In today's class, we talked about Hemingway's "Hills like White Elephants" and its historical setting; popular terms like "flappers," "hedonism," and the lifestyles of aimlessness of the post-WWI "lost generation" of American expatriates in Europe, epitomize the spirit of the 1920s. It is an era of rapid social change. In the United States, women were finally allowed to vote in 1920. In France, designer Coco Chanel created the more carefree and sporty style and liberated women from the fussy and overdone clothing of the Victorian era. She also adopted male fashions--short hair, ties, collars, long tailor-cut jackets, pajamas--to create a boyish look. Chanel's style is usually associated with the image of the "flapper," a new generation of young women who, unlike their Victorian predecessors who had been restricted within the domestic realm, were capable, adventurous, independent. A looser, more casual style of clothing and short hair allowed women to play sports and to enjoy a great measure of mobility and independence. The flappers demonstrated their independence through new looks and attitude, such as short skirts and haircuts, openly using cosmetics, and being seen to smoke and drink cocktails.
In the enclosed video clip, you can see the flappers, their anti-traditional attitude and modern looks. How can all this relate to the character "Jig" in Hemingway's story? After viewing this video, can you have a more concrete image of Jig? In the story itself, what aspects demonstrate Jig's character as a "flapper"?
38 comments:
In the video, women bobbed their hair, smoked in public, and wore boyish clothes;
all these acts reveales the traditional image of women had changed widely.
Based on these information from the video, I can picture Jig more clearly.
She would never be the kind of girls that have long hair, act overcautious, feel shy in front of boys, and always obey their parents.
Modern, independent, and strong-minded may be the best words to describe her.
In the story itself, when Jig finded out that the man would never treasure her and thier baby, she stood up and walked to the end of the station; this reveals that the girl had seen through the fact that being with the man would never bring her happiness and she could create her own pleasant and sunny life without the man.
When the man said that he had better take the bags over to the other side of the station, Jig just smiled at him.
This made a very clear image about their separation in the near future. And Jig would not feel sorry at all because at the end of the story she made her answer very peacefully but firmly, "I feel fine."
After watching this video, I had the image of what Jig might look like. The women at that time could smoke in the public,they cut their hair short,and they could wear boyish clothes to play sports. Those women were very independent,and they had their own thoughts. They were very different from those Victorian predecessors.
In the story,Jig would love to try new things. She ordered the drinks that she had never tasted before. Flappers loved to try new things,and they were not afraid of showing their thoughts or being who they were. They dared to take the risks. So,this explains that Jig was a flapper.
For me,I don't think that Jig would just go with that guy. Like i said that flappers liked to try new things,and they dared to take risks. So i believe that Jig had her own thoughts. She absolutely knew that this man would never take her seriously. She was just like a tool for him,that's all. The man just wanted to have fun. She would probably choose the way without this man,even it might be difficult or risky to walk on the road with her baby. But i think she would give it a try. At the end of the story,Jig smiled at him. It was like she's telling the man that we should go our own way,and I would be happier without you. She felt fine because she had made up her mind the moment she smiled at him.
Youngsters usually get pissed off about old traditions that their elders hold because those traditions have been on their shoulders for too long.
Jig, probably like other youngsters, loathed some strict rules or everything which their parents or elders put onto them, so she found that being a flapper is a better way to fight against them.
"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THIS TRADTION THING YOU OLD PALS GOT! NOBODY ORDERS ME! YOU AIN'T MY BOSS!"
At 20's, most flappers tended to be wild, passionate, and even more....lascivious. Also, It was fairly common that some flapper went to bed with a man and got pregnant at the time.
I would say Jig is a typical young girl who wants to do something big and regrets afterwards when "something big" is done.
"Geez, why would I want to go bed with that guy? What was I thinking? I shouldn't go that wild last night....I wouldn't find my tummy ending up like this!"
As for the image, I assume that she got the same characteristics as the other flappers in the video. The characteristics that contained heavy make-up, luxurious decorations, smoking, drinking, and short skirts...etc.
I didn’t understand this story at first .And I just wondered why Hemingway wanted to write something so obscure? But once I understood the deep meanings behind this story, I started to like it!
