, Research Paper
The Decision That Could Have Been
Everyday people make decisions that affect their future lives. Do people
make the right decisions? What makes a decision a right one? What may be right
to some, may be wrong to others. There are no right or wrong decisions but those
that people choose and believe to be right varying from each individual. In
Hemingway’s realistic story, Hills Like White Elephants, Jig attempts to make a
crucial change in her life by making the right decision, but is unable to because of
her weak characteristic flaws. Jig is indecisive about her decision. Even though
she realizes the possibilities, she has difficulties letting go of old habits, has a low
self-esteem that leads to her being submissive, and puts up a frail fight by hiding
her feelings behind her sarcastic comments.
Jig faces an immense decision that will change her future. She must choose
between the old and the new lifestyle. It is hard for her to let go of old habits that
consists of taking no responsibility and the sole intention of seeking pleasure. She
must go from a young worriedless rebel to a stable adult taking responsibility. It’s
a hard process since there are three steps to changing: realization, doing the deed,
and committing to the change. She definitely realizes she needs to change, but only
goes that far. She does walk to the end of the station and looks upon the fertile side
of the valley and comments “and we could have all this,” but she continues
drinking when she knows well that she carries a child in her womb. She even says
the alcohol tastes like licorice, that everything tastes the same, and she’s getting
tired of her same old life. Surely, she must know the possible damage she can cause
the baby to have, but does it stop her from drinking? No, this only indicates that she
is still not ready to change completely. Even though she wants to change,
something, perhaps her old ways, is holding her back from doing so. Maybe this
explains why she drinks during her pregnancy.
Jig has many characteristics that define her as being a weak character. Due
to her submissive quality, she gives in to her lover regardless her own feelings. One
of the reasons why she feels the need to make him happy lies in her fear of losing
him. “And if I do it you’ll be happy and things will be like they were and you’ll
love me?” Apparently, Jig is willing to sacrifice her own will for his, if it means
making him happy. She struggles on a decision between her mind and her heart.
Her mind is telling her to keep the baby, but her heart is telling her the opposite-to
go through the operation. It is a decision between her love for him and willingness
to make him happy versus her self- interest to make the right decision. Obviously,
it is her low self- esteem that gears her towards giving in to him. “If I do it you
won’t ever worry…then I’ll do it because I don’t care about me.” This quotes clearly
shows how she is passive and submissive. Her weak flaw lies in the fact that she
doesn’t consider her feelings in her decision makings. She pocesses qualities that
make her a feeble character incapable of changing and making decisions that make
her an unreliable and unwillful character.
Another weak flaw is seen through her inability to speak out against her
lover. It’s as if she tries to avoid any quarrels from occurring. She uses sarcastic
means to hide her true feelings about the issue. This is her only way of showing
disagreements towards him. Either she is afraid to speak out her real emotions or
she is being too tolerant and considerate towards him. When he tells Jig that he’s
known people who have gone through with it before, she comments, “So have
I…and afterwards they were all so happy.” On the surface she agrees with him that
everything will be the same afterwards, but, underneath she really knows that the
abortion will bring them everything but happiness. Her sarcastic usage hides her
feeling so well that it seems as if she doesn’t even try to tell him she doesn’t want to
go through with it. At the end, Jig tries one last time to imply to her lover that she
disagrees with him by saying, “I feel fine, there’s nothing wrong with me. I feel
fine.” Her sarcastic remark is not a strong way of going about trying to convince
him that deep inside something is really bothering her. It can sometimes be
confusing for she tells him one thing but means the other. His power over her is so
great that she feels intimidated to oppose him directly. Instead, she indicates her
opposition towards him indirectly through her sarcastic comments.
In conclusion, Hemingway’s character Jig in Hills Like White Elephants was
unable to change her life through her decision due to her frail characteristics. Some
reasons that lead up to her failure were: the hardships of letting go of the old
lifestyle, the power Jig’s lover has over her due to her low self-esteem and
submissive being, and the weakness behind hiding true emotions by using sarcastic
means. Jig walked back towards the station into the shades of the sterile side of the
valley. A dark cloud covered her head and she knew what was going to become of
herself after the “simple” operation. In the end, everyone must choose and follow
their own paths, whether their decisions were right or wrong, each direction leads to
the beginning of a new journey.
Другие работы по теме:
Legal Brief Essay Research Paper Throwing the
Legal Brief Essay, Research Paper Throwing the Book at Kids A twelve-year-old boy, Lionel Tate, brutally beat a six-year-old girl to death in South Florida in 1999. Tate was pretending to be a pro wrestler while he pummeled this girl to death, her liver even had split in half. A Florida law was recently passed which made it easier for prosecutors to try kids as adults.
