The relationship between Hope and Artie

The short story “Hope” by Jonathan Santlofer focuses on the relationship between Hope and Artie and how it is affected by Hope’s abortion. Before Hope got pregnant, Hope and Artie probably had a good relationship. For instance, Hope remembers them laughing about her mother’s suggestion “how she could teach and support a husband through medical school or law school” (ll. 13-14). This suggests that they did not feel pressured to conform to other people’s expectations. However, Hope ends up doing exactly what her mother suggested: “Five years later Artie and Hope marry and she supports him through graduate school by teaching (…) but they never talk about the abortion” (l. 144-145). This suggests that they have accepted the responsibilities and stereotypical gender roles which they previo...