It was a huge conversion in 1920s. Women finally have the power to compete with men! We had bobbed hair, smoked, drank alcohol, and even voted! Jig is on behalf of the flappers. She traveled and tried new drinks. It’s obvious that she isn’t the old-fashioned girl. This makes us wonder what will happen after the end of the story. Will the man drop Jig? Or will Jig dump him? The answer is just at the final line of the story. “I feel fine”she said,“There's nothing wrong with me. I feel fine.”She knew that nobody can make the decision for her and the baby except herself. And she will leave the jerk and has her fine life.
In Hemingway's story, Jig is a classic figure as a flapper. For instance, she travels around, drinks alcoho, tries new things such as Anis del Toro and has her own attitude toward.
After watching the vedio, a Jig's image comes my mind; she has her hair bodded, loves outdoor activities, smokes in public and is brave in pursuing what she wants.
In comparion with the time before 1920s, flappers are really a clash with last generation which women are merely subordinate roles. Nevertheless, females in 1920s desire to lead their own life and express directly their perspective on. Thus, Jig must be a independent as well as fashionable girl, and she will leave the man in the end.
After viewing the video ,I could image Jig would like .She has hair bobbed , smoking , openly using cosmetic , participating activity , clothing tailor jacket and so on.
Apart from traditional Victorian era , they have their thinking to face this rapid social change. Jig is typical the image of a flapper , from the article she ordered drinks that she never tasted before , she was not afraid of impressing her thought . Flappers dared to try adventurous thing and showed their independent through behavior.
I think Jig has her thinking , she would keep her baby herself and choose the way without the guy . Even though the future will encounter difficulty and risk of dangerous with her baby . She still choose this way to try .
After I watched the video, I reminded a movie” Chicago” and it was also told about a story which happened in 1920s. The characters in that movie had the same style like flapper. They committed crimes, smoked in the public places, drank alcohol and had the bobbed hairstyle.
Jig in Hemingway's story had a demonstration as a flapper, because she liked to try new things like drinking different kinds of alcohol and another thing was that she asked the guy “what should we drink?” in page 129, this sentence told as that she was a flapper. They were “The lost generation” after WWI and it made them just wanted to have fun because they didn’t dare to image their future.
This story "Hills like White Elephants" impressed me because the author used simple sentences but the behind meanings was unbelievable. This writing skill was called “minimalist style”.
In the last paragraph, Jig smiled and told the man “I feel fine”. This writing skill left the answer for readers to decide and I thought she had her own decision because it responded the first paragraph “the station was between two lines of rails”, this sentence told us that you must made the decision.
After I watched the video, I reminded a movie” Chicago” and it was also told about a story which happened in 1920s. The characters in that movie had the same style like flapper. They committed crimes, smoked in the public places, drank alcohol and had the bobbed hairstyle.
Jig in Hemingway's story had a demonstration as a flapper, because she liked to try new things like drinking different kinds of alcohol and another thing was that she asked the guy “what should we drink?” in page 129, this sentence told as that she was a flapper. They were “The lost generation” after WWI and it made them just wanted to have fun because they didn’t dare to image their future.
This story "Hills like White Elephants" impressed me because the author used simple sentences but the behind meanings was unbelievable. This writing skill was called “minimalist style”.
In the last paragraph, Jig smiled and told the man “I feel fine”. This writing skill left the answer for readers to decide and I thought she had her own decision because it responded the first paragraph “the station was between two lines of rails”, this sentence told us that you must made the decision.
I had watched this video , and i can image how was Jig look like, and how was she wearing.
in this video , we can see every girls was feel so happy, swim in the lake , dance on the ice land
, and play in funfair. After the WW1, they try to cut off their hair, they cute off their hair to show the independent behaviour.
After WW1 , there was peace at last , every youngsters and try to have fun with their wife or
girl friends , and most of they dont have responsibility, same as Jig boyfriend.
In this Story , Jig try to keep the baby , but her boy friends wouldn't. Jig was describe both of different side veiw , maybe some key within the view we don't know. maybe the view full of green land stand for "hopeful" , and the other side on the dry stand for "disapointed" . at last she choosed
the "hopeful" way?
