The Universe What Lies Beyond Our Planet. The Universe That We Live

The Universe ? what lies beyond our planet. The universe that we live in is so diverse and unique, and it interests us to learn about all the variance that lies beyond our grasp. Within this marvel of wonders our universe holds a mystery that is very difficult to understand because of the complications that arise when trying to examine and explore the principles of space. That mystery happens to be that of the ever clandestine, black hole. ? of the concepts, properties, and processes involved with the space phenomenon of the black hole. It will describe how a black hole is generally formed, how it functions, and the effects it has on the universe. ? take a look at the basis for the cause of a black hole. All black holes are formed from the gravitational collapse of a star, usually having a great, massive, core. A star is created when huge, gigantic, gas clouds bind together due to attractive forces and form a hot core, combined from all the energy of the two gas clouds. This e nergy produced is so great when it first collides, that a nuclear reaction occurs and the gases within the star start to burn continuously. The Hydrogen gas is usually the first type of gas consumed in a star and then other gas elements such as Carbon, Oxygen, and Helium are consumed. ? years depending upon the amount of gases there are. ? ? equilibrium achieved by itself. The gravitational pull from the core of the star is equal to the gravitational pull of the gases forming a type of orbit, however when this equality is broken the star can go into several different stages. ? consumed while some of it escapes. This occurs because there is not a tremendous gravitational pull upon those gases and therefore the star weakens and becomes smaller. It is then referred to as a White Dwarf. If the star was to have a larger mass however, then it may possibly Supernova, meaning that the nuclear fusion within the star simply goes out of control causing the star to explode. Afte r exploding a fraction of the star is usually left (if it has not turned into pure gas) and that fraction of the star is known as a neutron star. ? the core of the star is so massive (approximately 6?8 solar masses; one solar mass being equal to the sun's mass) then it is most likely that when the star's gases are almost consumed those gases will collapse inward, forced into the core by the gravitational force laid upon them. ? to pull in space debris and other type of matters to help add to the mass of the core, making the hole stronger and more powerful. ? ? the Event Horizon) that is formed around the black hole. The matter keeps within the Event Horizon until it has spun into the centre where it is concentrated within the core adding to the mass. Such spinning black holes are known as Kerr Black Holes. ? were a star, and this may cause some problems for the neighbouring stars. If a black hole gets powerful enough it may actually pull a star into it and disrupt the orbit of many other stars. The black hole could then grow even stronger (from the star's mass) as to possibly absorb another. ? Ergosphere, which sweeps all the matter into the Event Horizon, named for it's flat horizontal appearance and because this happens to be the place where mostly all the action within the black hole occurs. When the star is passed on into the Event Horizon the light that the star endures is bent within the current and therefore cannot be seen in space. At this exact point in time, high amounts of radiation are given off, that with the proper equipment can be detected and seen as an image of a black hole. Through this technique astronomers now believe that they have found a black hole known as Cygnus X1. This supposed black hole has a huge star orbiting around it, therefore we assume there must be a black hole that it is in orbit with. ? and the collapsing

buy custom James Joyce’s “Araby” essay

buy custom James Joyce’s â€Å"Araby† essay James Joyces Araby is a short story that makes up Dubliners, James Joyces collection. It is one of the fifteen stories in the collection. The stories were published in 1914, though they were written between 1904 and 1906. The collection portrays life in Dublin, Ireland in the 20th century. Araby is a story about an Irish adolescent experiencing boyhood fantasies (Mandel 1). The story is based on the experiences of James while growing up in Ireland. He lived on North Richmond Street, central part of Dublin city. As in the narrator, James is not an orphan. The characters in Araby include the narrator, narrators aunt and uncle, Mangan, Mangans sister, Mrs. Mercer, stall attendant, porters at train station and school master. The narrator goes on a journey which ends to be fruitless. The themes in the story are the dangers of idealization, coming of age, the life of poverty versus mind, the loss of innocence (Beja 1). This essay will discuss the importance of the setting on its main character in James Joyces Araby. Summary of Araby The story takes place in North Richmond Street, Irelands largest city, located in Dublin. The narrator of the story is a boy who lives near the street with his aunt and uncle. Near the end of the