The Story of an Hour and Hills Like White Elephants - Essay Example

Recognition and reversals in Aristotle’s opinion enhance the quality of literature. Recognition refers to those moments when the main character in the story learns of something new or gets an important piece of information. Reversal refers to those instances when the course of events suddenly changes direction. Aristotle further states that the best scenes are those when both recognition and reversal come together. This adds a touch of drama to the situation and the reader experiences mixed emotions. The two short stories The Story of an hour and Hills Like White Elephants both have such moments which create emotional effects the way Aristotle describes. The Story of an hour begins with a tone of anxiety when the family members express concern how to break the news to Mrs. Mallard, the main character. The reader is immediately transported into a state of anxiety and fear as he too is keen to know what the news to be broken to Mrs. Mallard is. When her sister breaks the news of the fatal accident that Mr. Mallard had met with, Mrs. Mallard bursts into tears. This is moment of ‘recognition’ as described by Aristotle, which did have the emotional effect both on the main character and the reader alike. Her reaction was different from other women of her times, which makes the moment more effective. The description of her state at learning the news creates mixed reactions in the reader. She sits motionless on the chair and then stares with a vacant look. The reader also wonders what is approaching her as she becomes powerless and whispers ‘free, free, free’. This moment is significant as it is filled with terror and emptiness and is successful in evoking the emotions in the reader. As the news sinks in, Mrs. Mallard seems to be elated at the thought that henceforth she would be free to do what she wants in life when the author describes, ‘she was drinking in a very elixir of life through that open window’. This is the moment of reversal because is something different from what the reader would expect from a woman who has just lost her husband. The moment of reversal comes when Mr. Mallard walks in totally unaware of what had taken place. This description too leaves the reader shocked as this was least expected. The first unexpected event is the walking in of Mr. Mallard, which itself is stunning. The second event is the moment of both recognition and reversal at the same time as Mrs. Mallard collapses on seeing her husband. The doctors declare that she died of a joy that kills. The reader wonders whether it is really the joy of seeing her husband when she was elated at her newfound freedom. Whatever the reader may conclude, the author has been successful in creating and evoking the emotions the way Aristotle describes. It is able to arouse feelings of fear, anxiety, suspense, al at the same time. Hills Like White Elephants has emotions expressed more subtly although reversal is used to jerk the reader when the man suddenly says, ‘Its really an awfully simple operation, Jig’. When Jig has been appreciating the drink and although the reader does get an idea that there is something amiss between the two of them, these words express that something unexpected has happened in their lives. Until this point, the author has been subtle in his expressions, so this comes as a jolt. The reader springs to life and anxiously reads ahead. At the same time, it is also a moment of recognition for Jig, as she realizes that he wants her to abort the child. As far as the reader is concerned, it is still not clear what the operation that is being discussed is. Another point of reversal comes when Jig says, ‘so have I, and afterwards they were all so happy’. The author has brought excitement at this juncture because both Jig and man speak on different lines. While he says that people have been happy after the abortion, her remark implies that they have been happy bringing the child into this world. Hills Like white Elephants differs from The Story of an hour as the former is more symbolic in nature and demonstrates emotions in a very subtle manner. It is charged with emotions – of a woman who wants to bear the child and fights with her inner self. She knows she would finally accept what the man wants but she still persists till the end. There is fear, anxiety, anger, impatience which triggers the emotion to withdraw, to be by one’s self. Nevertheless, the author has not used recognition and reversal in this story but has used symbolism to bring out the emotion. The author has used the mature, the sun setting, the hills that look like white elephants to express the turmoil that Jig undergoes. When Jig says, ‘thats all we do isnt it-look at things and try new drinks?’ the reader is given to understand that she is ready for the next step in her life while the man is not. The author also mentions that station was between two lines of rails which signify that life has two paths to choose from. Jig looks at the other side where the fields of grain and trees are, which demonstrates that she believes in life and greenery. Water and drought again symbolize two paths – to abort the child or not to. When she says, ‘we could get along’ the author conveys that the woman is willing to jump into the river of life and she is confident of being happy. The author does make effort to ease the tension and conflict when Jig smiles at her mate. The end again is a reversal when Jig finally changes her mind and decides not to abort the child. She accepts pregnancy as something to live to the fullest and cherish every moment which is why she expresses, ‘I feel fine’. This is something that neither the man nor the reader would have expected and is a refreshing end to the story which was charged with emotion. Thus both the stories do carry recognition and reversal although the latter has used symbolism also to express emotions. Read More