Artie

Artie is a character in the short story “Hope” by Jonathan Santlofer. He is Hope’s boyfriend and goes to art school. He also has a roommate whose girlfriend is also pregnant. 

Artie’s father is a businessman, and he criticizes his son’s decision to go to art school: “ ‘What are you going to do with a degree in art?’ ” (l. 82). Artie feels offended by the remark. However, he admits that “he has no idea what being an artist means or requires” (l. 83). This suggests that he has no clear purpose in life. Hope’s pregnancy has forced a responsibility on him which he was not ready for: “no idea of what to do, what to think, how to imagine what is going on” (ll. 103-104). This suggests he is immature. 

Artie is anxious about Hope having the abortion. His voice is “small and scared as the unidentified man on the other end of the line told him the cost, where and when to meet” (ll. 9...