Analysis Of Ernest Hemingway's Hills Like White Elephants

Ernest Hemingway's short story "Hills Like White Elephants" relies on symbolism to carry the theme of either choosing to live selfishly and dealing with the results, or choosing a more difficult and selfless path and reveling in the rewards. The symbolic materials and the symbolic characters aid the reader's understanding of the subtle theme of this story. The hills symbolize two different decisions that the pregnant girl in our story is faced with. Both hills are completely opposite of each other, and each "hill" or decision has a consequence that is just as different as the appearance of the hills.

From the way they discuss the whole idea, the reader is able to tell that the man has a definite decision on going through with the operation, while the woman is still unsure and is questioning what she wants. “”We could have everything.” “No we can’t.” “We can have the whole world.” “No, we can’t.” “We can go everywhere.” “No we can’t.” “It isn’t ours any more.”(Hemingway 1). This excerpt can show the contrast between the couple in the story. The couple is not communicating well at all throughout the whole dialogue in the story, showing how the topic and issue of abortion is causing all sorts of stress and confusion deep within each character. ‘“It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig”, the man said. The girl looked at the ground the tables legs rested on. “It’s really not anything. It’s just to let the air in.” The girl did not say anything. “I’ll go with you and I’ll stay with you all the time. They just let the air in and then it’s all perfectly natural.””(Hemingway 1). This excerpt showcases the trouble that the operation is causing between the two, especially for the woman. One critic explains also how the decision is definitely two-sided. “The story opens indicating that the couple is seated facing the dry, barren side of the train station whereas when the girl gets up to look around, she sees that the opposite side of the station has wide open, fertile grain fields and a river.”

Hemingway goes into very intricate, almost excessive details when describing things that are usually insignificant to the overall plot. As a result something like the descriptions of the landscape of Italy and Switzerland consist of vivid imagery in the form of lengthy sentences. While Henry’s observations and descriptions are almost akin to tautology they also use very simple and direct wording, which helps the reader easily understand Hemingway’s writing. The wording and syntax in the dialogue between Henry and his Italian comrades is also simplified as Henry is translating the Italian spoken to English for the reader.

Finally, Hemingway uses the isolation of the narrator to contribute to the mood of despair. He first enforces the grim mood through his depiction of the narrator as a foreigner to Italy. The narrator is an American while the other soldiers attending the hospital are Italian (455). Having the narrator live in a foreign country and converse with Italian soldiers using a foreign language adds to the sorrowful mood. Hemingway also uses the narrator’s medals to create the mood. When the narrator’s fellow soldiers learn that he receives his war medals because of his nationality instead of his performance, they treat him differently and he is “never really one of them” again (455). The change in the soldiers’ attitudes towards the narrator adds to

“Hills Like White Elephants” is a brief story written by Ernest Hemingway. This short story interprets symbolism and is a great example of a modern-day story. It is known correspondingly as, a minimalist style of writing. The story partakes in Spain, and is told primarily through the dialogue of the main characters, who are a male and female. Their conversations throughout the story uncovers their struggles in a romantic relationship. As of the author, Ernest Hemingway, he proficiently uses symbolism and gender study to show readers the couple’s lifestyle, and conflict of their relationship.

Not only does he lack commitment to Jig, but he also has no regard for human life. During the time period, WW1, abortions were precarious and could endanger life. The man would risk the death of Jig so he could get back his own lackadaisical life before the pregnancy (Bauer 5). Also, when Jig does bring up white elephants, “‘They look like white elephants,’ she said. “ I’ve never seen one," the man drank his beer. ‘No, you wouldn 't have.’” (Hemingway 1), this exchange of dialogue gives the readers insight on how Jig and the American man feel about the abortion by using the symbolism of the white elephants. To Jig, the situation is clear and present, while the man sees the situation as a hazy, unreal concept. Therefore, the operation appears simple to the American man, but to Jig, one of the possible outcomes can mean death to her or to her baby.

Ernest Hemingway’s short story “Hills like white elephants” at first glance is difficult to understand. It undoubtedly causes most readers to go over it multiple times to grasp exactly what is taking place. The way the story is written is so complex with the 50/50 mixture of traditional storytelling and an abundance of character to character dialogue as well. That’s not the best part; the story’s setting means everything to it. The Train station setting ties in to the plot of the story, the characters behavior, and even the point of view that the story is being told from.

Hemingway poignantly depicts where language can break down between individuals and how what is unsaid can define and divide individuals. The story explores this theme through the literary conventions

Choices and consequences are recognized during the story. For example, the couple is unmarried and Jig has become pregnant, but the American man wants her to have an abortion. The American obviously believes that the abortion will free the couple from any responsibilities, which is what they have been experiencing before this turn of events. The American man also feels that the pregnancy is the only thing that has caused them to have arguments and become unhappy with each other in the relationship.

Hemingway creates a sense of discomfort and hardship to emphasize how when faced with making difficult choices, some will try and avoid the situation because of personal insecurities. The author describes the environment surrounding the American and girl as having “no shade and no trees,” (pg.475). To have “no shade,” somewhere, that means there’s no place to hide and how everything is out and exposed. This creates a serious and humorless tone to emphasize the nature of the American and the girl’s relationship. These matters because the decision they should make is too important for the couple to make and then regret their decision after it’s too late. To be happy in the relationship, they must be happy with their decision on whether to have the operation done. When describing the job of the curtain that hung across the room, the author explained how it was used to “...to keep out flies,” (pg.475) When trying to keep something out, it means you are omitting it from entrance and don’t want whatever is being omitted to gain access to a certain location. The author uses this to imply a sense of secrecy and fear to shed light on the emotions within in girl that are not being permitted into the conversation. This is important to the story because it

Although it is not told in a straightforward, step-by-step manner, the story often uses simple, unembellished language, which highlights the truth of what is being said. “In my pocket was the money from Germany so there was no problem. When that was gone some other money would come in.” (77) Here, the short and clear sentences convey Hemingway’s optimistic and accepting attitude without creating any doubt or confusion. Yet the story does not lack detail - in particular, imagery provides the detail and subtle meaning that the story’s precise tone sometimes weakens.

Much like the man and the girl in the story the setting is also divided into two distinct parts. One side has hills with trees, a river, and fruitful land, while the other side is dry, brown, and barren. Hemingway’s use of such a setting created the imagery of not only the division between the couple, but also her individual state. Currently, she is with child in which her womb remains full and fruitful, but as the story progresses, you realize that they are discussing having an abortion which in turn would leave her empty and barren.

The method of modernist writing that involves the acts of direct presentation of the subject and characterization through dialogue may cause a bland chaos in the writing. This blandness was shown a plethora of times in Hemingway's story. To start, the characterization through dialogue and the shortness of his work didn't create enough depth to the story's conflict. For example, you never hear the actual problem the two characters are facing causing you to

In Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants,” in this story Hemingway shows the emotional impact an unborn child can have on a relationship and the individuals when both parties do not want the same outcome. The story takes place in the 1920’s in Spain involving an American man and a girl who is referred to as Jig. The two lovers are at a bar in the train station where they will head to Madrid. The couple is disagreeing on whether to have an abortion or not. There are many pieces to this story that often occur in relationships such manipulation, dominance or controlling by one partner and lots of emotion. Jig feels that life will be great and she can continue on as normal with a baby while the man feels that having a baby would impact their lives in a negative way.

Hemingway’s direct, no-nonsense approach may seem bleak, but actually plays a great role in helping readers understand the underlying themes of this short story. The whole story is mostly a dialogue between a couple, the American man and a girl names Jig. The dialogue throughout the