Hills Like White Elephants, By Ernest Hemmingway

Hills Like White Elephant was written in 1927, right before the Great Depression. In the story, the couple travels throughout Spain to Barcelona and

In the story, “Hills Like White Elephants” written by Ernest Hemingway tells a dialogue story of a woman named Jig and the American man who is waiting at the train station for their ride to Madrid. Jig and the American man are having a casual conversation about the scenery that the nearby hills look like white elephants. Then, there conversation turns serious as they talk about their relationship and their future unborn child. In Ernest Hemingway’s story the character’s conversation is important because it represents the lifestyle of a carefree life of an adult, the decisions of their actions, and their unplan future.

“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.

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.”

There are many ways, shapes, and forms of stories that the reader could put themselves into. Whether they choose to partake in a wayward journey full of adventure or the daily life of a human being with morals; a story’s aspect influences those thoughts with a deeper understanding. In Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants,” it follows an American man and girl at a resting point during their travels. They arrived by train, stopping between Barcelona and Madrid. While there, they patiently waited for the next train at a bar inside of the station. They invoked themselves in a very long conversation about an important life changing decision, in which they are trying to figure out together. With narration providing the readers a first-class seat within the story, it is as if they were customers at the bar that happens to listen. This story unravels the true intention of the character’s issue that is deeply hidden within the text and title symbolically. Therefore, the literary terms that makes this story unique is its symbolism, conflict, and narrative point of view.

The short story “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway, is about a man trying to convince his girlfriend to have an abortion. The couple sits in a train station waiting for their trip to Barcelona, and are staring outside at the scenery—the line of hills “like white elephants”, as the girl, Jig, remarks. They sit and drink and they try to keep conversation light and to enjoy themselves. As the story progresses, however, cause for their underlying tenseness boils to the surface.

In both of the short stories “Hills like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway and “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin, setting plays an important role. The time and place in which the stories take place, reveals the nature of the conflict of the main character. In both Hemingway’s and Chopin’s stories, the place is significantly more important than the time. Both of the main characters come to a realization at the end of each story and the place in which it takes place in is significant.

Ernest Hemingway 's "Hills like White Elephants" is used almost exclusively dialogue to portray a serious conversation in which an important decision of life is about to be made by a young woman. While other authors would carefully prepare the soil and provide a framework, including the inclusion of motives and emotions replicas of characters, how they interact, Hemingway puts the reader in the role of interceptor couples start talking as they sit at a table outside the railway station bar.

The plot focuses on crossing boundaries. The two characters, The American and a woman nicknamed “Jig”, are constantly wavering middle grounds. It’s a story about communication and conversation. Though they are having a conversation the couple is not communicating. The story implements ambiguity and subtlety to discuss, though never clearly stated, an abortion. The couple arrives at a train station in Madrid. It is assumed only passing through, they decide to have a drink while they wait for the next train. The woman mentions the hills resembling white elephants and notices the infertile barren land in comparison to the green hills in the valley on the other side of the tracks. There is little conversation till the American man hints on an operation. There is

First, the hills that are mentioned in this short story could symbolize the difficult obstacle the couple has to overcome. Before their unexpected pregnancy their relationship was carefree. An example of their carefree relationship is, “That’s all we do, isn’t it—look at things and try new drinks?” (182). This indicates that Jig is suggesting that they have done enough of that, and she is ready to have the baby and tackle more responsibilities, whereas the American man likes roaming around, looking at new things and trying new drinks like the “Anis del Toro” (182).

Overall, this text was one which I quite enjoyed. Although upon reading it the first time, the plot and motifs were somewhat lost on me, further speculation determined me taking a great liking to the story. Because Hemmingway never really mentions what exactly he is addressing, it a conception that can be overlooked. After a few reads I came to knowing that the young girl in the story is headed to Madrin to have an abortion she is not entirely convinced she wants. Through the narrative of the story I felt a lot of conflicting emotions, I felt an immense pity for the girl and great anger for the young man. It was deciphered that the man, although only through suggestion, really wants the girl to have the abortion, this being through the way he continually reiterates that it is "perfectly simple". We also see the girl, who seems very conflicted with this decision.

In the 1920s women around the world strove to establish their position in the society. Women were being taught that they are not equal to men physically, emotionally, and even mentally. Women were not given the rights to make their own decision and depended on a man in their life. In the short story, ”Hills like White Elephants” written by Ernest Hemmingway, takes place at a station at Ebro River valley in Spain. The two main characters are a man who is identified as “the American” and a woman whose name is Jig, they drink beer and are discussing what the American man says will be "a simple operation" for the girl.

Ernest Hemingway’s short story “Hills Like White Elephants” is written about a man and a woman who have a big decision to make. Jig is an unmarried pregnant woman trying to decide what to do with the baby; while the man subtly hints for her to have an abortion. Because abortion is currently illegal, the couple must move to another country to terminate the pregnancy. In “Hills Like White Elephants,” the author uses symbolism in many aspects including the train station, the land surrounding the station, the talk about white elephants, and even in the alcohol they drink.

Humans demonstrate two types of communication: verbal and non-verbal. Verbal communication deals with action, as non-verbal deals with body language. Communication is the most important factor in this world. In particular, the “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway is the short story that explains it all. Ernest Hemingway put this short story in an issue that everybody faces in their lifetime: communication. In the text, the couple faces miscommunication with the topic of abortion. The short story depicts how the characters communicate ineffectively, as compared to today’s society. Even though the fundamentals of communication in “Hills Like White Elephants” and today’s society are similar, the reactions or effects are different.

Hemmingway’s story is written in an objective or dramatic point of view. The story is told primarily through dialogue. The narrator has emotionally distanced himself from the characters, and the true feelings and opinions of the characters are revealed in little clues as the story progresses. The narrator acts solely as a reporter of the chain of events