street is an empty two storied house that was once lived by a priest tenant. After the death of the priest, the narrator explored the empty house. In winter, a boy named Mangan, the narrator and their friends would play in the muddy street and lanes behind and along the houses. The children hide when the narrators uncle appears into the streets and keeps in the shadow if Mangans sister comes from the house to call Mangan to tea. The narrtor is strongly attracted to Mangans sister and he constantly thinks of her even though he had never had a conversation with her. Finally, she speaks to him and asks him whether he will be going to the bazaar market. She is to attend a convent therefore will not go to the Araby bazaar. He tells her that he shall bring her something if he goes to the bazaar. He gets permission and goes to the Araby bazaar, he does not accomplish his mission and comes back home. He experiences pain that comes from encountering love in reality and not in its elevated form (Mandel 1). The Importance of the Setting on its Main Character in James Joyce's "Araby" Setting is part of atmosphere which consists of prevailing tone of the story and its result effect or meaning (Beja 1). The surrounding helps in setting the mood of the story. The setting plays a vital role in development of a story. It is so vital that it can influence the opinions and behavior of the characters. In stories with descriptions of animals, sounds, wind, light, shadows and shapes, the author uses them to create a mood or atmosphere for the actions (Mandel 1). The story portrays Dublin and the pain experienced from some encounters of love. The details of Araby set the mood of the story. The story is set in dreary, dark Dublin. North Richmond street is a gloomy atmosphere; blind and quiet street. The explanation of the street sets the scene in the beginning of the story. The description of North Richmond Street as blind portrays a dead end. The gloomy atmosphere is a reflection of what lies ahead in the life of the narrator while in Araby bazaar (Mandel 1). In the Araby story, the adjectives blind, uninhabited, quiet, detached, brown, descent, square, are a presentation of a world that is simple and practical (James 1). The narrator and his friends discover some aspects of beauty in the street surroundings while playing in the neighborhood. The description of Araby bazaar as hushed, dark, mostly empty and more money focused is a reflection of narrators bleak realization that imagination is not reality. James chooses a gloomy setting to well describe the surroundings of a young adolescents boy who is experiencing infatuation. The gloomy surroundings portray the boring and dull life of the nave young boy. James use of darkness makes the lifes boy more vivid and believable (Mandel 1). James presents Dublin as a blind city that is struggling from oppressive forces. The narrators use of obscure and dark references portrays the reality of living in Dublin, a gloomy town. The bright light references that describe Mangans sister is a reflection of the narrators warm and love feelings for her (Beja 1). The light references create a world of fairytale that is full of illusions and dreams. The narrator imagines that he will bring a gift to Mangans sister once he is back from Araby bazaar. The use of light by the author to describe Mangans sister creates a joyful and heavenly atmosphere (Mandel 1). Conclusion The experiences of the narrator in Araby illustrate how we sometimes expect more to happen in reality, more than reality can provide. More expectations than reality can provide leave us feeling disappointed and disillusioned. Although sometimes expectations disappoint people, it is ok to have bright imaginations because it creates emotions that are healthy. Buy custom James Joyce’s â€Å"Araby† essay

Why its Important to Wear a Helmet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Why its Important to Wear a Helmet - Essay Example This trend is ought to continue should we not learn from our mistakes, it should be a top priority of any two wheeler rider or skateboarder to wear a helmet while riding in order to protect severe damage to the head leading to death in majority of the cases. "About 540,000 bicyclists visit emergency rooms with injuries every year. Of those, about 67,000 have head injuries, and 27,000 have injuries serious enough to be hospitalized." (Helmet Related Statistics). Looking at these statistics it becomes extremely important to practice caution and people who ignore heedless warnings pay the price leaving their family members behind to mourn and regret. All the above points show that wearing a helmet is integral and people who don't do it are very vulnerable. Parents play a vital role in inculcating the habit of wearing a helmet in children and this habit must always be inculcated in children right from the time when they learn to ride a tricycle. This is the only way out to stop the menace of countless deaths that take place because of sheer ignorance of people. Several countries have made it a hard and fast rule not to allow riders without helmets and many more countries are in the process to implement this rule. The sooner this rule is introduced the better it is for all the people. Works Cited Helmet Related Statistics (2009). In Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute http:/

