HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS (ERNEST HEMINGWAY)

1. What's the purpose of the trip the two travelers are taking?
The purpose of the traveler's trip is not explicitly stated within the story. The main
reason the American and the girl do not talk about the express purpose of the trip is
that they have already discussed it at great length. Otherwise they would not be
sitting there waiting for the train that will take them to Madrid. However, much of the
dialogue between the man and the woman revolves around something that the
man desires the woman should have. The girl doesn't want to talk about the
purpose of their trip to Madrid. She doesn't even want to think about it. She tries to
steer the conversation in any other direction, including to the hills that look to her
like white elephants. But the American, who has obviously had a hard time talking
her into the operation thing. The only inference that can be made about the
purpose of the trip is that the woman is going to Madrid in order to have an
abortion. That is the main reason she doesn't want to talk about it, or think about it,
or hear about it.
"It's really an awfully simple operation, Jig," the man said. "It's not really an
operation at all."
2. Why the speakers are only identified as "a man" and "girl"? How do these
designations affect your reading of the story? What nickname does the man
use for the girl?
Because the author idea is involve the reader as the observer .It is the
perspective from which it is allowed to "observe" the reader of the story,
only the dialogue between a man and a girl is necessary to take part as
narrator, the vision is also limited, and you never "know", for example, what
the characters are thinking: simply offers his dialogues, dotted here and
there with some functional description of the environment in which they

occur leaving it to the reader to fill the gaps.

The designations as man and girl leave to the reader an empty space in
the description of characters, you have to imagine all about them, and
idealized someway how are these two, you need to pay attention whos is

talking and try to underline the conversation

The nickname that the man use to refer to the girl is Jig
3. How do the descriptions of the landscape relate to the conversation between
the two travelers? What about the discussion of drink orders?

One way of understanding the setting is to make the connection that the
white hills are supposed to represent the pregnancy, between lines we can
see how on one side of the hills we have life, and on the other side we face
death. This description of the hills can be seen as a visual representation of
the choice with which the couple is faced. Its important to remember that
the hills existed before the couple came on the scene, and will remain after
they leave. Moreover, the contrast between the white hills and barren valley
possibly highlights the dichotomy between life, fertility and sterility, and
having the baby or having the abortion. The girl seems torn between the
two landscapes, not only commenting on the beauty of the hills but also
physically walking to the end of the platform and gazing out at the brown
emptiness around the station. The landscape only represents choice in the

context of the story

Both the American man and the girl drink alcohol throughout their
conversation to avoid each other and the problems with their relationship.
They start drinking large beers the moment they arrive at the station as if
hoping to fill their free time with anything but discussion. The girl asks to
order more drinks to put off the inevitable conversation. Although they drink
primarily to avoid thinking about what they would do. In fact, the girl herself
implies this when she remarks that she and the American man never do
anything together except try new drinks, as if constantly looking for new
ways to avoid each other.

4. Note each sentence or paragraph that is not enclosed in quotation marks,

and explain how each brief commentary affects your understanding of the
characters and the lives they lead.
The narrator describes the scene, and interjects small actions into the dialogue, but
Not enclosed in quotation marks remains for the reader to concentrate on the
dialogue and the action of the story, this makes you look much deeper into the
dialogue of the couple, because without the narrator spelling out the action for the
reader, you are forced to interpret much more from the character's words. The
understanding of the characters is just an imaginary and the imagery used in this
story is simple to understand and very incomplete, because what was left unsaid
would always be more powerful than what is stated in a description

5. Why does the girl repeat the word "please" seven times? Anger? Hysteria?
Fear? Frustration? Why does the man leave her at the table?
She repeats the word please for seven times which implies that she is at
her wits end. As the man perseveres in persuading her in his good
intentions but she is tired of the issue and she doesnt want to talk about it,
maybe a little bit of frustration, anger and fear are in her mind but she prefer

to be silent.
Because the train was close to arrive to the station and the man carried the
bags to the other side of the station trying to left alone the girl and distract
his mind from the issue just because he wasnt able to stop talking and he
was disturbing the girl.

6. The railroad station setting is important to the progress--the plot--of the

story. How does this physical setting parallel the thematic concerns of the
story as well?
On one side of the station, the land is barren. On the other side, the land is not
barren. The stream cuts through it. This is the land that stretches away to the
mountains in the distance. This is the side of the station where The Girl stands to
look at them, observing that they look like white elephants. There is symbolism at
work in the setting. The Girl wants a life beyond the empty relationship she has
shared with the American. The barren side of the station seems to represent the
kind of life she wants to give up. She does not want the same thing he wants; she
appreciates the beauty of the hills; the American does not. The man's looking only
at the girl and the table imports that he continues in his narrow and selfish point of
view while she sees beyond to their meaningless future. Also, consider the
symbolism of the railroad station. It is a place of transition, not a destination in
itself, but somewhere where you stop on route to where you are going.
7. How does the title relate to the story?
"Hills Like White Elephants," does relate to the story itself in a very significant way.
It draws the reader's attention to a specific exchange of dialog between Jig and the
American that reveals a great deal about them as individuals and about their
relationship. The hills, in the distance, representing their future together, are truly
like white elephants, impossible hurdles to overcome.
8. Under what literary genre does this work fall?
"Hills Like White Elephants" is a short story. This story is very much about
Literary Fiction and Realism. Even though we get a realistic conversation, set in a

