Ernest Hemingways Story: the Problem of Undesired Pregnancy - Essay Example

Analysis of Abortion Theme in Literature Introduction Our almighty world keeps on showing a great progress in all possible spheres. Modern society has managed to reach significant level of intellectual, spiritual and cultural development, striving to find the answers on the most urgent issues. Today different popular magazines, newspapers, talk shows and radio programs debate ambiguous questions of day-to-day life with major interest and urgency. Hence, nowadays we have got inclination to discuss almost everything, starting with abundance of culinary recipes and ending with questions of world security. For instance, there are a lot of disputes with pro and con arguments concerning the legalization of marihuana, the animal deaths for the sake of scientific experiments, the problem of corruption or possible methods to reduce alcohol dependence and others. Within entire variety of such ‘everlasting’ matters there is also one that causes considerable interest from the point of view of morality, ethics, social aspect and medicine simultaneously. Its level of development is able to affect demography and living standards of any country dramatically. This pressing issue manages to bring sometimes undesirable changes to people’s lives. And finally, present query deals with human health condition, which can be damaged irreparably if required preventive measures are not used in time. The problem which the present paper is dedicated to is the matter of abortions in modern society. Statistical data The world statistics shows that the biggest percentage of women who are prone to obtain abortions goes to the group of girls under twenty five years old. Over 60% of all medical procedures are done on women who have never been married (Henshaw and Kost 11). Moreover, only 7% of abortions happen due to rape or health problems, meanwhile about 93% of all abortions are committed because of social reasons, when a woman deliberately and consciously desires to get rid of unwanted baby. Today the question about whether abortion is ethically right or wrong action still quite controversial issue. Hence, in some states of the USA authorities provide financial assistance to insolvent women for enabling them to obtain mentioned medical procedure. However, in some countries, such as Brazil, Peru, Bangladesh, Colombia and Mexico, abortion has official status of illegal deed. Philosophic and religious attitude The matter of abortions from the view of ethics has been always a disputable notion among numerous philosophers. Jane English differentiates own visions concerning mentioned issue due to the stages of pregnancy. Hence, she believes that in the early months of pregnancy a baby in a womb should not be considered as a person, this means that a fetus has no any rights and moral status yet and abortion may take place. However, if there are late months of pregnancy then abortion should occur only if labor may cause damage to woman’s health condition (qtd. in Hillar and Prahl 133). By contrast with English, Mary Ann Warren concludes that no matter what period of pregnancy is a fetus should be considered as an inseparable part of woman’s body, therefore she has a full right to make a decision. It should be mentioned that different religions also have own visions to the problem of interrupted pregnancy. For example, the Orthodox Church objects to abortions, while Jewish faith claims that “a fetus is hot considered a full human being and has no juridical personality of its own” (Zwerin and Shapiro 31). Reasons of abortion It is well known that a decision to give a birth to a baby is a serious and essential step that requires prolong and weighted reflections. There is no harder and more crucial issue for a woman than to make up own mind concerning the possibility of her potential child’s future life. Feeling a burden of huge responsibility, a lot of women are prone to find courage for interrupting pregnancy artificially. This happens because of several reasons, the major of which are the following: childbirth may damage woman’s health and put in danger her life; extrauterine pregnancy is taken place; a woman has irremediable diseases that can affect child’s life and the process of delivery; originally a baby is not desired by parents. In addition to this, there are also some pseudo reasons, which became very popular during a formation of democratic principles. Hence, many women decide to make an abortion, because they are afraid that presence of a child will confine their freedom. Especially young couples often argue abortions with a statement that right now they need to live only for themselves and a baby will be a great impediment to that plan. In most cases mere responsibility along with impending changes in life scare and push women to obtain abortions. Also frequently a woman is prone to get under the influence of surrounded people, who later on alter her own point of view and persuade to interrupt the pregnancy. The bright example of such situation can be found in a story called “Hills like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway. Abortion