This blog features Ernest Hemingway’s story “Hills Like White Elephants” which is about the tension between a man and a woman while they are talking over drinks. The man wants the woman to have an operation that the woman is hesitant about but will do it anyway in order to please the man. Stated below is my argument about whether or not she stays with the man. In addition, I have included my own story about a time where I decided to get out of a toxic friendship.
After reading the story “Hills Like White Elephants,” I think the woman most likely ends up staying with the man even though she should leave the relationship. My argument is that she is willing to do anything for the man, even if she does not want the operation or it is too dangerous. The woman mentions that she does not care about herself and that she will do anything to make the relationship better. The man seems to be very manipulative by saying that she can make her own choice, but he also mentions how their relationship will go back to the way it was if she has this operation. He does not want to seem controlling, so instead, he emphasizes that having the operation will be more beneficial. The man knows that the woman will do anything for him and continues to repeat how their love will grow after the procedure. When the woman does not want the man to talk anymore, she most likely realizes how toxic her relationship is. However, while the man was taking their bags to the train platform, she probably told herself that she wanted to be in a relationship with the man and did not want to leave him. At the end, she said, “I feel fine. There nothing wrong with me. I feel fine (Ernest Hemingway).” This shows that she completely ignored the argument and her feelings, in order to stay with the man. For this reason, I think she still stays with the man despite her better judgment. The summer before my freshman year of high school, I had a very big and life-changing surgery where I had to have my entire femur bone removed. It was replaced by a metal rod and afterward, I was on crutches for a long time. I was very nervous going into high school since I could not properly walk. However, I was going into the year with great friends from my high school, particularly my friend Elissa. We had become best friends during eighth grade and we did everything together. When I had my surgery, she was such a big help in getting me out of the house or giving me my own personal spa day. It was one of the best summers I had because she made me forget all about the pain in my leg. The first day of high school rolled around and I thought everything was going to be great because Elissa and I had all the same classes together. However, the day ended in tears. Since I was still on crutches, I needed her help carrying my books and we had to leave five minutes early from each class because I walked slower. Throughout the day, she became more and more distant. She was not talking to me and she left the classroom without waiting for me. The last couple of periods, I ended up having to carry my books myself and I was ten minutes late to class. When I got home, I cried to my mom because of how awful the day was. By the end of the school week, I knew things were very different between me and Elissa. I eventually confronted her about it. Most of the argument was over text message. “Hey, so it’s been really hard for me to carry my books from class to class and I was wondering if you could help me. I know it’s hard to carry all those books, but I could take a few to make it easier?” “Listen, Molly. This is high school now. It’s different than grade school. I can’t keep carrying your books and leaving class five minutes early. I’ll get behind and it’s not an easy thing to do. Plus, I need to make other friends.” Now, I was no longer sad. I was raging with fury. I texted, “You think it’s easy for me? Going to a new school, not being able to walk? Having to carry three textbooks, while being on crutches? Not knowing anyone else? I come home from school every day crying because so far I really hate high school and you’re not making it any better!” “I should not be the only one responsible for helping you throughout the day. It’s stressful! Make other friends,” she typed. “I will, but until I do, I need help. You’re being really selfish!” It was like an all-out war over text and we said a lot of awful things. In the end, we apologized to each other but nothing was the same after that. Not wanting to eat alone, I sat with her group of friends at lunch, but I would not say a word. I would ask random people if they could help me carry my books in between classes. Seeing Elissa in class having fun with other friends, made me so jealous. One day, right around homecoming, I realized we could not salvage the friendship and I had to move on. After that, I never spoke a word to her again. At first, I regretted not trying harder to keep the friendship. We had so many amazing memories together and I did not think I could have another friendship like that. However, after joining some clubs and branching out in my classes, I made the best friends I could ever ask for. I found people who had similar interests with me. We started hanging out on weekends and having sleepovers. Today, they are still my best friends and we talk often, despite being in college. Even though I was miserable at the time, I believe that things worked out for the better when I decided I did not want to be friends with Elissa anymore. I think if we held on to the toxic friendship we had, I never would have met my best friends.
2 Comments
Candace Stoltzfus
2/17/2018 12:36:34 pm
I thought you did a good job with your argument. I'm still not sure what my opinion is about the ending, but I think you did a good job pulling information from the story for your argument.
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Molly ZahnerI will use this blog to post my informal writing assignments for my English Composition I class. Archives
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