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

Globalization - Essay Example Globalization specifically refers to economic integration of local economies with an international system. It aims to erase the national boundaries and governs international trade by comparative advantage. The concept of globalization became popular in the late 1980s and 1990s. Globalization began with Portuguese adventurers and navigators who established a chain of fortresses, key strong points and coastal areas to create a chain of economy and culture which was global in nature. Modern globalization began after World War II as economists, corporations and politicians recognized the negative aspects of protectionism. They saw the advantages of international economic integration. Several international institutions like the International Monetary Fund and World Bank were created to reduce the costs of trade and remove restrictions on free trade. Since then many barriers to international trade have been lowered. The World Trade Organization was established to promote free trade and reduce tariffs. It also called for the recognition of intellectual property restrictions. Globalization remains a unique phenomenon because of the rapid spread of technology, economic trade and foreign investment in many parts of the world. There are many affects of globalization which point out that we live in a globalized world (Friedman 56, 2005). The impact of globalization can be measured by the goods and services which form the proportion of national incomes. It can also be measured by the net migration rates and direct investment that comes inside a country by foreign organizations. Finally the impact of international research and development and the proportion of populations using modern technologies like the cell phone, internet, and motorcar on a country can measure the affect of globalization for a particular country. In addition to the economic measurement of globalization, it can also be measured by social and political factors. Globalization has changed the world in many different ways. It has heralded the advent of worldwide production markets which provide more access to foreign products for consumers and companies. Global financial markets have emerged in different parts of the world which provide better access to external financing for corporations and local borrowers. The creations of world organizations which regulate the relationships between nations and protect their rights have sprung up due to globalization. China is an amazing success story of globalization because of its tremendous economic growth rate. In recent years China's economy has rapidly grown. This rapid growth of economy is the important point in the field of economic development which has been acknowledged by the international community. The UN says that China is the backbone of Asia's economic development. This statement is enough to tell that China is playing an active role in contributing to the world economy. China's rapid economic growth has made a huge impact on the world's economy in stabilizing and recovery it. China is the globe's best commodity market (Ankerl 36, 2000). Chinese products are found all over the world. During the period of 1990-2001 China's export growth rate was 14.9% and the import growth rate was 15.5%. China's good and cheap exported products have benefited many consumers globally. American buyers of goods and products have saved about US$15 billion annually. China's rapid import growth rate has created various job opportunities globally. The foreign trade of China has enabled free flow and minimum utilization of

Gambling in Finland Essay Example for Free

Gambling in Finland Essay Gambling, betting, lottery, poker in Finland; there is plenty of choice. In Finland, slot machines are practically everywhere. Some are prohibited for persons under 18 years old, others for children under 15 years. The Finns like a lot the lot (even if the jackpot is much lower in compared to other European countries) and they are a people who like to play poker, especially online. Moreover, in almost all places, not just in casinos, you can play roulette or blackjack. In Finland, there are two casinos (one in Helsinki and one in the Aland Islands), almost 20 000 slot machines and fifty plants such as racetracks where you can do live betting. And do not forget the nearly 300 locals or restaurants with tables where the Finns test themselves maybe watching a game of football or hockey or taking a break from the dance floor. With reference to what I have explained I think that given the numbers reported about the popularity of gambling in Finland it is obvious that this affects actively the life of Finns every day, and in my opinion, it influences negatively, every bets will be destined to lose, this creates a chain reaction, because every personal relationship, family and work will be influenced by mood of the gambler. According to the latest prevalence study (Ministry of Social Affairs and Health/Taloustutkimus 2007) over the last 12-month period, 