theme in Hemingway’s story The story depicts a loving couple that has quite ordinary conversation in one of the local cafes. The author never names and explains the exact matter which is discussed by two young people, but between the lines a reader can realize and observe the problem of undesired pregnancy. Ernest Hemingway uses specific emphasis and phrases which help to comprehend all the gist of represented conflict. Starting to read a story, at first it is hard to understand what it will be about, because everything that the author provides his readers with is just an easy and quite trivial conversation between man and woman, who have a small talk about weather along with girl’s fair remark that the hills look like elephants. Interlocutors seem to feel comfort in a company with each other, drinking beverages and trying to have fun. Although, abruptly a man pronounces a phrase, such as “it’s not really an operation at all”, which shows his effort to assure a lady that there is absolutely nothing to be afraid about. Calling the medical procedure as “awfully simple operation”, the man expresses his real attitude to the problem of pregnancy. We can see with a total confidence that the man tries to persuade a woman to obtain an abortion, because this, in his opinion, is going to make them both happy. He does not care much about his woman’s health, doubting about the meaning of the word “operation”. It seems that he does not understand all the consequences of their situation and also does not accept at least the slightest possibility of saving the baby. Nevertheless the man emphasizes that he does not want the girl to have an operation if there is a lack of her own desire, still we can see how he tries to manipulate and impose own view on his interlocutor. He keeps on repeating that she does not have to do it, meanwhile every time he accentuates that the operation is perfectly simple. Once again the man makes an effort to be considerate and attentive, claiming that he will be by her side all the time. But in a reality his attitude is depicted when he states that he loves the woman and does not want anybody else except her. This shows man’s positive attitude to abortions, his immaturity and selfishness. By contrast with the man, the girl is depicted as a responsive person with a real devotion. She never tells her own point of view concerning the impending abortion; however, a reader may see that this procedure really scares her. The girl worries that afterwards the man may stop feel the same, when she asks, “And if I do it you’ll be happy and things will be like they were and you’ll love me?”. With this question the girl does not talk about mutual happiness, pronouncing “you’ll be happy”, on the contrary, she emphasizes that mentioned action is not what really will make her happy. However, finally she agrees to do an abortion, stating that she does not care about herself. The girl shows genuine devotion and gets ready to sacrifice for the sake of her man, while he does not do the same with his negative attitude to the potential baby. It can be concluded that the girl gets under the influence of the man, who persuades her to get rid of the baby, despite her unwillingness. It seems that her love to him is much bigger than his feelings to her, because she goes for a sacrifice in spite of own fears and wishes, but, regrettably, he never does the same, saying only that he does not need anyone else. Also a reader is able to comprehend girl’s attitude when she concludes, “We could have everything”. It seems that the girl talks about their abandoned family in which they both with a child could live happily. Several times the man tries to correct her, saying that they already have everything, but she contradicts with a thought that “once they take it away, you never get it back”. Conclusion Ernest Hemingway’s story manages to amaze with its simplicity, strikes with realism and compels to ponder over the problem of abortions more seriously. Every person should define own point of view about the interrupted pregnancy and always protect own attitude, no matter what situation may occur. It is better to act according to own principles, desires and visions for being able to avoid any possible regrets for committed deeds in the future. Works Cited Donohue, John, and Steven Levitt. “The Impact of Legalized Abortion on Crime.” The Quarterly Journal of Economics CXVI.2(2001): 379-420. Print. Henshaw, Stanley, and Kathryn Kost. Trends in the Characteristics of Women Obtaining Abortions, 1974 to 2004. Guttmacher Institute 2008. Web. 4 Nov. 2011. Henshaw, Stanley, Singh, Susheela, and Taylor Haas. “The Incidence of Abortion Worldwide.” Family Planning Perspectives 25(1999): 30-38. Print. Hillar, Marian, and Frank Prahl. “Philosophers and the Issue of Abortion”. Philosophy of Humanism 7(1997): 131-140. Print. Madden, Frank. Exploring Literature: Writing and Thinking About Fiction, Poetry, Drama and the Essay. New York: Pearson-Longman, 2011. Print. Zwerin, Raymond, and Richard Shapiro. “Abortion: Perspectives from Jewish Traditions.” Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice 5.3(2005): 31-34. Print. Read More