Theme #5 Introduction

This quote suggests that a couple bought baby shoes for a baby that they were expecting, but the baby wasn’t born or the woman had a miscarriage. The fact that the shoes were never worn gives this quotation a very somber tone. Since the shoes are being sold, the person or the couple selling them probably wants to detach themselves from the shoes because they could be causing a lot of grief. This also connects to “Hills Like White Elephants” in which the couple discusses getting an abortion. Although the woman in the story does not want an abortion, the story leads the reader to think that she may get one to ensure that the other main character in the novel stays with her. This statement could also embody her emotions in getting an abortion.