This relationship is examined closely in two short stories. The stories, Cat in The Rain, and Hills Like White Elephants, both show a man and a woman in what seems to be a quite and passive moment. However in both stories, Hemingway carefully uses imagery and subtlety to convey to the reader that the relationship in the story is flawed, and is quite clearly dysfunctional. Both male characters in each story clearly have trouble understanding their women, and it is this inability to see them and what they want that Hemingway is addressing and criticizng. What, in both works, appears to be a quite and passive moment, is in reality a pivotal point in each relationship, and neither man seems to realize it.

For example, Cat In The Rain tells what seems to be a simple tale of an American couple spending a rainy afternoon inside their hotel room. This simple set up serves as a great metaphor for what appears to be the couples relationship. Outside it's ugly and gray. And nothing is going on inside. Form the begging, we can see that their is a well established rift in the relationship between George and his unnamed wife. The woman sees a cat standing in the rain, and tells her husband (who is being non communicative and sits aside reading, the whole time) "I'm going down and get that kitty"(129). Hemingway writes the response of the Husband as '"I'll do it", her husband offered from the bed"(129). The fact that George seems so detached, and makes no effort in even getting up clearly shows us that his "offer" her means nothing. He is simply going through a mechanical motion of seeming to listen and care, with out even bothering to stop reading.

Similarly in Hills Like White Elephants, the man's inability to communicate with his significant other is also very subtle, but in a way much more direct. In describing a line of hills, Hemingway writes, '"They look like white elephants", she said. "I've never seen one,", the man drank his beer. "No, you wouldn't have"'(211). The same thing is being said here, neither man can see what his woman wants, but at least here the girl is acknowledging that blindness.

Cat In The Rain though has some moments that may appear subtle, but are very clear and direct as well. When the nameless American wife does indeed go down and try to retrieve the cat, she is met by the hotel manager, he asks her '"Ha perduato qualche cosa, Signora"'(130). Translated, he is asking he if "She has lost something". Clearly, and as stated in class, Hemingway is indeed implying that she has lost something, specifically that intangible spark in a marriage that keeps things going. Her husband and her no longer relate, no longer communicate and that is what is causing all the grief and all the misery.

In the same vain, Hills Like White Elephants, also implies the same thing. Hemingway writes, '"And we could have all this," she said. "And we could have everything and every day we make it more impossible." "What did you say?" "I said we could have everything." "We can have everything"'(213). In this excerpt, we can see the man has no clue as to what the woman is speaking of. He can't and won't see the "white elephants" or anything else for that matter. He is simply to blind to see or even listen to her.

Another thing shared by both stories is an almost sort of self-realization of their situations by the women characters. In Cat In The Rain the American Wife says, "It isn't any fun being a poor kitty out in the rain"(130). As stated in class discussion, the cat is a metaphor for the women. And by stating that, the girl is pretty much expressing how she feels to an unbeknownst husband. In Hills Like White Elephants, the story ends with, '"I'm fine", she said. "There's nothing wrong with me. I feel fine"'(214). Here, Hemingway is saying that not only does the girl realize that telling the man how she feels would be no good use (it hasn't worked thus far in the story), but the situation has led to an almost sort of acceptance on her part, where she does know in fact the problem is not with her at all. The problem is with him, he's the one that is not fine.

Cat In Rain, ends on a similar note. Hemingway writes,
 

'"Anyway I want a cat," she said, "I want a cat. I     I want a cat now. If I can have long hair or any fun, I can have a cat"

George was not listening. He was reading his book. His wife was looked out of the window  where the light had come on in the square.

Some one knocked at the door.(131)

This lengthy quote works well in a very subtle way. What the woman really wants is for someone to listen, just simply listen to her. And George can't do that. It's a testament of Hemingway's clever use of imagery that the moment the wife see a light on in the rainy square, the knock on the door that will be bringing her the cat is heard. Some one here has listened to her, and seems to be providing just a little bit of light she needs.

In conclusion, neither of these stories really gives any hope to their respective relationships. It seems that both cases feature men who have long already ignored and under appreciated their loved ones, and have hurt them and not even seen that hurt. Hemingway seems to be telling us that they key to keep relating is to not only listen, but listen with intent. Both the women in these stories are sad, hurt and lonely. Those are traits Hemingway seems to have written about numerous times, but they come across beautifully in these tales that at first seem small and insignificant, but truly do offer a snapshot into the emotions of it's characters, and into ours as well.