Role of Women in Hemmingways Hills like White Elephants, Lawrences Th

Role of Women in Hemmingways Hills like White Elephants, Lawrences The Horse Dealers Daughter and Faulkners A Rose for Emily The role of women in clubhouse is constantly questioned and for centuries women have struggled to find their place in a world that is predominantly male oriented. Literature provides a window into the lives, thoughts and actions of women during certain periods of time in a fictitious form, yet often truthful in many ways. Ernest Hemmingways Hills like White Elephants, D.H. Lawrences The Horse Dealers Daughter and William Faulkners A Rose for Emily each tonality a picture of a woman who has failed to break away from her male companion, all describing a stereotypically dominated woman. Through submissive natures, compliant attitudes, and shattered egos the trinity women each struggle to live their lives in accordance to men, using only silent means of escape. In Hemingways Hills Like White Elephants we are introduced to Jig. Jig is a woman who lacks the abilit y to make decisions without constant approval and recognition from a man who has impregnated her but who would rather she aborts the baby. Jig, unfortunately, cannot make decisions on her own, which is exemplified throughout the story, depicting her fallible and dependent personality. What should we drink? From the opening line of the story we are introduced to a character that questions rather than acts. Someone who is unsure of not only herself but the kind she is involved in. Though a simple question about what beverage to order can often appear courteous, this is only the first of many examples pertaining to Jigs inability to live her life as an individual. Later she questions her purpose in life, Thats all we do isnt it-look... ... Emilys lack of ability to let any male dominant go on her life. She murdered this man so that she could have him with her at all times until she too could die. Emily never left her house, hiding from the world. Only in the company of a man would she venture out into the streets. Emily suffered from a lack of ability to let go and an uncontrollable desire to hold on to those men who would control her life. In all three stories women are represented in a tragic, pitiful light. In a society, those today supports womens abilities to be independent and live their lives as they chose at once lived subordinate, dependent women. Stories such as these have helped to shape the present days understanding of womens place in society. Works Cited Geddes, Gary, ed. The Art of Short Fiction. (pp.399-409) and (pp. 322-325) Faulkner, William. A Rose for Emily