Societal Prejudice Against Women in "Hills Like White Elephants"
Summary:
Ernest Hemingway's short story "Hills Like White Elephants" is, in part, a story about an interpersonal relationship between a man and a woman and the decision about abortion. But it's also a story about the influences of 1930's society and the repressive social standards that women faced.
In the short story Hills Like White Elephants, Ernest Hemmingway's characters situation is greatly a product of the social standards for men and women of the time around the 1930s. Their problems which come into play other than the topic of the abortion, such as their relationship, their nationalities, and their financial situation all help to create that feeling of helpless indecision and inevitability that are apparent throughout the story. The style of writing that is used leaves much of the meaning of the story hidden and an understanding of the relationships between men and women of the era can lead to a deeper understanding of the story.
Jig, the pregnant female in the story plays a relatively helpless role. Her situation as a young European women involved with an older American man traveling Europe, puts her in a very reliant position. But being pregnant isn't the only situation that has placed her in this predicament. Many of the problems she is dealing with at that train station were placed upon her by society and not her American friend. Women's rights at this point we still in their infancy. Women were just getting the right to vote in America never the less in Spain. The level of legal rights and the social stigmas of unwed mothers which Jig was subject to would more or less force her under the guidance of a man. So the situation which she has become involved in is somewhat a precarious one. She could demand to have the baby and stand firm on the subject regardless of the desires of her American companion, but then she runs the chance of relative abandonment in a foreign country without any means or skills to get her home. Even worse, at this time there was no such thing as alimony or child support and considering how accepting Christian families tended to be of single mothers, she probably couldn't expect much sympathy even if she could get home.
Prior to World War II, women lack many of the liberties which they are now fortunate to have. The social standard was that women should be at home taking care of the kids and cooking while the man worked. This was during the time of the Great depression and the status of women actually began to take steps backwards. Women were actually being forced out of the few jobs that were available to them and retreating back into the home. (Evans 198) So Jig, unfortunately found herself in an environment that was fairly hostile towards the free choice of women. If this story took place today, the situation would probably be very different. The option in terms of travel and communication wouldn't nearly be as much of an issue and a single mother raising a child isn't nearly the spectacle these days as it use to be. Legally, a woman could also expect a wide variety of assistance if she did choose to raise a child on her own. At the very least she could count on a financial dedication by the father to assist her. But Jig would not be so lucky. The fact that she is from Europe and the American's lack of concern for her wishes also gives the impression that their relationship is insecure at best and without any kind of legal power not much is keeping him from abandoning her. If she were an American, and not a foreign fling, which is what she appears to be, her the odds are the American would be more open to having a child. Not because he is immoral, which he probably is, but marriage was very much a statement of status at the time and marrying a much younger foreigner most likely wasn't the ideal choice for most blue blooded Americans.
The other major issue for Jig was the matter of birth control. The story takes place sometime in the 1930's and during this time the use of contraception had only become widely used among the poor classes to prevent pregnancy. (Evans 200) At that time children often became more of a burden financially than could be justified. Although in Hills Like White Elephants a child would be a completely different kind of burden. The detrimental affect that a child would have on Jig and the Americans relationship was their stated drive for wanting to abort the baby. But abortion was an option that put Jig in a difficult position. "Its an awfully simple operation, Jig...Its not really an operation at all" says the American trying to reassure Jig. (Hemmingway 230) But the choice was hardly hers. At this time abortions were also illegal. The Roman Catholic Church outlawed abortion in 1879 and most of Europe followed with similar laws, which remained illegal until about the 1970's. (History par 2) So this pressure that the American was asserting on Jig was not only convincing her to do something that she did not desire to do, but it was also illegal.
The American plays the role of the typical shrewd American man. The stockbroker or the banker that would typify the 1930's American male that sat atop the social and gender hierarchy. The vision of masculinity in the 1930's was an altogether different notion than it is today. The well traveled, sophisticated, and most importantly wealthy man would be expected to do such things as having a young European women accompany him on his travels. It would not be at all surprising if he was in fact married with a family back in the U.S., but the story unfortunately does not give much detail into his past. The story does give you the impression that he has picked her up during his travels and she was not with him at the begging of them. He clearly takes advantage of the situation he is in and the control he has over Jig as a man supporting her to encourage her to do as he wished. In this case having an abortion, which she clearly doesn't not want to do.
The near complete domination of the social hierarchy by men at this time leaves the decision making in an implied and predictable place in Hemingway's story. Not until after WWII and to a greater extent until the 1960's, this situation really wouldn't change. Although Jig is given the illusion of a choice she really doesn't have much of one. The American is clearly on a vacation, traveling from place to place enjoying life. Something that would be brought to an abrupt end if her were to suddenly have the burden of a child and its European mother that was dependent upon him. A situation that is clearly outlined by their conversation.
Hemmingway's story gives the impression of a couple arguing over what to do about a pregnancy. But what kind of decision is left to be made that the 1930's society hasn't already made for them. The social makeup of the era lifted the ability of women to make such decisions on their own. Pro-choice wasn't even a concept at this time of near total male domination of the social and legal scene. It would be some time before women would actually have the ability to choose what to do with their own bodies and this choice is why this story wouldn't translate very well into a modern time. The ability of women now days to choose what to do with themselves and their ever increasing independence makes them less reliant on a man for support. This is power which Jig is lacking and has left her in her situation. Her complete dependence upon the American has granted him the control over her to do as he wishes. Unfortunately, Jig would have many years before the situation would change.
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