"flapper", Jig look like. i can image that how she look like , short hair , wearing a long dress , and one important is she was a good drinker in this story! haha~ and she like this try some special things.
The rise of women changes the society.Women can act like men.Smoking,having hair cut and so on.Women's life style changes too.Women are no longer those who just could stay at home in the psat.The entire society filled with an atmosphere of hedonism.
Because of WWI,the society has progressed.If it did not happen,the women,now,might stay at home only.
The video demonstrate the happiness at the age of 1920s.Even though the age is distant from me,i still can feel that atmosphere.
spelling mistake:line5 is not "psat",is "past"
The girls in this film were very breeze, who differed from the traditional women. They started to smoking, dancing in the public, wore just like a man, liked to try new things or took adventure. And that was also a period that women fought for their right!
In the story, Jig drinks wine, travels around the countries, furthermore she speaks out her mind. I think the latter one can really reveal that women in this era were changed.
After watching this video, as for me, the image of "jig" means that woman can start to speak out their mind loudly, stands equally as man. And also, women show their ability that they can do the same as men can do. They begin fashionable, confident, to be their own master.
In the story, I feel the author wants to show the process of Jig from a little girl to become a woman. Jig has both feathures, she want to try any fresh thing like "flappers", and also she keep think about the future of the boy and her and even their baby. She has to face the contradiction that she can play happily with her boyfriend without any trouble, but she also want the baby.(I think she may choose the baby rather than her boyfiend) And I think because of this contradiction, makes Jig be more different than the boy or even "flappers"
Jig, who is the character in this story we read, is a brave girl to argue with the man who made her pregnant. She thought about herself and did what she wanted to do. When she said that I’m fine, I think that she had made choice for herself and this is related to her character as a flapper. Her personality is totally different from people of the last generation, who thought girls should not drink and should not be pregnant until they got married. This video, indeed, gives me a more concrete picture about how Jig may look like, her individuality, and her thoughts.
The roaring 1920s is an era that women raised their status in the society and changed their lifestyles from the conservative one. The video, however, also gives me a rude awakening about what we women have now, such as the rights for voting, wearing jeans, being capable of making money, and so on. If it were not for the roaring twenties, we women wouldn’t have so many interesting things to do now.
In the video, young women had sporty and boyish dressing and they seemed happy and free smoking and irritating both men and their mothers. Besides, I notice a woman cutting her hair, stared at her separated long hair when her stylist taking it away. I think she still loved her keep-for-long-time hair, but for her liberty, she must have her hair cut.
In “Hills like white elephants”, Jig met the same circumstance. Though she liked to try new drinks, she hesitated and tried to let the men understand her. At first, she just wanted to deny the operation, and after their boring and repeated conversation, she finally gave up arguing with the men. If he didn’t listen to her opinion, there was no use to continue. I think Jig might leave the man right on the train or after. She was proud of her decision coz, “there‘s nothing wrong with me. I feel fine."
After I read this story, I finally really understood how important the setting is. Before now, I never paid much attention to the setting of stories, including “Hills like White Elephant”. As I read, I kept wondering what kind of girl Jig was. Not until I learned about the setting did I have an idea of the characteristics of Jig. Things common for girls to do nowadays was a big deal during Jig’s time. Therefore, although drinking and trying new drinks is common for any kinds of girls nowadays, it takes an adventurous and independent girl to do so back then. They were called “flappers”. That was what I learned in class. However, it was still a little difficult for me to draw a vivid picture of Jig in my mind. The video allowed me to have a more concrete image of Jig. When I watched the video, I was amazed at all the crazy things “flappers” did. They were crazier than I am! I believe I would get along with their Victorian parents pretty well.
Flappers are 1920s young women who don`t want to behave “old-fashion”. They wore short skirts, made their head bobbed, listened to jazz music, wore excessive makeup, liked to drink, thought that sex is a usual thing and they smoke.
The story`s vocabulary are easier than others we had read, but some of its ideas I had to read again and again to realize them. Such as, the two lands besides the train station mean different ways of life. One is like a dead and boring life, the other one is full of “green” in your life.
