Sunday 20 February 2011

Hills Like White Elephant: Characters & Characteristics and Point of View


Young - enjoyed drinking alcohol
Pregnant - it is obvious because the whole story is about pregnancy
Loving - cares for the American man
Indecisive - keeps changing her decision
Peacemaker - She is not willing to talk about the problem that bothers both of them so much and keeps changing the topic. She is trying to avoid worse arguments




Young - enjoyed drinking alcohol
Manipulative - Further by saying he doesn't care if she does it, that he would be okay if she doesn't
Hypocritical - "You've got to realize... that I don't want you to do it if you don't want to..." When it is obvious he wanted Jig to do the abortion
Selfish - He keeps saying that abortion is simple when we know that the operation is painful



Spanish woman
She proves that the story takes place in Zargozza, Spain





Third-person point of view
Hemingway doesn't reveal the character's thoughts but only on what they do and say

Minimum context being presented: only on the scenery (river of Ebro, white hills), the weather (hot) and the train schedules.

Hills Like White Elephant: Plot


  • A man and a woman were outside a bar having some drinks and waiting for the train
  • They decided to order beers and the woman who works at the bar brought the drinks to their table
  • The girl remarked that the distant hills look lke white elephants, but the man discounted her remark




  • The Americans began to mention about an operation
  • He argued that the operation would be simple, but then said that the procedure really isn't even an operation at all


  • They kept arguing about the operation
  • The woman threatened to scream if the American would not stop talking.




  • Jig eventually assented to the operation, and gave the final justification: "I don't care about me". She attempted to drop the subject, but the man persisted as if still unsure of Jig's intentions and mental state

  •  The Spanish bartender brought two more beers and told them that the train would arrive in 5 minutes
  • The American carried their bags to the platform and then walked back to the bar
  • He asked the girl whether she felt better. She said she felt fine and that there was nothing wrong with her






Monday 7 February 2011

Black Beauty: Tones



Chapter 36

"I should be glad to oblige the lady, sir, but I had a seven days' license once, and the work was too hard for me, and for my horses. Year in and Year out, not a day's rest, and never a Sunday with my wife and children, and never able to go to a place of worship."

Chapter 45

CHRISTMAS and the New Year are very merry times for some people; but for cabmen and cabmen's horses it is no holiday, though it may be a harvest."


Chapter 6

Straps here, and straps there, a bit in my mouth, and blinkers over my eyes. Now, I am not complaining for I know it must be so.

Chapter 41

He was doing his best to pull a heavy cart, while a strong, rough boy was cutting him under the belly with his whip, and chucking cruelly at his little mouth.

Chapter 43

"Poor little fellow!" she said, "he suffers a deal of pain; he is four years old and can't walk anymore than a baby; but the doctor said if I could get him into the hospital, he might get well; pray, sir how far is it? Which way is it?"


There was a plowboy, Dick, who sometimes came into our field to pluck blackberries from the hedge. When he had eaten all he wanted he would have whta he called fun with the colts, throwing stones and sticks at them  to make them gallop. We did not much mind him, for we could gallop off; but sometimes a stone would hit and hurt us.

One day, he was at this game, and did not know that the master was in the next field; but he was there, watching what was going on; over the hedge he jumped in a snap, and catching Dick by the arm, he gave him such a box on the ear as made him roar with the pain and surprise. As soon as we saw the master we trotted up nearer to see what went on.

"Bad boy!" he said, "bad boy! to chase the colts. This is not the first time, nor the second, but it shall be last. There -- take your money and go home; I shall not want you on my farm again." So we never saw Dick anymore. Old Daniel, the man looked after the horses, was just as gentle as our master, so we were well off.



1. "Now we shall see the hare," sid my mother; and just then a hare wild with fright rushed by and made for the woods. On came the dogs; they burst over the bank, leaped the stream, and came dashing across the field followed by the huntsmen. Six or eight men leaped their horses clean over, close upon the dogs. The hare tried to get through the fence; it was too thick, and she turned sharp round to make for the road, but it was too late; the dogs were upon her with their wild cries; we heard one shriek, and that was the end of her. One of the huntsmen rode up and whipped off the dogs, who would soon have torn her to pieces. He held her up by the leg torn and bleeding, and all the gentlemen seemed well pleased.

As for me, I was so astonished that I did not at first see what was going on by the brook; but when I did look there was a sad sight; two fine horses were down, one was struggling in the stream, and the other was groaning on the grass. One of the riders was getting out of the water covered with mud, the other lay quite still.

2. "Well, no," she said, "you must not say that; but though I am an old horse, and have seen and heard a great deal, I never yet could make out why men are so fond of this sport; they often hurt themselves, often spoil good horses, and tear up the fields, and all for a hare or a fox, or a stag, that they could get more easily some other way; but we are only horses, and don't know."


Chapter 2

Black Beauty watched in astonishment as the dogs and men are pursuing a hare.

"Now we shall see the hare," sid my mother; and just then a hare wild with fright rushed by and made for the woods. On came the dogs; they burst over the bank, leaped the stream, and came dashing across the field followed by the huntsmen. Six or eight men leaped their horses clean over, close upon the dogs. The hare tried to get through the fence; it was too thick, and she turned sharp round to make for the road, but it was too late; the dogs were upon her with their wild cries; we heard one shriek, and that was the end of her. One of the huntsmen rode up and whipped off the dogs, who would soon have torn her to pieces. He held her up by the leg torn and bleeding, and all the gentlemen seemed well pleased.

 Chapter 3

Black Beauty was astonished as he found that wearing a bridle and saddle is very uncomfortable

I had of course long been used to a halter and and a headstall, and to be led about in the field and lanes quietly, but now I was to have a bit and a bridle; my master gave mesome oats as usual, and, after a good deal of coaxing, he got the bit into my mouth, and the bridle fixed, but it was a nasty thing!


Chapter 2

Black Beauty described the act of the dogs killing the hare

The hare tried to get through the fence; it was too thick, and she turned sharp round to make for the road, but it was too late; the dogs were upon her with their wild cries; we heard one shriek, and that was the end of her. One of the huntsmen rode up and whipped off the dogs, who would soon have torn her to pieces. He held her up by the leg torn and bleeding, and all the gentlemen seemed well pleased.

Chapter 2

Black Beauty described the death of 'Rob Roy', a horse who joins the hunt. 'Rob Roy' was injured, and he was shot to death by a man.

..... Then someone ran ito our master's house and came back with a gun; presently there was a loud bang and a dreadful shriek, and then all was still; and the black horse moved no more



Black Beauty: Point of View and Moral Values



First person point of view

The story was told by a highbred horse named Black Beauty.

Examples:-

*I arched my neck and set off my best pace*
*I set up a shrill whinny as I saw him go*





Black Beauty has always been obeying every master he ever had.


James went into the stable which was on fire to save Black Beauty and Ginger.


 The strong friendship between Black Beauty and Ginger.
The friendship that Black Beauty had with John, James and Joe.


Black Beauty really respects and loves his mother, he always obeys what his mother had told him.


Between human and animals (Jerry has always respected Black Beauty and has never tried to rush him and whip him