Introduction
The issue of abortion is received with controversy in society due to the moral standards people have towards life. Various literary works have expressed the theme of abortion by discussing contemporary life concerns related to the subject matter. One of the works includes Kate Chopin’s Desiree Baby and Ernest Hemmingwayâs Hills Like Elephants. Chopin’s story is about an abandoned girl named Desiree who is found thrown away by her parent, but she is lucky enough to be rescued by a rich family, Mr. and Mrs. Valmonde, who become her adopted mother and father (Chopin 2). Desiree grows around the wealthy Creoles in Louisiana and courts Armand, who is also from another royal family. When the two marry and have a child, society disputes the child’s appearance and alleges that she is more of an African and not white.
In the other story by Hemmingway, the audience comes across two people, an âAmericanâ and another character named ‘the girl,’ where the two are having a conversation as they wait for the train to Madrid. The American tells the girl to undergo an operation that is interpreted as abortion so that they may continue living in love and happiness (Hemmingway 26). The girl seems torn between accepting her boyfriendâs idea or keeping the baby. Eventually, the two concur to undertake the operation, which culminates in the sacred topic of abortion, which this paper explores by comparing the above stories and relating to Roe Vs. Wade pro-abortion case
Comparing How the Two Stories Relate to Abortion
The Story of Desiree Baby and Hills Like White Elephant relates to abortion in various ways. In the first story, the audience learns of the child’s abandonment, which means that the parents did not wish to have the newborn; hence, the pregnancy was unplanned. It is clear that when people do not have arrangements to have a baby, they resolve to have an abortion. The author does not directly mention whether the couple or the parent had opted for abortion but relating to how society handles unwanted pregnancy, the thought must have crossed people’s minds, and that is how the work is related to the subject matter (Chopin 4). Similarly, in The Hills Like White Elephants, Hemmingway has not directly mentioned the issue of abortion. Rather, from the character’s discussion, it is convincingly right to conclude they were talking about the same. The American refers to it as âan awfully simple operationâ that would bring happiness between the two lovebirds (Hemmingway 29). Therefore, the two stories have the theme of abortion, although put in a symbolic way to show how subtle the matter is in society.
The stories have shown limited the right to decide on women’s bodies regarding abortion. The readers understand the perspective in two ways of the story of Desiree Baby. First, the abandonment of a child means it is the woman who had carried the latter for nine months undesirably (Chopin 3). One may wonder if she kept the baby away from her; how comes she did not opt for abortion? Giving birth to a baby and throwing her away means she was forced to carry the pregnancy all that long. Second, Armand and Desireeâs baby seem to bring pressure between the two, meaning that if Armand knew that the baby would be quadroon, they could have aborted her. This makes the subject matter rampant within the society where the two stories are based. Similarly, the American boyfriend presses the girl to end the pregnancy. That means women were barred from making informed decisions about the issue since it was clear that men were the decision-makers (Hemmingway 30). Thus, the two stories showcase how abortion is taken in society by both men and women.
Relating to the Abortion in Todayâs Society
Today, abortion is a sensitive matter in society, similar to how the two stories have projected the same. Pro-abortion is an aspect whereby people are believed to have the capacity to decide what to do with an unplanned pregnancy. The world has embraced medically-induced abortion due to the safety of the mother or the baby during pregnancy. In 1973, the US Supreme Court favored Jane Roe in that women would have the fundamental rights to choose whether or not to have abortions without restrictions from the government (Dyer 14). During that verdict, Texas, which had termed abortion unconstitutional, was forced to change and legalize the matter despite objections from Henry Wade, who served as a district attorney then. However, to what extent abortion should be legal remains a matter of contention. Society had divergent opinions based on moral and legal backgrounds concerning the matter. Until today, abortion is legalized on specific concepts such as avoidance of the risk of losing a life. Other definitions backed by moral and religious ideas do not encourage the matter.
Based on Roe vs. Wade case, as indicated above, Chopin and Hemmingway showcase how different opinions in society receive the issue of abortion. First, Hemmingway portrays the characters discussing the matter indirectly, but the description of the operation feels the issue’s sensitivity as horrific by the Americans (Hemmingway 27). The girl did not want to terminate her pregnancy, confirming the contrary reception of abortion in society. The two do not want to discuss it, and the same is witnessed today where those who abort on the grounds of seeking ‘happiness’ in the future, the way the two characters do, undertake the matter in secret.
The topic is always concealed between two or a few parties, and that is why Hemmingway shows the audience the indirect discussion, perhaps made to hide the matter from the public domain. In the other story, Desiree Baby, Chopin is critical, not covering abortion but showing how Desiree and Armand regret having their daughter. Perhaps the author understands the sacredness of the matter in society more than the same way it is today and decides to avoid it. However, abandoning a child and hate for the newborn is closely related to unwanted pregnancy, which is complemented by abortion (Dyer 19). Therefore, the two stories show how abortion is perceived with weight in society today due to the outcome that comes after a child is born, as seen in the two works.
Conclusion
Desiree Baby and Hills Like White Elephants are stories that relate to abortion. In the first story, a baby is abandoned, and the other is judged based on the resemblance, making the reader contemplate an unanticipated thought on abortion in society then. The other story involves a man and woman directly discussing abortion. The works are similar in how they have projected abortion as a sacred matter concealed in society and how unwanted pregnancies impact society today. At this time, there are disputes on whether or not it is recommended to have an abortion without restrictions. The two stories are an epitome of a long journey toward combatting the ideological differences regarding abortion in society.
Works Cited
Chopin, Kate. Desiree Baby. The United States Saturday Post, 1893, pp. 2-5.
Dyer, Owen. “US Supreme Court Hears Pivotal Abortion Case as Pro-Lifers Seek to Undermine Roe V Wade”. BMJ, vol. 5, no. 2, 2020, pp. 9-17. BMJ.
Hemmingway, Ernest. Hills Like White Elephants. Not Published, 1953, pp. 26-31.