Table data 1
Analysis
Analysis of Social Themes
Although the story “Hill Like White Elephants” and “The story of an Hour” are two
different stories, the authors focus on the oppressive nature of marriage on women. In the story
“Hills Like White Elephants,” Hemingway examines the state of love and marriage among human
beings (Susanty, 2012). Heming examines the relationship between the man and his girlfriend Jig.
Jig is in a bad relationship. The male plays an active part, and Jig plays a passive role. Jig must
comply with every decision the man makes. For instance, Jig is facing emotional manipulation
from the man; hence she is not free in the relationship. After Jig becomes pregnant, it becomes
evident that pregnancy is due to lust, and the boyfriend demands an abortion, but Jig refuses.
Nevertheless, she has to comply since she does not have a voice in the marriage. At the story’s
conclusion, Jig’s reply reveals feelings, “I feel fine. There’s nothing wrong with me. I feel fine.”
Similarly, in “The story of an Hour,” Mrs. Mallard undergoes an oppressive marriage
symbolized by her weak heart. Mrs. Mallard was looking forward to becoming free from her
husband. There was some doubt about the lack of love between Brently and Mrs. Mallard. This is
evident when she realizes that she is free during her illness. She says, “free, free, free!” (Chopin,
2018) She was in an oppressive marriage, and she tasted freedom and, for just an instant, and
enormous joy filled her body. Therefore, throughout the story, the author depicts a negative
portrayal of marriage.
Analysis of literary device
Table data 2
Situational irony is a literary technique whereby the unexpected does not happen, or the
opposite happens. In “The Story of an Hour,” Mrs. Mallard’s reaction reveals situational irony. In
the first scenes, when she hears the news about her husband’s death, she is grieved, which is
common in losing a loved one (Chopin, 2018). However, when she gets to her room, she is not
sad. Joy overflows her since as she is now free from oppressive marriage. “She saw beyond that
bitter moment a long procession of years to come that would belong to her. And she opened and
spread her arms out to them.” In the story “Hill Like White Elephants,” Heming uses dialogue as
the main literary device (Susanty, 2012). Dialogue is a conversation between two or more people.
The story is full of dialogue between a man and a woman waiting for a train. Many pieces of line
portray how Jig speaks to her boyfriend.
