Crossroads

Katelyn Hayes

Paper #2

Crossroads

             “A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows public opinion,” Chinese proverb. Despite the decision made in life, the outcome of the decision will always affect one’s future. Throughout the short stories Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway, A&P by John Updike, as well as the poem The Road Not Taken by author Robert Frost, the authors all clearly express the importance of decision making, and how every decision made will greatly impact one’s future.

As shown throughout the short story Hills Like White Elephants, author Ernest Hemingway clearly identifies the importance of decision making in times when there are crossroads. “On this side there was no shade and no trees and the station was between two lines of rails in the sun... across, on the other side, were fields of grain and trees along the banks of the Ebro,” (Hemingway 113, 116). Hemingway’s imagery of the intersecting of crossroads symbolizes the importance of choosing a path in order to confront one’s future. Jig, the main character, is faced with the ultimate decision of either choosing the path of the thriving fields of grain, symbolizing creating life for her unborn child; or choosing the path less taken during 1920’s, which is to have an abortion. “It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig,” the man said. “It’s not really an operation at all. I know you wouldn’t mind it, Jig. It’s really not anything. It’s just to let the air in.” The girl didn’t say anything. “If you don’t want to you don’t have to. I wouldn’t have you do it if you didn’t want to. But I know it’s perfectly simple,” (Hemingway 115). With this statement, the man is clearly persuading Jig to get an abortion, he claims that Jig does not have to go through with the operation yet he continues to pursue his opinion. “That’s all we do, isn’t it-look at things and try new drinks (Hemingway 115)?” With this statement, one could construe the idea that Jig is discontent with her nomadic lifestyle, and desires to settle down and have the child. Hemingway concludes with Jig’s statement: “There’s nothing wrong with me. I feel fine” (Hemingway 117). One could interpret the final statement of “I feel fine” as a way of Jig standing up for what she wants, while disregarding other’s opinions. All in all Ernest Hemingway clearly delivers the message that decisions will always influence one’s future.

            Throughout the short story A&P, the author John Updike clearly expresses the idea that even the smallest of decisions will impact one’s future greatly. “The girls, and who’d blame them, are in a hurry to get out, so I say “I quit” to Lengel quick enough for them to hear, hoping they’ll stop and watch me, their unsuspected hero,” (Updike 413). Although the crossroads seen throughout A&P, are not as monumental as abortion, such as in Hills Like White Elephants, however the immediate decision for Sammy to quit his job portrays the idea of standing up to a higher power, while unknowingly changing his life forever. One would agree that Sammy’s resignation sygnifies his desire to not only gain recognition from the girls he stood up for, however to become an adult by not following the norm while standing up to oppressors for what he believes in. Lengel goes on to voice: “You’ll feel this for the rest of your life,” (Updike 414). Sammy’s decision little does he know, will affect his future forever. Updike clearly expresses the significance in which one’s actions has on one’s future as seen throughout the short story A&P.

As expressed throughout the poem The Road Not Taken, author Robert Frost indicates the idea of life at a crossroad, and making a crucial choice of which decision to make. Frost opens with: “two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both, and be one traveler, long I stood... then took the other, as just as fair, and having perhaps the better claim because it was grassy and wanted wear,” (Frost stanza 1). Frost’s meaning for his opening statement sybolizes the sorrow for not being able to travel both paths, as well as making a name for himself by taking the path that is less traveled upon. Frost goes on to express: “I shall be telling this with a sigh, Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference” (Frost stanza 4). This stanza expresses the idea that the decision to take the road in which is less walked upon is not unheard of, but less likely to happen. By stepping outside of the norm and following a path in which is not taken often, he is setting himself apart from others and following what he wants to do instead of what others do. As one can see throughout the poem The Road Not Taken, author Robert Frost clearly exemplifies the significance of decision making and the effects, whether good or bad will always impact one’s future.            To be able to set oneself apart from others, and create a path other than the norm requires strength, the ability to be assertive, and bravery. As previously stated, “a wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows public opinion.” As a society, we as a whole must have the ability to make decisions by ultimately standing up for what one believes in. Throughout the short stories A&P by John Updike, Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway, and the poem The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost, the authors express the theme of straying from the norm while making decisions, due to the idea that every decision made will greatly affect one’s future.