Hills like White Mountains

Blandishment

In Hills like White Mountains, Hemingway explores a creative way into the matters of a terminating a life. The story takes place a few years after the Civil War, In Spain. The entirety of the short story takes place at a train station outside in the heat. The couple is sitting at a table with the view of mountains, trees, and the Ebro River. The story opens with couple ordering drinks, and having a light-hearted conversation. After the couple order their drinks the mood of the story shifts; it is easy to feel the frustration between the two.

The male in the story is never given a name he is only described as, The American. The American’s counterpart name is Jig. The American is very demeaning in my opinion. He belittles her to me. He overly states how he feels. He simplifies the entire situation by stating, “They just let air in”. He simplifies the entire procedure but he doesn’t consider the aftermath of her psychological well-being. He is persuasive and manipulative. He tries to persuade her by informing her of other people that have done it. He is manipulative enough to know to state his desires, but then let her know it is all up to her.

No one in this story is favorable to me. I can’t say I like the neither American nor Jig. I understand she has a difficult decision to make, but she comes off as hopeless to me. I like her towards the end when she insisted that the American stops talking. I feel she had an awakening moment. In that moment I feel she had a voice and wanted to make her own decisions. Jig appeared as if she found clarity and peace in her decision.

I believe the theme of the story is finding and listening to trusting ourselves. In the beginning it appeared that Jig wanted someone to tell her what to do. At times we become so frustrated with our thoughts that it is difficult to make a decision. Jig seemed like she would do whatever the American wanted her to do,