Sterotyping Essay Research Paper It was a
Sterotyping Essay, Research Paper It was a hot summer day; a friend and I were driving through downtown Rochester. My friend is very smart and sometimes outspoken; however on the other hand, I like to listen and wait until something offends me to speak. Then all of the sudden my friend yells ?hey look an accident?.
Can States Restrict The Right To Die
Essay, Research Paper The dispute on whether or not the Court System s should be allowed to have control over the life of someone who is not capable of making coherent decisions has been going on for sometime now. This legal issue has many people protesting and arguing on who gets to make a life or death decision.
Barn Burning Essay Research Paper In the
Barn Burning Essay, Research Paper In the story ?Barn Burning? one question that sticks out to me is at what point should a person make a choice between what his parents and/ or family believes and his own values. In this story Colonel Sartoris is faced with the decision of either going along with the views and actions of his father or making the decision of running away and leaving his family behind.
Law Essay Research Paper 1 The trial
Law Essay, Research Paper 1. The trial court is bound by the Supreme Court s decision under Stare Decisis. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the judicial system. All other courts are most likely to follow a higher courts decision. The only time a precedent would change is if it is out of date, the situation is different, or if the ruling is found invalid.
Death By Choice Essay Research Paper Death
Death By Choice Essay, Research Paper Death By Choice: Who Should Decide? McGuires’ references to prior cases and documents is done logically and clinically. After careful reading, and re-reading, I failed to understand his position
How The Choices Of The Characters Affected
Each Other Essay, Research Paper In everyday life, the outcome of your day can be altered by the simplest or most complicating choices. Antigone’s decision to bury her brother, Creon’s choice to sentence Antigone to death,
Local School Systems In America Essay Research
Paper The topic I chose to discuss in this essay is the local school systems in America. The local and national government and the superintendent of the school system holds the power over this institution. The people who benefit because of this institution are the students who attend these schools and the jobs that they create in the process of helping kids to learn and society in general.
Commercials Essay Research Paper In every young
Commercials Essay, Research Paper In every young person life there are certain critical decisions that must be made. One of the more important of the many is the choice to resume education after high school. After that decision is made the choice of which college to go to comes into play. In making this decision you must first do research on schools that interest you, you must visit these campuses, and last you must apply to the schools of your choice.
Decisions Essay Research Paper Decisions Decisions DecisionsPeople
Decisions Essay, Research Paper Decisions, Decisions, Decisions People make decisions every single day, even if they know it or not. Whether it is an important decision as in buying the right car, or a little decision as in deciding what to eat for lunch. No matter what the decision maybe, one has to make choices everyday.
Cause And Effect Of Becoming Law Enforcement
Officer Essay, Research Paper The decision to become a Law Enforcement officer is one that shouldn’t be taken lightly. It can effect the way you live in many ways. Your decision to carry a badge and gun in protection of life and property will change you forever. Your family, friends, and the way you live will be altered to accommodate this decision.
Internet Good Or Bad Essay Research Paper
The question that many people have on their minds is, “Is the Internet good or bad?” In this article, we will give you information so that you can make an educated decision for yourself. We will first concentrate on the bad issues of the Internet. Then, we will tell you the advantages of having the Internet. We hope this will help you make a good decision for your family or business.
The Odyssey Essay Research Paper In book
The Odyssey Essay, Research Paper In book twelve of The Odyssey, the main character, Odysseus, is confronted with three obstacles that he and his crew must conquer in order to get home to Ithaca. The first of the three obstacles that Odysseus and his crew must face are the sirens and their enchanting melody.
Smoking Essay Research Paper SmokingAfter reading the
Smoking Essay, Research Paper Smoking After reading the article “Whose lungs are they, anyway?” by Janet Singleton, I was able to determine the proposal at issue. The issue in this article is about why people decide to smoke and who s responsible for making hat decision. Should we put the blame one the tobacco industry or is it just people’s own decision to smoke? The position I stand in is I feel that the tobacco industry should not be held responsible for smokers’ decision to smoke.
Untitled Essay Research Paper Words 361
Untitled Essay, Research Paper Words = 361 At the conclusion of Barn Burning Sarty faces a major dilemma: go back to his family or just walk away. The consequences of this decision are great. For such a young boy, choosing to leave his family must be overwhelming and frightening. However, Sarty knows that in order for him to actually live, he must do this.
Romero Essay Research Paper In the movie
Romero Essay, Research Paper In the movie Romero, Archbishop Romero changes very much in his understanding of love and in his understanding of true conscience. At first Romero is just a priest who isn’t really concerned about the poor and how they are being oppressed, but when Romero is chosen to be the new Archbishop his friend, who is assassinated, I think has a slight impact on him.
