This
short story clearly shows s skillful craftsmanship in part through the way he conveys the idea
that the girl is pregnant without anyone ever saying so. The dialogue between the man and the
girl reveals that they are enmeshed in a serious disagreement, but the exact subject is never
stated.
The man seems to believe that he is behaving reasonably, as he tries
to cajole the girl into doing what he wants her to do. That action seems to be terminating the
pregnancy. He imagines that, if she did so, their relationship would continue the same as before
she got pregnant. She knows better. His attitude toward the possibility of having a baby is
teaching her what an immature, selfish person he is. As she will likely have to accept complete,
solo responsibility for the child, perhaps she will be able to rejoin her family and get some
support from them.
There were many risks involved in abortion, which was
illegal everywhere in those days. Depending on the country, those risks included surgical errors
that might cause excessive bleeding or perforate the uterus, and numerous future complications
including infection or hysterectomy and even death could occur. Furthermore, both doctor and
patient might be arrested.
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