There`s three things in the story I could find to demonstrate that Jig is a “flapper”. First, we can see that the man and Jig talked a lot about beer. Jig seemed to be interested in beer though she`s still little. Second, She was pregnant and the man just sad “cut it out”. I think they probably considered that sex was a normal thing so they did it before married. Third, they had the conversation at a new place and they were waiting for another train. I think this means that they traveled a lot, because people tend to have more time and courage to take trips after the war.
“Let’s drink beer.” Jig voluntarily told her boyfriend, the American. Then, after arguing about whether to take the abortion, Jig again voluntarily walked to the other side of the station where she could protect her baby’s life. From these two obvious evidences, we could see that Jig clearly knew what she wanted and argued bravely for her freedom to give birth to the baby. She also voluntarily started to talk about the problems regarding relationship between the American and herself. Furthermore, Jig chose when to be with the American and when to leave him. She was taking the other train to reach another destination on her own will.
From the beginning, Jig asked for what she desired and took the action to achieve it without hesitation. I think this revealed the women’s spirit during the roaring 1920s. They started to pay much attention of their longing and dreams. They were independent and felt free to try anything new. They live their life as what they wished for. They were roaring out to tell the world that we, women, are strong, extremely modern, confident, bold determined, and innovate.
The women in the video gets a lot of liberate which is contrary to the woman in Victories Times. They can dance, smoking and do many things in the public. They won’t be critical on their sexual. They are as equal as a man in the society.
I think Jig is same as the women in the video. In the end of the story, Jig wants to keep the baby instead of being with the man. It shows us that Jig has her own idea and she doesn’t like to be control by the man. Just like the flappers, they don’t like to be bound with the inflexible images by others. They like to live in their own style. Besides Jig likes to try new things is also accord with the flappers. I think she is a flexibility person. She has the courage to adventure and knowing how to face the difficulties in the future.
After 1920's,women do a lot of changes than before and tradition.For example:They can smoke in public like a man;they do not need to keep the long hair;even they have the right to vote.
So we can see the video to find modern at that time.Women live more free and special.
About the story,i think jig will take a birth to the baby.We can find some reveal evidences in the article.Like she likes to try new things,finally she smile with confidence so forth.
I like Hemingway's style very much.There is a saying that''simple is best''.
In the article of " Hills Like White Elephants" represent a new era for woman. After the WW1 ,woman has a denfinitely change from the Victoria times. They can smoke in the public,cut their hair short,even wear what boys wear like.They were allowed to do many things that that can't do from past.Maybe undergo the horrible war times,"flappers" start to have a new way to live.Just like the Hedonism.
HEMINGWAY uses a new wirting way to express the flappers in this era.He writes the article in the third person's point of veiw amd uses a lot of metaphor.When the firt time I saw this article,I don't know what the author whats to express.However,I saw the video here.I know Jig represnt the flappers in the era.
She pregnantes in the article,as far as I am concered,she wanted to keep the baby,although her boyfriend suggest her to abort.Jig tried to analysis it will be wonderful for them to keep the baby.In the end,the author didn't mention did Jig took off her baby or not.In my view,Jig has a independent thinking also a flapper in this new era.She won't abort her baby for such a awful guy.
Before the class, I just kept thinking that what Hemingway tried to tell us? I just know that they are talking about abortion. But, after the class, I finally know what the setting is and what Hemingway tried to said. “Flapper” which is the new word for me is the important clue for the girl “Jig”. The setting of the story is after WWⅠ which was a new page for everyone. Women could smoke, dance in the parties, cut off their hair and do many crazy things. Jig, the girl lived in that generation was a flapper. She tried new wine and even had a baby before getting married. I think women in that generation had more freedom to show their independence.
In the story, Jig had her own thinking about the baby. “Once they take it away, you never get it back.” It seems that Jig wanted the baby. I think in the Victorian era it was impossible for women to decide whether she could keep the baby, even had a baby before getting married was a taboo. But in the 1920s, it was a new change for women to show their real ideas. Just like Jig did in the story.
After reading the story at the first time, I couldn't understand what the author is trying to tell us. I thought it was just a normal story. But my viewpoint had totally changed after the class. It's an excellent story which is so meaningful.