Abortion Essay Research Paper There are many
Abortion Essay, Research Paper There are many women who have choices to make in life that can be difficult or easy. One very difficult decision is whether or not to terminate a pregnancy. Most people should think before they act. If a woman has to terminate a pregnancy, it is because she wasn’t planning to get pregnant or because she did not use birth control.
Atomic Bomb Essay Research Paper The Right
Atomic Bomb Essay, Research Paper The Right Choice On August 6, 1945, at 8:15 the American plane The Enola Gay changed history forever. The plane dropped the first atomic bomb over the city of Hiroshima, Japan in a successful effort to ended World War II. The question on whether or not such a powerful attack was necessary to end the war has often been asked.
Roe V Wade Essay Research Paper Roe
Roe V. Wade Essay, Research Paper Roe v. Wade Roe v. Wade was in many ways the most controversial decision enacted by the Supreme Court, and no other court decision has been more bitterly attacked. The right of privacy is the main issue upon
Ethan Frome Vs Fate Essay Research Paper
You Can t Beat Fate! Many people believe that there is something known as fate. Fate is a belief that people have a set destiny that can not be changed no matter what a person does. This belief would apply to a man named Ethan Frome. Ethan Frome is a man from the novel Ethan Frome and it seem that no matter what Ethan does his life is hopeless, because he is a poor decision-maker.
A Difficult Decision Essay Research Paper Steve
A Difficult Decision Essay, Research Paper Steve Bayne 1/31/00 English IV Mr. Larson Persuasive Essay A Difficult Decision Throughout each of our lives, we go through many trials. Life seems like a big smack in the face at times. Anyone can relate to this, because no one has had a perfect life, a life without blemish.
The Change Essay Research Paper EssayIn this
The Change Essay, Research Paper Essay In this essay I am supposed to discuss a project or activity that best represents me. I thought about this for a while, and I decided I would talk about my piano lessons. My parents didn?t make me take them, and I didn?t take them because it was “just something to do.” There is a lot behind the story.
Essay On The Short Story
“Divorce” By Ivan Klima Essay, Research Paper In the short story entitled “Divorce” by Ivan Klima a judge makes an important decision that will affect him for the rest of his life. The decision
Sir Thomas More Essay Research Paper Man
Sir Thomas More Essay, Research Paper Man For All Seasons Essay In the play, A Man For All Seasons, Sir Thomas More is faced with a number of difficult choices, namely whether to support the King’s decision to divorce Catherine of Aragon and marry Anne Boleyn and the consequences of that decision. More makes his decision to oppose the marriage early on, but even though it is something he does not waver from, he still has trouble with it, especially when he see the pain it causes to his wife and family.
Personal Writing College Essay Research Paper Personal
Personal Writing: College Essay, Research Paper Personal Writing: College In life people have to make choices, in my life I have had to make many, many choices. I think that my biggest decision or choice would be my
Dred Scott Decision Essay Research Paper The
Dred Scott Decision Essay, Research Paper The Dred Scott decision of 1865 had many implications on the status of free blacks in the United States, along with the concept of popular sovereignty, and the future of slavery in America.
Lincoln Application Essay Essay Research Paper Now
Lincoln Application Essay Essay, Research Paper Now is a time to make decision in life that will help me succeed in the future. The decision is to choose the right high school that will help me meet my goals and prepare me for college. A school that can train and give me all the tools I need to be an international business.
Robert Frost Essay Research Paper In Robert
Robert Frost Essay, Research Paper In Robert Frosts’ poem “The Road Not Taken,” Frost talks of choosing between two roads to travel. Frost has come to a split in the road and has to choose which road to pick. In Randy Travis’ song “I Told You So,” a man learns that his girlfriend is choosing between himself and another man.
Robert Frost Poem Choices Are Taken
Essay, Research Paper Choices made in “The Road Not Taken” In ‘The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost, the speaker has to make a difficult decision about choosing one of two equally promising roads to travel on. This poem is easy for people to identify with because people all have to make difficult decisions in their lives.
Decisions Essay Research Paper Choosing a college
Decisions Essay, Research Paper Choosing a college can be a major decision in your life. I say this because your choice will determine the quality of education you will be receiving as well as shape
Decision Making Essay Research Paper Any decisionaffecting
Decision Making Essay, Research Paper Any decision-affecting people has ethical ramifications and virtually all-important decisions reflect the decision-maker s mindfulness and resolution to ethical behavior. This is why it is important to know for yourself how you go about making ethical decisions, or making decisions of any kind.
Organ Donation Essay Research Paper Transplantations save
Organ Donation Essay, Research Paper Transplantations save lives, but only if you help. All you need to do is say yes to organ and tissue donation on your donor card and/or driver’s license and discuss your decision with your family.