Men Without Women - Literature review Example

The concept of men without women in the story “Hills Like White Elephants,” by Ernest Hemingway, raises several questions about relationships and howthey change with gender roles. The story is not only significant in questioning gender roles, but also how this changes the identity that each has. The characters, symbolism and the plot line all work together to redefine identity in gender roles and what this means when men are without women. The characterization and different concepts that take place throughout this story portray how women can be lost in their traditional gender identities. This causes men to believe that they are with women; however, there is a loss of having a woman with a specific gender role or identity. The main representation of gender role and identity in this novel is through the characters Jig and the man she is talking with. Throughout the story, Jig describes several instances where she wants to have the whole world. There are several places that define her freedom as a character and as a woman. This defines the gender role of women and shows a sense of how men move into a role without women. “The girl stood up and walked to the end of the station. Across, on the other side, were fields of grain and trees along the banks of Ebro. Far away, beyond the river, were mountains… ‘And we could have all this’, she said. ‘And we could have everything and every day we make it more possible” (Hemmingway, 213). This quote shows how the pregnancy toward Jig is one that will bring her an entire world. However, the man disagrees by saying that they can’t, and instead they should keep each other. The men without women are then defined as Jig is convinced to have the operation instead of carrying a traditional gender role. The freedom that Jig speaks about with her gender identity is one that is never crossed over and instead is lost to stay with the man that she loves. However, this also creates an understanding that the man is without a woman in the traditional gender role. The man further defines this by showing conflict with the ideology that Jig holds. The gender identity of freedom and gender identity that Jig has contrasts with the man she is with. He is the one that convinces her of the operation and the loss of pregnancy because he is more interested in staying with Jig because she is a woman. He does this by telling her that she should do whatever she wants; however, he is also described as having worry and not wanting to have the world. To him, the world is with Jig and not the prenancy, which defines his opposing gender role. For instance, at one point he states, “ ‘ You’ve got to realize, ‘he said, ‘that I don’t want to do it if you don’t want to…. I don’t want anybody but you. I don’t want anyone else. And I know it’s perfectly simple” (214). This quote shows that the man doesn’t want to be without Jig as a woman, and would rather not lose her than the pregnancy. However, there is also a subtle statement that the man will not be the same without the pregnancy or her, specifically because it will change his gender role as a man. This relates to the concept of men without women because it shows how his belief in the operation to keep Jig is one that will also lead to a changed identity role with him as a man. The gender role conflict of the two characters continues with the main plot that Hemmingway creates. This centers on the pregnancy that Jig and the man she is with are facing. The main argument is whether to have an operation so there is no tension between Jig and the man she is with. The man continues to state that without the pregnancy, they can go back to a normal relationship and can continue to love each other. This shows the concept of men without women. While the man believes that having the operation will keep them together as a couple, this is also making a subtle statement that the role of being a woman through pregnancy and motherhood is lost, which means that the idea of being with a woman is also lost. Even though the man is agreeing so that he can stay with Jig, there is also a sense that he is losing Jig as a woman. The gender roles and identity is then lost because of the plot line and the decision to go through with the operation. The operation becomes significant of not only losing the pregnancy, but also losing Jig through the idea of her having an identity and gender role that is as a woman. The concept of men without women is then directly related to the changing gender identity and roles through the dialogue. There are several points where both the man and Jig show the lack of identity and the changing roles through the statements that are made. For instance, Jig states, after deciding about the operation that, “Then I’ll do it. Because I don’t care about me.’ ‘What do you mean?’ ‘ I don’t care about me.’ ‘Well, I care about you.’ ‘Oh yes. But I don’t care about me. And I’ll do it and everything will be fine”(214). This statement is one that shows that Jig as a woman has lost her identity and doesn’t care about what her gender role is. This is done to stay with the man that claims to love her. However, the decision to do the operation also shows that Jig is unable to look at herself as a woman. Instead, this becomes an instance where Jig’s statement is one where the man is without a woman because of her changed role. The symbolism that is used through this short story also relates to the idea of men without women. The main symbol that is used is the hills that are shaped like white elephants. The hills like white elephants signify the pregnancy as the same image of both. From a different symbolic interpretation, the hills become like a distant mountain that is not climbed over. The ability to hold a gender role as a mother for Jig is like the hills. These are ones that are looked at for their beauty, but which are never walked over. The second symbol that relates to this is the train that comes in five minutes. This is the alternative gender identity that is coming to take away the older gender identity of Jig and into a new territory. Instead of facing the hills, or the idea of motherhood, Jig and the man decide to take the alternative route of the train. This changes the gender identity and becomes symbolic of specific gender roles. The second symbol that is reflective of the changing gender identity is with the operation that Jig carries through with. The concept of losing a pregnancy to her means losing herself as a woman. The statements that she will do this because she doesn’t care about herself and that she will do it to get along with the man shows a lack of being a woman and carrying through with this specific identity. At the same time, the man’s role and gender identity is lost because she states that she will do anything to please him (214). The gender role of Jig is lost because of this specific component to the relationship. At the same time, the operation shows that the man will lose a sense of Jig because of the decision that is made. The concept of men without women in “Hills Like White Elephants” is one that is shown through the characters, plot and symbolism in the story. The different concepts that are portrayed show how the gender identity is lost because of the changing role of Jig and the man. Instead of Jig carrying a role as a mother and woman, she loses this identity to the agreement to have an operation in exchange for exploring freedom and the world. However, the man’s conviction to have the operation also creates a loss of gender identity because of his desire to love Jig but not to have a relationship that is traditional with men and women. The idea of men without women is one that can be perceived through the decisions that change gender roles and identity as seen in this story. Works Cited 1. Hemmingway, Ernest. “The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway.” Simon and Schuster: New York, 1987. Read More