Respond to Peers: Respond to at least two of your classmates' initial posts. Each response should be at least 75 words in length and should address two or more of the following points:
Do you agree with your classmates' perspectives? Why, or why not? Be specific.
Ask a specific question to encourage further discussion on the topic.
Challenge your classmates' interpretation of literature and/or point of view.
Do a small amount of research and share what you learn with your peers about the topic discussed in this post.
Hills Like White Elephants, by Ernest Hemingway is what I choose to read. The core conflict in this short story deals with the girl, the man and the decision to have an abortion. They struggle with this decision, each stating to the other that all will be fine.
It appears they are trying to convince themselves rather than each other. This is where I believe the theme comes in. There relationship is not honest. They both talk around each other and not to each other.
Three literary elements:
1. Metaphor - The suggestion made by the girl that "everything tastes of liquorice. Especially all the things you've waited so long for. Like absinthe." (Clugston, 2014 sec 6.3). This is in reference to their bittersweet relationship.
2. Symbolism - The title "Hills Like White Elephants" (Clugston, 2014 sec 603) is symbolic because a white elephant is something different that other elephants do not want. The hills described in the story also are not beautiful hills. They do not have trees and cut out the sunlight.
3. Exposition - Hemingway described the place where the girl and the man were waiting for their train, "The hills across the valley of the Ebro were long and white. On this side was no shade and no trees and the station was between two lines of rails in the sun."
The theme is a conflict between the American man and girl making a decision to abort or not abort their child. White elephants and hills that block the sun are symbolic of the struggle of aborting their child. It appears the girl does not want to have an abortion, although she states otherwise, and gets angry with herself saying she does not care about herself.
Reference
Clugston, R. W. (2014). Journey into literature (2nd ed.) [Electronic version].
week two discussion question one George Brown
Everyday use, by Alice Walker is what I've chosen to use. The core conflict representative story is part internal and external and develops upon the relationship of two daughters Maggie and Dee. They are of different age and one daughter is more educated than the other (Dee) is more worldly and does not value the antique possessions around the house as Maggie does.
And there is competition and conflict in showing the value of the possessions, and how they value the inheritance of their mother's love. A quilt that has been made over time, is history, of their ancestry and inheritance. There is a decision of who will inherit the quilt, the educated and materialistic daughter, or the daughter who has no self-esteem, but value simplistic things.
1. Metaphor- She used to read to us without pity; forcing words, lies, other folks habits,, whole lives upon us to, sitting trapped and ignorant underneath her voice. She washed us in a river of make-believe, burned us with a lot of knowledge we didn't necessarily need to know.
2. Symbolism- The quilt symbolized heritage, "These are all pieces of dresses grandma used to wear she did all this stitching by hand. Imagine!"
3. Exposition- The description of the yard, in the beginning of the story. "I wait for her in the yard that Maggie and I made so clean and wavy yesterday afternoon. A yard like this is more comfortable than most people know. It is not just the yard. It is like an extended living room."
There is a conflict in the way the individuals understand what is present in relation to the past traditions of culture and people. Two opposing ideals that relate to conflict of heritage and their personal use with respect to that heritage/family values.
References
Clugston R W 2014 Journey into literatureClugston, R. W. (2014). Journey into literature. Retrieved April 13, 2017, from References
Ross, D. M. (2016). Everyday Use by Alice Walker. Salem Press Encyclopedia Of Literature,