In the video, I saw women had their hair bobbed, dressed boylish clothes, smoked in the public and use cosmetics. It gave me a clear imagination of Jig. She just like women in the video. The huge change of women was because in the 1920s, women raised their status. They have rights to be free.
At the end of the story, Jig had a decision to make. In my point of view, I think Jig will choose to keep the baby, left her boyfriend and raise the baby alone.I believe that Jig is a woman who is indepedent enough to live well without man. Just like some modern ladies in today's society.
By their dressing style, behaviors and the way they interact with each other, I see Jig more vividly. The flappers are women who like to be theirselves and try to get rid of the traditional concept about woman. I admire Jig’s courage and her independence. I think she liked to try new thing and wasn’t afraid of making mistakes. Even though she did something wrong, she would find out a way by herself the fix it.
As for the ending, I believe that Jig would not go with that man, because that is not the freedom she was looking for.
We can have the combination about Jig`s look from this video and it also prove the background in writing.In 1920s,this is a process that women can become so liberate in this day.I can not imange it what Victorian era would live in.
If we don`t understand this historical background we could not really realize Hemingway's story.
Through the video, Jig’s image has been more clearly. She drank a lot of beer, smoke, and even expressed her own opinion about abortion. I think the flappers are not just that kind of women who just want to free themselves from the patriarchy society. They would think independently, not just listen to the man said “cut it out.”
Woman like Jig perhaps are very struggle about what they are going to deal with love. “Everything tastes of licorice. Especially all things you’ve waited so long for, like absinthe.” When her everything is not exactly what she wants, she also has the courage to point out the truth: once they take it away, you never got it back. Jig plays a terrific role of the flappers who always feel fine and there’s nothing wrong with her. She choose her own way for her own good.
In the video, we could see women dancing, wearing short skirts, playing sports and even smoking and so on. This showed that women also want to do what they want, to have liberty instead of restraining by traditional standpoints.
There are very different from before that every woman had to stay at home to do the houseworks. They have no status at home and in the society. In the "Hills like White Elephants", Jig not only indicated the point of her view but also wanted to explain that she could be an independent woman. She could live without the man, so she smiled to the man after all.
We should cherish we live in the nice stituation nowadays, we can make ourselves look beautiful by making up, wearing mini skirts, and having hair dyed. We don't have to care about what the society think.
Although the story "Hills Like White Elephants" has easier words for readers to read,I think its not as easy as I think. When I first read over this story,I don't understand what's the story's meaning.Afer took class of this story,listened the teacher and classmate's report,I reslized all the story.
Beacause Hemingway use metephor to write this story,the readers have to use imagination to know the story's meaning.Idealism vs Rationalism represent the girl and the boy.I really love the writing method that author use,and the story is my favorite one compared to other storys I had read before.
After watching the video, I can imagine what Jig might look like. She might wear short skirts, bobbed her hair. In the 1920’s women have more freedom. They can work out instead of only staying at home to do houseworks; they can smoke, drink alcohol, and dance in front of the public. Most importantly, women have their own thoughts,and they didn’t just listen to men.
Just like Jig in Hemingway's story, she interested in trying new things, and she have her own points. So at last, Jig smiled at the man, she thought that she could live without the man. She coud be an independent woman.
I think that Jig is a "Flapper" because she drinks alcohol ;likes to try new things and she also travels a lot with man.After seeing the enclosed video I can easily image how Jig looks like.She probably has short hair,drinking cocktails in the bar,wearing short skirt,smoking,chatting with men.Also she is an extovert girl.
Hemingway mentioned a lot about the situations of "the lost generation".In 1920s after WWI women stared to work just like men did, they didn't think they were weak and small anymore they could be tough so women started to make efforts to have the same right as men did.For examples,women could wear pants,bob their hair,drink alcohol in bars or smoke in public and have the right to vote.
In "Hills like White Elephants" it is talking about abortion,but I believe that Jig won't do the operation.I think she will keep her baby because in my opinion ,wemon at that time were very tough and independent,Jig will be fine even though live without a man.
