Analysis Of The Story 'Hills Like White Elephants'

Hemingway and Chopin develop through both short stories, “The Story of an Hour” and “Hills Like White Elephants”, a symbolic setting representing the characters feelings, two themes- time and life decisions, and a feministic approach. The setting embodies the stories principal aspect contributing to why men and women have different perspectives and emotions. Revolving around the setting, both themes of time and life decisions support the idea that gender impacts our outlook in the world; however, the main characters in the short stories were women.

What is the purpose of the trip the two travelers are taking? (The narrator never tells us, but the careful reader can deduce this with relative certainty.)

"Hills Like White Elephants" is set at a train station. The setting plays the role of the couple's relationship. The American and Jig are at a crossroads in their life together and have some big decisions to make. Do they stay together and move forward, or do they part ways? As well as, do they have an abortion so they can continue with their carefree lifestyle, or do they settle down and raise their unborn child.

In the story “Hills Like White Elephants,” Ernest Hemingway uses his in-depth ability of foreshadowing to provide the reader with little information on the stories background or future events to come. At first glance, the discussion that takes place in story seems like a minor argument between a couple at a train station in Spain. However, upon deeper analysis, this piece takes a stab at one of the touchiest subject’s world-wide - abortion. The female protagonist in this story, Jig, is pregnant and her partner, an American man, wants no part of the typical settled-down lifestyle. For some time the two have traveled around Europe with no true home and no set future. To him, this is the only way to live. The woman, however, sees a future at some point in time with a husband and children. Getting pregnant, to her, is a sign that the transition point in her life has come and she is ready to embrace it. The man, however, is unable to embrace this passage and uses his power to manipulate the woman in the direction of acquiring an abortion. The ways in which he abuses his power and coerces Jig to obey his will are devious and wobbly.

“Hills Like White Elephants”, by Ernest Hemingway, is a short story published in 1927 that takes place in a train station in Spain with a man and a woman discussing an operation. Most of the story is simply dialogue between the two characters, the American and Jig. This couple is at a critical point in their lives when they must decide whether or not to have an abortion. Certain themes arise from this story such as choices and consequences, doubt and ambiguity, and how men and women relate. Hemingway also uses many examples of symbolism in “Hills Like White Elephants”, including descriptions of the surrounding scenery, the hills themselves, and the station where the action takes place.

“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.

In Hills Like White Elephants, the story opens up with a description of the scenery. There is a couple that is at a train station at a bar going somewhere far. Throughout the story, the couple is having a conversation about something that is never mentioned. However, by paying attention to the characters, the language, and the symbolism, one can see that the conversation is about an abortion and that the couple’s relationship is falling apart. Ernest Hemingway uses characters, sexism, and the setting and symbolism to give the readers a chance to know couple and see their broken relationship.

Like most stories, the women are mostly known for their vulnerability and being less powerful than men; this is one of the major comparisons between these two different works. In “Hills like White Elephants”, the foreign woman Jig, and her boyfriend the American, are contemplating on processing with an operation, seeking to be an abortion. Hemingway demonstrates to the reader hands on how much Jig depends a lot on the American, and not only her happiness. By knowing Spanish, it allowed the American to interact with her, since she couldn’t even order herself something to drink without him, let alone make such a difficult decision. In addition, Hemingway continues to portray Jig as not “woman” but rather, “the girl”. Making it known that she may be too young to make such an important yet difficult choice on her own.

Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants", is a story about a doomed relationship. Hemingway uses symbolism, dialogue, and also setting to tell this story. Behind the words said by the characters, and sights explained to the readers, are hidden meanings that when analyzed, bring the story to another level.

The girl looks off into the hills. She mentions ‘They look like white elephants” (11). Which at first seems to be a random remark as they drink their beers. Once the topic of the operation rises she she then retracts her statement saying they no longer look like white elephants, however she is still very optimistic about the avoiding the operation and thinks life could continue on as normal and they would remain happy. Across from the hills is a valley. Once seeing the valley, the girl is destined to end the conversation in frustration and is willing to buckle to the American.

Authors may use this item to tell the story with different items and by using symbolism many

Subconsciously authors tend to write their personal life experiences in their writer. Just as a psychologist would analyze a patient by asking them questions. With brief research of the author and the use of their story, one may analyze them just like a psychologist would. Hills like white Elephants by Ernest Hemingway uses symbolism to demonstrate important life decisions and the consequences behind them. He mentions the phrase “white elephants,” a white elephant is interpreted as a gift that is given to someone, but not just any gift it's a gift that is not wanted and hard to dispose of. For instance, if given an expensive car such as a Lamborghini, and the responsibilities falls on you to pay the insurance and upkeep on it. Knowing how expensive the insurance will be you know you would not be able to afford it it is then when the car becomes the white elephant forcing you to sell the car.

Enerest Hemingway’s short story titled Hills Like White Elephants, is a story that may seem as simple and plain as if not much is going on. However, the story is actually very intricate; the author was able to say a lot without using many words. The story is about a conversation between a man and girl who are waiting for a train in Spain. The couple are both distressed about how they should make a decision of whether to keep their baby, or terminate the pregnancy. Hemingway is able to say indirectly that the conversation is about abortion with clearly stating it by using literary elements. Some of the elements Hemingway uses are ones such as symbols to show different meanings for concision, irony to talk about something complicated in a clear way, and he uses an objective 3rd person point-of-view to make the reader feel as if he or she is observing the event themselves. This story is a great way to show how one can tell a story in a simple and economical way to reveal something very complex.

Hills Like White Elephants, published in 1927, embodies Hemingway’s style, and explores the issues of responsibility, communication, and unexpected life decisions, and does so in just four short pages. Hemingway drops us off in the middle of a conversation between a boyfriend and girlfriend, in which the couple discusses whether or not to abort their unborn child. The man, known as the American, pressures the girl, known only as Jig, into going through with the abortion, while Jig subtly suggests that she would rather keep the child and settle down. Neither of the characters states anything outright, and our limited perspective leaves it solely up to us to decipher the meaning of the story. Ernest Hemingway uses the symbolic setting and the themes of communication and unpredictability to drive home his belief that life is far from being happy, and rarely conforms to what we expect.

Ernest Miller Hemingway is known for his unique style and theories of writing, especially the iceberg theory. In the Death of the Afternoon, Hemingway says that “The dignity of movement of an ice-berg is due to only one-eighth of it being above water. A writer who omits things because he does not know them only makes hollow places in his writing.” (92) Simple words, vivid images, rich emotions and deep thoughts are the four basic elements of the iceberg theory. Talk about how these stories illustrate four elements of theory. In both short stories, Hemingway describes scenery and characters with simple words directly to give readers a vivid image. Under this sketch, readers can know characters’ emotion and get the theme through their imagination and analysis.