3.1% of the population (130,000 persons) were classifiable as having gambling problems. Over the same period, 1% of the population (42,000 persons) were classifiable as probable gambling addicts (with a SOGS score of at least 5 points). It follows that I have only analyzed the situation from the point of view of the gambler, but to understand why gambling is so much sponsored in Finland we should consider the benefits (only in economic terms) of the revenues from the game. The state has a monopoly on betting and the whole system is managed by four companies: RAY, Veikkaus Oy, Oy Fintoto and PAF. The main peculiarity of gambling in Finland Is that the revenue from betting and gambling are invested in non-profit organizations related to the world of sport, education and culture. I think this is the only positive aspect regarding the gambling! Because this type of policy is beneficial, and socially useful and consequently that can be shared by people. To put the topic more simply I compared Finnish Gambling situation with the Italian one. Italy has come a long way from totally prohibiting all gambling activities, to legalizing some of them under certain conditions. The main reason why the Italian government adhered to strict rules was the desire to avoid the possible negative effects associated with the industry. The following amendments liberalized the market in 2006: * Legalisation of real-money skill games and betting exchange * Opening of the Italian gambling market to operators from EU and EFTA countries (on condition they meet certain requirements) * Opening of the new license tender that was supposed to rearrange the network of offline betting establishments and also providing possibility for online gaming operators to offer their services on a legal basis. The Italian government has put in place in recent years maneuvers that liberalizing more gambling, even to decrease the volume of illegal betting. On the contrary gamblers have moved from illegal gambling to a legal one, to the detriment of the game controlled by organized crime, only for a short initial period. According to the Report of the Parliamentary Anti-Mafia Commission published in 2011 , when the illegal gambling became legal criminal organizations have transfer their activities. Besides gambling is becoming one of the major sectors of interest for large criminal organizations: the expansion of legal gambling has not reduced, but powered illegal gambling especially in the field of money laundering, making it much easier to pass large flows of money through the internet. So even if the Italian gambling situation is a sensitive issue for the government, unfortunately so far the state has not found the appropriate measures to reduce the problems resulting from it (organized crime, gambling addiction of the people, people?s debts for bets). In brief, the gambling definitely brings money in the trade balance of the state, but we must not forget that there are factors worthy of attention more than economic benefits! As I said, gambling ruins peoples status, it follows that the Government should be much more cautious in taking such a free gambling decision, in addition it is a very delicate subject and wrong choices can affect the lives of many people!

Betrayal Exposed in Vietnam Perkasie, By Ehrhart Essay -- Vietnam War

The Vietnam War was a controversial conflict that plagued the United States for many years. The loss of life caused by the war was devastating. For those who came back alive, their lives were profoundly changed. The impact the war had on servicemen would affect them for the rest of their lives; each soldier may have only played one small part in the war, but the war played a huge part in their lives. They went in feeling one way, and came home feeling completely different. In the book Vietnam Perkasie, W.D. Ehrhart describes his change from a proud young American Marine to a man filled with immense confusion, anger, and guilt over the atrocities he witnessed and participated in during the war. Growing up, Ehrhart lived in a small town called Perkasie, where he had a very safe and comfortable life. He had always felt prideful of his country. He would ride around with red, white, and blue crepe paper hanging from his bicycle and was brought to tears by the ceremonies on Memorial Day. As a child, he played war with his friends and loved the battery powered toy gun he got one Christmas. It only seemed natural to him that he would join the service someday. His pride and loyalty to his country came to a peak when John F. Kennedy was assassinated. That year he wrote on his notebook â€Å"ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country† (page 8). This instilled in him a need to do something more, a need to serve his country. When it came to choose a college, he decided he would rather join the Marines. When describing his decision he said, â€Å"I guess it sort of means something to me- you know, that old lump in the throat when you hear the Star- Spangled Banner† (Ehrhart, 60). He felt that he enlisted... ...f his stay in Vietnam, he had wished he had never heard that word. He became horrified by this war. The once proud American was no longer so proud of his country. The Vietnam War was not like the movies he saw as a child; â€Å"the screams were real, and when men fell down they didn’t get up, and the sticky wet substance splattering against your leg was somebody’s intestines† (Ehrhart, 246). Although he had his family and friends around him upon his return home, it seemed that Ehrhart was alone in â€Å"The World.† Unless someone was there, they could not possibly understand the thoughts and memories he had to live with. The gruesome memories from Vietnam had permeated him completely; they engraved into his mind and would undoubtedly scar him forever. Work Cited Ehrhart, W.D. "Vietnam Perkasie". University of Massachusetts Press; second edition edition (June 9, 1995)

