are you doing, Louise? For heaven’s sake open the door.” This frantic behavior points to an obvious fact that these people are so clueless as to Louise’s daily reality that they fear she might kill herself. Such were the times, and such was the position of woman in society - she cannot possibly not love her husband or be sick when he is gone. The story is sad because Mrs. Mallard dies. But it seems it would have been sadder if she had survived.