In the ancient time, the position of women in the society is extremely low. They could not go to study in the school, work in the society etc. Then you may ask, ‘What could they do then?’ They could just stay at home, do the housework and take care of their children. People in the ancient time always thought that women could not do everything; they could not do the things that the men do. Is that true?
Nowadays, there are a lot of women are more powerful than men. They can do everything that can’t be done in the ancient time. That means our society is developing. People would think about that the women is equal to the men. There are a lot of vocational women now. They can take care of themselves and earn money for themselves.
However, some people still think that women should take care of their children after their children were born even they have to work. Their husband would told them to resign their jobs. I cannot understand this. Why is men always control of women?
If I were ordered to be resign my job, I would debate to them.
Well, after looking some of the comments, I saw many people thought Jig is a independents, mordern, and stuff girl. But I do not think so. In fact, she acts kind of weak in the story. She talks vague words and doesn't really dare to say something like "No, I don't wanna take the baby off." Is she really a so-called "flapper?" I have doubt on it. And as the questions about women rights, I actually have nothing to say since it's now already a society that women are free so I don't really know what it was like in the "old days." All human deserve same rights, women do as well. There should'nt be any differences. Somehow, the story gives me a feeling that the men is still stronger.
Even in this era, the wemen are still facing the lost of where their position is in the society.
Although, we all consider this era is an era of equality, their is still many "things" inside the surface of equality and the position of female.
Some aspects says that, the wemen's high academic backgrounds and abilities are actrully confusing. Some wemwn may think it is a way of showing their independency, while the same time, they think it may be an easier way to find a better man.
So there still lies a quastion for the wemen to answer, are they really freed from the previous society's steriotype?
1920s, the roaring era, was represented as American age and called the Golden Age. Then some countries in WWI were on the verge of the insolvency; therefore they borrowed a lot of money from America. Because of this, the economy grew rapidly. American expatriates were so rich and loved to travel around, so they had no roots and did not know more about their native culture. They were called the lost generation. Their lifestyles were aimless. So they pursued the happiness. They were desire to try something new.
In the story, we can see the girl, Jig, drank beers and tried to have a glass of Anis del Toro. Besides, she had no aims to her life. She just cared her boyfriend instead of caring her own feelings. In paragraph 43, “The girl looked at the ground the table legs rested on.” which means that she hesitated and had no goals. Moreover, Jig sometimes said “I feel fine.” or “there’s nothing wrong with me. I feel fine.” which means her attitude of the life was aimless. In a word, Hemingway wanted to portray Jig as a flapper and the lost generation of American expatriates.
In my opinion, after viewing the video I want to say“ do yourself” is very important. I think nobody can change your mind to do the thing you want to do. Not only western culture to restrict the woman, in ancient China, the Chinese woman should be obey the three obediences (to father before marriage, to husband after marriage and to son after the death of husband) and the four virtues (morolity, proper speech, modest manner and diligent needlework), there are ancient time female’s behavior standards.
Today, woman can be self and decide many things. Now, I think“history”can’t define his story maybe people will change the word in the future.
Through the video, we see women have gotten the oppurtunity to try new things such as smoking in front of public, having their hair bobbed, and wearing what they want. These images show most of the lost generation prefered to break the boundary of old things, and being more independent. Jig is an good example. She always wanted to try new drinks, and she had her own independent thought. By contrast, her boyfriend choosed to escape from the reality. From my own opinion, Jig will not go with the guy anymore, and maybe she would get off the train next station. Just because of her belonging to that generation which everyone has a valiant heart to try everything.
In this video clip, you can see the flappers, their anti-traditional attitude and modern looks.
We can see that women try to change everything from traditional to modern.
And more young woman have new looks and attitude, such as short skirts and haircuts, openly using cosmetics, and being seen to smoke and drink cocktails.
在故事，曲線想嘗試一切的new.Flappers也喜歡嘗試新事物，他們不害怕發表自己的看法和可能面臨的risks.So，它可以解釋說，跳汰機是一個插板。
In the story,Jig wanted to try everything of new.Flappers also loved to try new things,and they didn't afraid of saying what they think and could face the risks.So that it can explained that Jig was a flapper.
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