An Analysis Of ‘Hills Like White Elephants’ By Ernest Hemingway Essay

‘Hills like White Elephants’ is a very clever story written by a journalist, turned ambulance driver, turned military, turned prose and fiction writer.   Ernest Hemingway was popular for his novels and short stories, but before he entertained his passion for the art of storytelling, he worked for the Kansas City Star as a reporter; he was also an ambulance driver during World War I and enlisted in the Italian infantry. He took every opportunity to wield the pen, in fact, after the war; he worked for the Toronto Star.   Hemingway was more in love with the pen than with the musket as during the Spanish Civil War and the Second World War, he even worked as a news correspondent.   This brilliant writer produced exceptional pieces of literature that are cherished for their quality to this day such as ‘Death in the Afternoon’, ‘The Green Hills of Africa’, ‘A Farewell to Arms’, ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’, and ‘The Old Man and the Sea’. Hemingway drew from his experiences in the motifs of his pieces which usually had masculine motifs like hunting, war, and other activities associated with the masculine gender.   For some strange reason, however, Hemingway committed suicide in 1961.   His works of short fiction were far better than his novels; however it is with his novels that he built a reputation for himself.   ‘Hills like White Elephants’ is one of his short stories that quite reflects the skill of Hemingway as a fictionist. ‘Hills like white Elephants’ is a piece of literature that demonstrates what is known to literaturists as literary control in tackling the main theme which is abortion.   It is a story that addresses a very sensitive issue with the use of allegory and a philosophical approach to fiction known as existentialism. The story ‘Hills like White Elephants’ is a relatively ‘short’ short story that is ridden with symbolism; for all its worth, it might have as well been a piece of poetry, if not for its obvious narrative style.   It is about two individuals, an unnamed American and Jig who have a discussion over some drinks at a train station in Spain. The matter of their discussion is vague at first, and becomes clear to be abortion later on.   The piece is a ‘silent’ commentary about the difference of views between males and females in general as well as the poignant reaction of both genders to news that may or may not change ones way of life.   In this particular story, Hemingway used the third person perspective to give the audience a sense of distance when reading the story.   By this, it means that the audience, instead of closely associating themselves with the characters in the story, would instead, identify themselves on a different level, thus, giving even the subject matter of the story a metaphorical feel, despite its being a tangible and quite material issue. This distinct level of identification in the story because of the narrative is a technique used by most writers to create a more general feel to the story; so that the audience, in reading the story, does not have to attach themselves to a particular detail and identify with that detail.   Noticeably so, this same quality of the story is also achieved by Hemingway’s use of direct, relatively short sentences for the conversation of the two characters.   This technique, again, gives the story a distinct indifferent feel. It allows the reader to explore the story on various levels instead of just zooming into one particular aspect of the story.   It also prevents the audience from succumbing to the temptation of making specific conclusions about the story early on; from the temptation of simply disregarding other details in the story and focusing on the main subject matter, which is abortion.   Even this particular issue is never mentioned in the piece, except in the form of symbols and indirect statements from the characters. This particular style of writing, where the writer skimps on words, and instead, attaches multi-level meanings to the text is known as literary control.   The main theme of abortion is addressed in this particular style, to begin with the title itself, â€Å"Hills like White Elephants†. (Hemingway, 1950)   The title, which is illustrated more in the first paragraph of the story which describes the setting, acquires a new level of interpretation from the passage, â€Å"The hills across the valley of the Ebro were long and white.