fairly real place, "Hills Like White Elephants" is a mixture between a fictional and a
real story can be told.
9. Setting
The action takes place at a train station, overlooking the Ebro River, somewhere
between Barcelona, Spain and Madrid, Spain. Planted in the middle of a desolate
valley.
10. Characters

Jig, The Girl: Woman traveling in Europe with a male companion. The author
does not disclose whether they are single, engaged, or married; however, it

appears likely that they are girlfriend and boyfriend.

The American: Man traveling with Jig.
The Woman: Waitress at the train station.
People in the Barroom

11. Plot Summary

On a hot day at a train station, a man and woman sit at a table on the shady side of
the building while they prepare to order drinks. He orders for themfirst beer, and
then Ans del Toro. A set of tracks runs on each side of the station. The train for
Madrid will arrive from Barcelona in forty minutes on the sunny side of the building.
In front of them, the land is dry. There are no trees. Distant hills appear white in the
sun, and the girl says they look like white elephants.
While they sip their drinks, their conversation reveals that the girl, and the man,
identified only as an American, are at odds over an important operation. She wants
something and he wants her want something else about the operation, saying the
procedure is awfully simple and not really anything. Afterward, he says, life for
them can continue as before.
The girl observes that the liqueur tastes like licorice. In fact, she says, everything
tastes like licorice. Her remark, apparently made out of boredom, irks the man.
Oh, cut it out, he says. They go back and forth on the question of the child. The
girl finally says, perhaps with a taint of sarcasm, that she will have the procedure
because I dont care about me. The man says he does not want her to have it if
you feel that way. The girl gets up and walks to the end of the building. There, she
looks around to the land on the other side. She sees trees, grain fields, and the
Ebro River, then says, And we could have all this. When the man tells her that

they can have whatever they wantWe can have the whole world the girl says,
It isnt ours any more . . . And once they take it away, you never get it back. A
woman brings them two more beers and alerts them that their train will arrive in five
minutes. The man then carries their two bags, each displaying labels from all the
hotels at which they lodged, to the other side of the station. When he returns, he
asks how she feels. She replies, Theres nothing wrong with me. I feel fine.
12. Which characteristics, topics and principles of modernism can be seen?
Modernism use techniques like imagism and objectivism to convey stories through
images imbued with meaning rather than explanations and words. In Hills like
white Elephants imagism and objectivism feature prominently whit symbols like a
beer, a curtain, and railroads representing ideas untold through the story. Isolation
in the story between Jig and the man are also achieved through modernist
techniques, imbuing objects with meaning and their effects reflected in the actions
of the characters. Hemingway keeps key words of "abortion" and "baby" out of
conversation intentionally to create feelings of ambiguity and confusion, often found
in modernism.

THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER (MARK TWAIN)

1. Vocabulary

Gape: to stare with the mouth wide open, as in shock, wonder, or surprise.
Harsh: not gentle or pleasant; severe.
Onslaughts: a violent attack.
Grasp: to seize and hold by or as if by clasping with the fingers or arms.
Jeer: to speak or shout with rudeness or mockery.
Burden: that which is carried; load.
Cheer: feeling or spirits.
Lodgings: accommodation in a house.
Bundle: an item wrapped for carrying; package.
Outraged: an act of great cruelty or violence that strongly offends the
feelings.

2. Characters
Tom Canty: the "pauper" of the novel, a poor lad who lives in poverty with
his family. Tom's dream of becoming a prince comes true when he

exchanges roles with Edward Tudor.

Edward Tudor: the "prince" of the novel. Edward, the Prince of Wales and
the son of Henry VIII, learns about the lives of his people when he

exchanges roles with Tom.

Father Andrew: who teaches Tom how to read and write and also teaches

him a bit of Latin

Joh Canty: Toms father, who is a thief. Who treats Tom and Edward

cruelly.
Miles Hendon: Edward's friend, guide, and protector in his adventures.
Henry VIII: Edward's father, the king of England
Duke of Norfolk: a prisoner who Henry VIII wants executed
Hugo: ruffian vagabond member of the troop which holds the prince

captive.
The Hermit: mad old man who takes young Edward and tries to kill the boy.
Hugh Hendon: Miles's brother who usurps Miles's rightful place in the
family, He pretends not to recognize Miles, and he is responsible for Miles'

and the young prince's being imprisoned.

