Ernest Hemingway, “Hills Like White Elephants”
Answers to questions which could be asked about the story could be the basis of your thesis:
What is the effect on the reader of not ever reading the word “abortion” in this short story?
What are the motivations of the two characters? Does either character change in this story?
How does the setting of the story affect or help reveal the meaning of the conflict between the man and the woman?
Prototypes of thesis sentences:
Although the story doesn’t say for sure, the woman in the story, Jig, will probably ___________________ when she gets to the city as can be seen from her actions and dialogue in the story when she ___________________________.
The American is very focused on persuading Jig to have an abortion, but if she chooses not to, he will probably _____________________________, as we can see from his actions and dialogue.
The train station represents __________________________, while the landscape on one side with the river, trees, and fields show ________________________________ and the landscape on the other side with the hills like white elephants reveal __________________________.
Of course, I would recommend that you come up with your own thesis sentence so that you say exactly what you want your reader to know about the story and the topic raised in it. Use examples from the story to develop and show the points you are making. Look at your thesis to make sure you are taking a stance, making an assertion about the story which is a debatable point, and make sure you introduce your key points which will be covered in the essay.
Annotated Bibliography
An annotated bibliography must be added after the Works Cited page. The annotated bibliography will consist of both your primary and your secondary source.
For the secondary source, search the library catalog (a link to library resources is on the course home page), and find an article on the short story you are analyzing, or on the topic you are analyzing about that short story. Provide the MLA-formatted citation. Under that, give an annotation with the following elements:
Write a summary statement of the source, followed by an in-text, parenthetical citation (author’s name).
Give a statement of why the article is useful in your analysis.
Finally, give a statement about why your reader should trust that this is an academically credible source.
The annotation for the primary source (the short story) may just be a statement that it is the primary source for this paper (Faulkner) or (Hemingway). The list of citations must in alphabetical order, according to the authors’ last names. Ex. Hemingway then Massman or Abrams then Faulkner.
You are required to reference and discuss one secondary source in this essay. An annotated bibliography of this secondary source must be included in the essay along with a Works Cited page. The essay should be formatted in MLA style and be 3-4 pages in length, not including the annotated bibliography.
My first Paragraph that I provided in a discussion :
Some women are left the thought of losing a companion because of them not wanting the baby. How can one continue to go forward with a relationship when you both want two different things? How can something so sensitive make the one you love to want to get rid of it? Will she be happy with the decision she makes? In Hills like White Elephant, the young lady faces all of these decisions. Although the story doesn’t say for sure, the women in the story will probably not have an abortion when she gets to the next city as can be seen from her actions and dialogue in the story.
