In Ernest Hemingway’s, “Hills like White Elephants,” and “Love Medicine” by Louise Erdrich, main characters, Jig and Grandma Kashpaw share a common interest; to reignite the flame to their once passionate relationships. Suddenly, the two face great adversity as they fight battles within themselves and their loved ones who no longer show any inclination to be with their significant other. Whether it is Jig struggling to convince herself the American will ever love her again or Grandma Kashpaw’s feeling of incompetence as a wife; both are weary and full of dread but in no way ready to lose the fight for love.
Grandma Kashpaw is fighting the unwinnable fight. She has begun to notice that her husband is entering the early stages of a mental illness; …show more content…
“It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig. It’s not really an operation at all.” (116). The American goes on to say that she would just have to “let the air in and then its all perfectly natural” (116) and that he would be with her during the operation. At first I considered the possibility that the operation was simply a procedure to prevent her from becoming pregnant but then the two have an exchange in which Jig says, “We could have everything and everyday we make it more impossible.” (117). She is saying that with each passing day, she gets further into her pregnancy and it will be impossible to rekindle her relationship with the American if she doesn’t have the abortion soon. She feels this is her only opportunity to be happy with the American especially since he has made it clear that he believes the abortion will be for the best interest of their relationship. Although the American makes it seem as if he will be fine with any decision Jig makes. The truth can be seen when he says, “That’s the only thing that bothers us. It’s the only thing that’s made us unhappy.” (116). The speakers says, “us” as if to say it bothers both of them to be having a child but the American is the only one that is adamant about having the operation which tells us he is does not really want the child and because Jig would without a doubt have the child if the American was on board and joyful of the pregnancy. Jig is convincing herself that her love for the American can be mutual if she goes through with the operation but as the train comes to take them to their destination, Jig tells the American that she will be fine. As a result, the speaker leaves us uncertain whether or not she ever goes through with the operation or