† (Hemingway, 1950); and the girl continues to describe the barren landscape, â€Å"They look like white elephants†. (Hemingway, 1950) What this does in particular is it foreshadows the main theme of the story by presenting something decrepit or useless.   ‘White elephants’ are accepted to be symbols of huge structures that are not functional, and in the way this particular phrase is used to describe the hills in the story, it takes on a different meaning – that the hills, barren and dry, supposedly representations of abundance and fertility, are apparently ‘white’ or ineffectual on a superficial level. This particular style combines two opposing images, that of fertility in the hills, and emptiness, in the perception of Jig.   What this does is it confirms Jig’s pregnancy, but alludes to this pregnancy being empty, in the sense that she feels that her pregnancy is meaningless, if not to her, to her lover.   The tension in the conversation is given another push with the man’s remark about Jig’s description of the hills, â€Å"I’ve never seen one (white elephant)†. (Hemingway, 1950) Then Jig responds, â€Å"No, you wouldn’t have.† (Hemingway, 1950)   On   the level that has been discussed, this particular exchange in their conversation basically presents the man as being indifferent not only to the feelings of Jig but to the concept of emptiness and aloneness; that other than not being able to sense how Jig is feeling at the moment, he also is naturally and habitually indifferent, selfish, even. This early in the story, there is also an indication as to the personality of Jig being very dependent and attached to the man because of her requiring his approval first before she does anything; in having a drink, she asks, â€Å"What should we drink†¦Could we try it (Anis del Toro)?† (Hemingway, 1950); and when she is asked if she would take the drink with water, she asks (addressing the man), â€Å"I don’t know†¦Is it good with water?† (Hemingway, 1950) These statements from the girl show how valuable the man’s approval of her decisions is.   These show the weightiness of the man’s decisions even with matters concerning Jig.   This particular exchange also gives the audience an idea of how the tone will be when the main issue of abortion comes into play.   At this point, the girl also senses the indifference of the man and indicates this with the line, â€Å"Everything tastes like licorice.   Especially the things you’ve waited so long for, like absinthe.† (Hemingway, 1950) The girl here makes an indirect reference to their lifestyle – that nothing is new with them – and suddenly, when something new happens – she gets pregnant – the man refuses to accept the change.   In particular, this also gives a slight indication that the girl wants to continue the pregnancy when she implied that it is a change that she ‘waited so long for’ (Hemingway 1950)   This interpretation is further strengthened when the girl remarks, â€Å"That’s all we do, isn’t it – look at things and try new drinks?† (Hemingway, 1950) Another indication as to the lifestyle of this couple comes later in the story, with the author’s description of the bags at the station, â€Å"He did not say anything but looked at the bags against the wall of the station. There were labels on them from all the hotels where they had spent nights.† (Hemingway, 1950)   This description of the bags creates the imagery of the owners of the bags being people who are on a pleasure trip from one place to another.   Bags are also used here to represent the emotional or mental baggage that the man is carrying as a consequence of the pregnancy of Jig. When the man finally reveals in the story that he wants Jig to have an abortion, in the passage, â€Å"†It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig, †¦ It’s not really an operation at all.† (Hemingway, 1950), the tension begins to rise, and more symbols emerge.   Of course, with this remark from the man, the girl becomes silent and does not react. However, her first line after this revelation is â€Å"Then what will we do afterward?† (Hemingway, 1950)   Basically, what this does is it amplifies the emptiness of the woman in relation to the abortion – her asking ‘what to do afterwards’ (Hemingway, 1950) shows that she does not see anything after the abortion; that everything after the abortion is covered in haze.   The man further refers to the pregnancy as something that has made them both unhappy (Hemingway, 1950), in response, the girl takes hold of two strings of beads from the bead curtain and says, â€Å"†And you think then we’ll be all right and be happy.†. (Hemingway, 1950) However, note that although the girl almost validates the statement of the man regarding the pregnancy, notice the action of holding the beads – while this can easily be passed off as an unconscious musing, it could also be symbolic for ‘prayer’.   Beads are derived from the old Middle English word ‘bede’ which means prayer.   The string of beads as described very much look like the ones in rosaries; hence, it could be interpreted that although the girl seems to agree with the man, she is praying or hoping against all hope that abortion was not the solution to their problem. The girl is at a loss for words at this point and refers back to the ‘white elephants’ in her earlier exchange with the man specifically pointing out his earlier reaction to this remark, â€Å"But if I do it, then it will be nice again if I say things are like white elephants, and you’ll like it?