Famous Civil Rights Movement activist Martin Luther King, Jr. stated, “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” This quote addresses that freedom, like other concepts in life, is not easily attained; rather it is something that people need to profoundly strive to achieve. Freedom is intertwined with the concept of Egalitarianism, which means that every individual in society is equally treated, and there is no place for discrimination. The short story “Hills Like White Elephants,” by Ernest Hemingway revolves around a man and woman, Jig discussing her having an abortion as they wait for the train to Madrid. Both Jig and the immigrants currently suffering from President Trump’s travel ban are oppressed by situations that make it impossible to choose the life that they dream of.
The man and woman express two different perspectives regarding their problematic and confusing situation. Jig has to make an enormous life-changing decision that includes the man wanting her to have an abortion while she wants to keep the baby. Her necessity to make their relationship back to normal plays a role in the decision-making process, which leaves her in a conflicted situation. The man is indirectly forcing her to do what he wants so that any conflicts between them will be resolved. He says, “That's the only thing that bothers us. It’s the only thing that’s made us unhappy” (Hemingway 124). The man displays a false belief when he thinks the source of their problem can be eliminated if the operation is done, but both of them find it difficult to see that they themselves might be the source of their problem. The man’s selfish attitude leaves him with an inability to understand what his partner truly desires. He says, “I don’t want you to do it if you don’t want to. I am perfectly willing to go through with it if it means anything to you” (Hemingway 126). She values the man’s opinion, and so she is willing to compromise just to satisfy the man. For example, Jig states, “But I don’t care about me. And I’ll do it and then everything will be fine”(Hemingway 125). At times she is oblivious to confront reality and see that things cannot randomly go back to normal after a major operation like this. She is also implying that if she pretends like she does not care, then she can handle the operation and the aftermath easily. Jig is deprived of freedom of decision because she is constantly provoked and pressured by him to do something that she does not want to. Jig sarcastically states that she knew couples that went through this procedure, and they all were happy when in reality they were not. For example, Jig says, “And afterward they were all so happy” (Hemingway 124). Deep down Jig understands that there is a chance that after the operation their situation will not be what they had expected.
Jig is searching for the same things that millions of immigrants that are suffering from the new travel ban that President Donald Trump initiated are looking for. These immigrants want to enter America because it is a place where they can achieve greatness that was impossible where they are currently residing, and these immigrants feel more safe and secure than they did in their homeland. In their eyes, America is a land of opportunity where people are supposed to be treated equally and feel like they are accepted. America supposedly is a country that places heavy emphasis on the concept of freedom. The recent travel ban is focused on restricting immigrants from six Muslim countries. According to the article “Trump Bars Refugees and Citizens of 7 Muslim Countries,” “In an executive order that he said was part of an extreme vetting plan to keep out ‘radical Islamic terrorists’ Mr. Trump also established a religious test for refugees from Muslim nations: He ordered that Christians and others from minority religions be granted priority over Muslims” (Cooper and Shear 1). It is understandable that the government gives great importance to the safety and security of the American people, and the government justify its actions using that reason. The government's main goal in issuing this ban is to prevent Islamic terrorism, but the downside is millions of immigrants are undergoing a lot of pain even though the majority of them did not do anything. They are still being punished, scrutinized and not given priority. The article also stated, “Human rights activists roundly condemned Mr. Trump’s actions, describing them as officially sanctioned religious persecution dressed up to look like an effort to make the United States safer” (Cooper and Shear 1). Activists understand that this is not making our country safer but singling out individuals that want freedom and a better life and are seen as dangerous people. Due to this discrimination, these specific immigrants who desire to start a new life feel severely oppressed because they are neglected basic human rights, which are freedom and the opportunities and security that come with it. Like the immigrants, Jig feels like her freedom is being violated. It is evident that in Jig’s case she hopes to keep her baby and have the man in her life, but she is feeling hopeless because she is desperate to earn the man’s love, and so she thinks she is obligated to go through with the abortion even though her heart tells her otherwise. For example, Jig states her feelings about her baby using this comparison, “They look like white elephants” (Hemingway 123). The white elephant that Jig refers to represents Jig’s baby, which is seen by the man as a burden, while she views it entirely the opposite way. In her point of view, the baby is a new beginning, indicating her desire to keep it. Once she makes a decision, she has to deal with it and cannot go back. Both Jig and the Muslim immigrants are coerced to be a part of something they do not want to be a part of but are left no other choice. These immigrants, similar to the baby, are seen as a burden by the oppressor because the oppressor feels that they interfere in the already existing way of life. It is interesting how both the man and Jig are awaiting a train to Madrid, and the immigrants in those Muslim countries are impacted by this travel ban, which partially shows that Jig and the immigrants have deep anticipation for their future, clueless of what awaits them. Jig and the immigrants that are banned are both oppressed, but according to Martin Luther King Jr.’s quote they need to work the courage to fend off their oppressors.
Works Cited
Shear, Michael D., and Helene Cooper. "Trump Bars Refugees and Citizens of 7 Muslim Countries."New York Times, Jan 27, 2017, https://hs1.farmingdale.edu:2153/docview/1862204702?accountid=8066.
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