Both Ernest Hemingway's Hills Like White Elephants and John Steinbeck's Chrysanthemums portray oppressed female characters in the early 1900s. In Hemingway's short film, Jig is oppressed by her lover known only as "The American", while the protagonist of The Chrysanthemums, Elisa Allen, feels the weight of oppression by the (male-dominated) society as a whole Although the driving force of the subjugation of the two women vary slightly, their emotional responses to such are what differentiates the two. In Hills Like White Elephants, the American refers to his girlfriend only as Jig (which is a device used to measure whiskey). who sees her only as an object; his wolfish self-gratification. The name itself is an epithet for the biblical and carefree lifestyle of the lost generation that the two indulged in. By leaving the American nameless, Hemingway gives the character strength in anonymity. He does not care about his health, life or future, he only cares about his present existence and the preservation of what he considers pleasant only for him. This gives the American the upper hand over Jig; thus exhibiting his dominance. Even though she desperately wants to abandon this lifestyle and start a family, she doesn't want to lose the man she loves. Therefore she is willing to postpone her transition into womanhood so as not to ruin the romantic bond she feels exists between them. The subtle manipulative control the American has over Jig's thoughts and actions turns into complete control over his decision making. After finding out she's pregnant, Jig has trouble weighing her options due to her addiction to... middle of paper... even if done knowingly won't be of the same influence as her. In addition to her youthful inexperience with matters of life and love, the American's dominance over her and her fear of being without him will be what forces her hand. In a way, she was trapped. This is undoubtedly the first of many major disagreements in their relationship. After maturing with age, Jig will grow tired of the American's manipulative rise; thus allowing her to strengthen her self-esteem and present him with an ultimatum. Works Cited Hemingway, Ernest. “Hills like white elephants”. Fiction 101: An Anthology of Short Fiction. James H. Pickering. Twelfth edition. Pearson Education, Inc., 2010. 638-641Steinbeck, John. "The chrysanthemums." Fiction 101: An Anthology of Short Fiction. James H. Pickering. Twelfth edition. Pearson Education, Inc., 2010. 1162-1168