The archbishop of Canterbury: who closely lifts the crown in Toms head.
Lord Hertford: who tested Edward in order to know the true about the

boys
Edith: Miless Love

3. Realism the theory of writing in which the familiar, ordinary aspect of life are
depicted in matter of fact, straightforward manner designed to reflect as it actually
is. Naturalism uses detailed realism to suggest that social conditions, heredity, and
environment had inescapable force in shaping human character. Realism aims
towards the social issues and problems that Edward went through the story and
show how was the real situation about Tom and his father and the difference
between the Edwards life and Toms life. Naturalism present human behavior
objectively according the situations that the boys faced, it illustrates the truths of
the world, the beauty and the ugliness focused on the aspects that one cannot
control.

EDGAR ALLAN POE

ANNABEL LEE

1. Cite lines which support the idea that the poem is an idealized account of
Poes dead wife.
So that her highborn kinsmen came, and bore her away from me. To shut

her up in a sepulcher. In this kingdom by the sea.

That the wind came out of the cloud by night, Chilling and killing my

Annabel Lee.
In her sepulcher there by the seain her tomb by the sounding sea.

2. How does the poem illustrate the timeless-ness of love?

He says that there love is stronger than the love of the older and the wiser

and that angels and demons do not have the power to separate them
because of their great love.

3. How do you interpret the last four lines of the last stanza?
Their love is unbroken, because they can't be separated by death, our
speaker spends his nights curled up next to Annabel's dead body. After he
hits us with that super-disturbing image, he follows it up by telling us that

she is his darling, his life, and his bride. They were not married in life, but

now they can be united in death.

The speaker seems increasingly obsessed and unbalanced as the poem
goes on, and this is what it all leads to. He is half-alive and half-dead,
sleeping in a tomb by the ocean. Poe leaves us with one last haunting
phrase, "the sounding sea," which makes us think of the booming roar of
the ocean, suddenly terrifying and cold. Sorry, there's definitely no happy

ending here.

4. Who do you think her highborn kinsmen are?

Even though we don't know exactly who he is, this kinsman is the main
symbol of the interference of older people in the speaker's life. We think the
highborn kinsmen represents the angel of death.

5. What qualities of Annabel Lee remind you of a ballad?

The poem has characteristics of a simple ballad, particularly the first four
lines of the poem, which follow the abab format and the lines have
alternating three and four stress lines. It has a sing-song quality to it and
tells a story -- two characteristics of any ballad. The rhyming scheme is

fairly simple and repeated as well.

In the fifth stanza, Poe breaks out of the 3/4 foot lines, when he adds an
extra three-foot line:
Of those who were older than we
Of many far wiser than we.

6. Select words and phrases that give the poem its unreal atmosphere.
7.
In a kingdom by the sea
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven coveted her and me
That the wind came out of the cloud by night chilling and killing

WALT WHITMAN

I HEAR AMERICA SINGING


1. How many different singers?
Whitman tells us exactly who the singers are. He lists them out. There are
mechanics and masons, deckhand, shoemaker and the hatter carpenters
and boatmen, there are men and women. There are approximately 11
singers.

2. What do the singers represent?

The singers represent the many working people in America, and how they
are going about their day, strong, happy, healthy, and good at their jobs
and describes all sorts of people on their jobs-mechanics, carpenters,
masons, boatmen, shoemaker, woodcutter, and even mothers, wives, and
young men.

3. Does the poem have anything to say about happiness? What?

Each picture it presents of these people is their "blithe" and happy nature in
their station of life. He uses such optimistic and joyous words to describe
them going about their days:

"blithe", "carols", "strong", "delicious",

"robust", "friendly". The entire poem is a celebration of life, a celebration of

the many different types of people that make up what America is, and how
they find joy and happiness in their every day.

4. How does the poem reflect the poets faith in Democracy and the people?
Each character is singing what belongs to him or her and to none else
and together their individual carols blend into one enormous chorus that is
America. In this manner the poem alludes to the democratic ideal of a
government of the people, for the people and by the people, each person
with a voice, a say in how the government is run. However, by omitting
members of the upper-class from the poem, denies them a place in his
particular vision of America. I Hear America Singing exemplifies Whitmans
intense patriotism and his staunch belief in the importance of the common
man and woman in American society

5. What other types of worker would you have to add to Whitmans picture to
bring it up to death?
We would like to add: teachers, drivers, bakers, all the employees,
gardeners, plumbers, and policemen, all the people that really work hard

and are considered the least but truly are the fundamental support of the
world economy.

FINAL ASSIGMENT

AMERICAN LITERATURE

YESSICA GALLO CASTAO

DANIEL FELIPE HOYOS C.

TRENDS IN AMERICAN LITERATURE

JORGE ARIAS VALENCIA

MANIZALES, CALDAS
21 De Noviembre de 2015