Questions

Hills Like White Elephants

2.) Thirty-five minutes passed during the course of this story. I think there was silence in a couple of spots, one being on page 126 when "the girl looked across the hills." I think during this time, the girl was thinking about the abortion, and whether or not it was the right decision. I think during this same time, the American was wondering what the girl was thinking about the operation and trying to come up with ways to convince her to go through with it and a way to approach the subject.
Later, when "the girl stood up and walked to the end of the station," I think some more time passes. I think she stays there for a while considering what had just been discussed. She stares off into the scenery and weighs her options. During this time, I believe the man is worrying that she might change her mind, which is why he agrees with her when she starts off again by saying "And we could have all this."

Girl

3.) I think the point of the primary speaker saying so much is to show how bombarded and overwhelmed the girl feels by hearing it all. It's all just one long string of things to do or things not to do. The fact that the girl says so little, though, seems to create an even bigger effect. the couple things she does say are important. When she says that she doesn't sing benna, it shows that her mother does not even hear her. Since she makes this remark a few lines after her mother even mentioned benna, shows, that the girl is not even really listening to the true meaning of what her mother is telling her. She seems to speak very quietly and does not expect her words to be heard. When she asks what happens if the baker doesn't let her squeeze the bread, she is essentially asking, what will happen if all of these things that her mother just told her fail her or if she is unable or unwilling to do them. It kind of shows that no matter what her mother says to her, and how little she has to say about at the time, she can still choose her own path and it maynot be the one her mother expects or is warning her about.

The Lone Ranger and Taunto Fistfight in Heaven

3.) The fact that the store worker might think the "dark skin and long, black hair" of the narrator might be dangerous may not really have anything to do with the actual physical appearance of the man. It is true, that possibly some of the people that robbed the narrator in his own experience looked similar ot him, so he may have this idea in his head, but I think the real reason the store worker might expect him to be dangerous is because of his behavior. He is out, by himself, late at night. He is acting suspicious, purposefully, although the store worker is unaware of this game at first. He is scanning the aisles and pretending to be dangerous. Why the narrator says it is his appearance that might make him seem dangerous is only because he seems to feel very discriminated and sorry for himself due to his background and race. He does not appear to very proud of his race. However, the cop stopped him in a nice neighborhood because of his description, so maybe he was used to being discriminated against. But, this late shift worker may have had no reason to suspect him, other than because of his sneaky behavior.