† (Hemingway, 1950)   Now, if the previous interpretation of ‘white elephants’ being emptiness is applied to this statement, it becomes quite sarcastic as opposed to the tone at which it is said – the girl here is submitting to the man and implying that she will be empty with the abortion, but will the man like her in this state, anyway?    The man responds, â€Å"I’ll love it. I love it now but I just can’t think about it.† (Hemingway, 1950)   Slowly, from their exchanges, a brute nature emerges from the man, insensitive, and indifferent.   Their conversation then continues on to indicate that the girl will be having the abortion but not because she wants it, but because this would make her man happy, also implying that her own happiness is not a matter of concern, because she has put the man’s happiness before her own; this she conveyed with the lines, â€Å"Then I’ll do it. Because I don’t care about me.† (Hemingway, 1950)   Here we can see that a resolution is not met between the two characters, only a submission, which, by the way, is against the will of the lady. The author alludes to the lady’s desire of having the child when he put in a description of the scenery at the other side of the station – which, in this story, represents a ‘crux’ or a point of decision.   The station here is symbolic of a turning point in both of the lives of the characters, and so, the author, earlier, describes that the hills are dry and barren, while at the other side of the station, â€Å"were fields of grain and trees along the banks of the Ebro. Far away, beyond the river, were mountains.†Ã‚   (Hemingway, 1950) All these images represent fertility, life, and renewal, and at this point also, when the lady sees this particular scenery, she experiences a change of heart and realizes that she should at least take another chance at convincing the man that the abortion will leave her empty, which should be the main issue between the two of them, if the man was sensitive enough.   This realization is clear in their rapid exchange of lines, â€Å"†I said we could have everything./We can have everything./No, we can’t./We can have the whole world./No, we can’t./We can go everywhere./No, we can’t. It isn’t ours any more./It’s ours./No, it isn’t. And once they take it away, you never get it back.† (Hemingway, 1950) In this exchange, it is evident how totally unrelated the man’s arguments are in relation to the girl’s.   Here, they don’t really ‘meet’ each other in terms of what they are talking about.   This ‘not meeting of minds’ has another indirect symbol in the ‘railroad tracks’ which are parallel and never meet.   Notice the last statement of the girl in the above exchange; in this particular line, she is referring to the child in her womb, while earlier on in the conversation, the man is actually referring to the material and carnal pleasures that they had both been enjoying. The man says that they can have all these, but the lady disagrees.   In the end, there is no closure in their argument and Hemingway leaves the audience hanging as to whether the girl decides to have the abortion or not.   What is known, however, is that in the end, the girl indicates that she is all right (Hemingway, 1950); considering her previous arguments, then it can be assumed that she will not be going for the abortion. While the story is fairly simple in its presentation, it tackles a very deep philosophy known as existentialism, appropriately so because the writer lived in an era when this philosophy was in force.   Despite the girl’s seeming submission to the man’s will in this story, she actually exercises her individual existence and choice; two very basic concepts of existentialism. From the text, it is evident how the lady struggles to assert her own individual set of beliefs, and how she, although in a very subtle way, dismisses the man’s arguments in favor of her own set of beliefs and her freedom to choose.   So, while we can easily say that for a superficial reader, the story is just an exchange of conversation between two people regarding an abortion, the symbols and the clever use of language comes into play to coax the reader to digest the story and interpret it a different level; at which level, the references to existentialism become clear. In closing, the story is indeed a hotbed of symbolism and a classic example of literary control.   It does not spoon-feed the audience nor takes all the thinking away from the reader.   It very discreetly, but very accurately infers various meanings into the text by way of   allegory, and profoundly presents the idea of existentialism simply by playing around with the conversation of two people, the introduction of a sensitive matter, and finally, the unspoken assertion of the lady of her individual nature and her own freedom. References Hemingway, E. (1950). Hills like White Elephants. Retrieved March 25, 2009, from http://www.gummyprint.com/blog/archives/hills-like-white-elephants-complete-story/