Answer

Source Summary

Profiling of a source review encompasses thorough reading of an article, identification of the subject, theme, and the main ideas. Additionally, it is critical to establish various ways in which evidence and types of evidence have been developed, and which have been presented. This paper provides a source summary of David Wyche’s article titled “Letting the air into a relationship: Metaphorical Abortion in ‘Hills like White Elephants.”

Subject

The purpose of this article is to present various analyses from different individuals as to whether the Jig will carry a pregnancy or will figuratively abort, and hence lead to termination of the relationship between the Jig and the American.

Thesis and Main Ideas

The author’s argument is that whereas Ernest Hemingway’s story displays abortion as a metaphor, the biographical evidence presented by other authors provides additional support. One of the main ideas is that there is no agreement as to the fate of the unborn baby as some of the individuals have concluded that there was an abortion while others do not agree. Secondly, the outcome of the love affair between the jig and the American cannot be establishedconsidering that some people view the abortion as the prerequisite for the relationship (Wyche, 2002). Although the arguments presented on whether the jig will abort do not rely on the metaphorical meaning of pregnancy, the concept of abortion has been figuratively used.

Development of Ideas

The author provides various biographical accounts of the interpretation of abortion as well as the different views on whether the pregnancy was kept or an abortion occurred and the resultant effect of this on the relationship between the Jig and the American. Hemingway was concerned that as his first marriage was broken because of the birth of his first son, then the same would happen if the Jig gave birth. As such, he was adamant that the abortion should be done to avoid their relationship breaking. The author develops the ideas through stating various narratives and biographies of the individuals in the story. Additionally, numerous anecdotes have been used in the quest to support the key aspects of this story, which have been presented. For instance, Hemingway states that “I am too young to be father” showing that he was not ready for the baby (Wyche 65). Additionally, the various processes that Hemingway underwent have been described. For instance, Kenneth Lynns argues that the need for abortion arises from Hemingway’s belief that “the birth of his first born son-John Hardley Nicanor, nicknamed Bumby-caused the collapse of his first marriage” (Wyche 64).

Types of Evidence

Various types of evidence have been used to support the main ideas developed by the author. One of the types is the use of examples. The author presents examples of the biographical influences on the concept of abortion as a metaphor. One of the examples he gives includes Rober Fleming who stated that the idea of abortion has “already been strewn with the bodies of too many Hemingway critics” (Wyche 64). Additionally, the example of biography by Paul Smith has been presented with the argument that “…speculation on the story’s biographical sources is more than plentiful” (Wyche 66).Other examples given are those of the various arguments and conversations exchanged between the Jig and the American as to whether they should abort or not. Various examples of the excerpts from the conversations between the Jig and the American have been presented in the support of the idea that the pregnancy was a metaphor whereas abortion was literally used throughout the narrative.

The second type of evidence, which the author has vividly used, is that of reference to authorities. Specifically, various texts and phrases have been lifted out of other sources to support the ideas presented in the analysis. Some of the ideas have been lifted from Hemingway’s primary source while others have been taken from other secondary sources. For instance, on the fate of Jig’s unborn baby, Obrien has been quoted as seeing the outcome of the journey of the couple as both “bleak and infertile” (Wyche 56). Additionally, Kenneth Johnson views the cloud shadow as “foreshadowing the death of her unborn baby” (Wyche 57). Various views of protagonists on the outcome of the relationship between the Jig and Hemingway have been taken from secondary sources. For instance, according to Wyche “their relationship will be radically altered, perhaps destroyed, if she goes through with abortion” (57). Other authors such as Justice see “their previous relationship as having been ruined” (Wyche 62). These quotes and paraphrases from secondary sources are just but the types of evidence, which have been presentedin support of the main idea.

A narrative detail has been used in support of the main idea as the author narrates how the Jig and the American will end the relationship if one of them gives in to the ideas of the other. For instance, the author describes that “If Jig gives in to her lover’s wishes, their lives cannot, as she well knows, be the same as before” (Wyche 57). Additionally, the various journeys that the Jig and the American took have been well narrated as well as the emotional exchanges, which they used. The aim of such narrations was to support the idea that the concept of abortion does not have an absolute meaning as to what it referred to and the effects it had on the relationship between the two. Finally, analogies and allusions have been used in the manner in which abortion has been presented, for instance, the shadow of the cloud is shown to mean “how little communication exists between herself (Jig) and her companion (the American)” (Wyche 67). Such types of evidence shave been critical in supporting the argument that the idea of abortion as a metaphor has not only been supported by Hemingway, but also by the biographies of other authors.

The article is convincing in the way it offers a broad range of evidence in support of the main idea. Specifically, the fact that the author has used more than three different types of evidence including narratives, quotations and paraphrases, secondary sources, and examples are a demonstration of how convincing the article is on the idea of abortion as a metaphor. Notably, the measure of how compelling an article is based on the ability of the author to provide conclusive evidence which supports his/her position. As a result, the fact that evidence has been produced throughout the text of the article makes it not only convincing, but also conclusive on the matter being presented. Indeed, the intermix of the various types of evidence makes the assertions and ideas raised by the author supported adequately and hence more convincing.