Hills Like White Elephants Rhetorical Analysis

Close interpretation of the story "Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway leads the reader to an issue that has plagued society for decades. Understanding of the human condition is unveiled in the story line, the main setting, and through the character representation. The main characters in the story are an American man and a female named Jig. The conflict about abortions is an issue that still faces society today. Architectural and atmospheric symbolisms are used to set the mood and outline the human condition. The love bond between the man and Jig is strong; however, the more powerful bond between Jig and her unborn child is sacred.

“Perfectly simple” is restated a couple of times in the conversation which tells us that out of the two only one wants the child and the other doesn’t want the child (Hemingway). The American man thoughts are not more important than Jig’s. Even if the American man is supporting her to get an abortion it’s still Jigs decision. His opinion does matter to her because she wants his thoughts about what’s best for them and their unborn child. Jig is torn between remaining reckless and carefree and making a family with the man she loves. “‘Because I don’t care about me’” states that she is willing to do almost anything for the American man but is blocked by her mother instinct to protect her child (Hemingway). Jig is indecisive in what she wants because she questions herself and the American man what if questions. “‘I realize…can’t we maybe stop talking’” this tells us Jig finally realizes that by asking a lot of rhetorical questions to the American man she has the answer she needs even if it’s not the answer that she wants (Hemingway).

“Hills Like White Elephants” is a short story of a pair of couples having an argument with an operation of whether the girl should do the abortion during their travel. The story shows the audience two different views and attitudes between two different genders--men and women. By using ethos, pathos,and logos, Hemingway gives people a social message that men were short of responsibility and encouragement to get into a family, and they were supposed change this situation by understanding and care more about women. Nowadays, as the time changed, the social message people get from the story change as well-- women are taught to be more independent.

As humans, we tend to rely on others to guide us in choosing “right” decisions. In “Hills Like White Elephants,” Ernest Hemingway tells a story of an American man with a girl, named Jig, having a conversation about whether or not Jig should undergo this “operation,” which we could assume is abortion. Jig looks to the man to tell her what she should do and what would happen afterwards, basically looking for a “right” decision. The girl is torn between listening to the man, who pushes her to have an abortion, or separating from the man, to instead, keep the baby. Hemingway uses setting and symbolism to interpret the girl’s struggle with abortion.

Women and men have rarely ever been able to wholeheartedly agree upon something, especially something as significant as an unwanted pregnancy. “Hills Like White Elephants” centers around an unwanted pregnancy and how a young couple is talking about it and handing it. While the mention of pregnancy or abortion is never actually said, it can be inferred through their conversations and simple clues Hemingway includes such as, “It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig” (Hemingway) (Link). The man in this relationship, the American, continues to reassure the woman, Jig, that the “operation” is simple and tons of people have it done. He also continues to repeat “how simple” it is. Jig

In the short story "Hills like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway we were presented a man and his girlfriend. They order a couple drinks as they wait for a train. As the story continues, more details of what the couple is discussing unfold. Although it is never actually said we learn that the couple is talking about whether to have an abortion. "It's really an awful simple operation, Jig."(42) It's is also

“Hills Like White Elephants” tells a story of a man and woman sitting at station waiting on a train to take them to Madrid. The story is told from the narrator’s point of view. There are two main characters. The man is referred to as the American and the woman is called Jig. The man is the antagonist and the protagonist is Jig. The story is more about Jig and her current situation. There is very little information given about the characters but the reader is told that Jig is going to Madrid to have an operation but only hints about the type of operation. The reader is led to believe Jig is going to have an abortion. In the short story “Hills like White Elephants”, the author Ernest Hemingway portrays “Jig”, the protagonist as a mixture

Thus, this simple structure offers an intriguing and vague conversation between two that collaborates the reader in the character's behavior, thinking, and feelings. Although Hemingway uses short phrases, implicit sentences presented by the girl, and symbolism. According to Smiley, “The dialogue contains the essence of the story's power; for to read Jig's and the American conversation is to recognize the powerless frustration of parallel interchanges” (2). And Shaw uses complex sentences and long descriptions presented by Michael. Both stories share the crux of male-female miscommunication, and the conversation is tense, blended with irony. In “Hills Like White Elephants” in the beginning of the story, the girl takes the initiative to speak, which leads to the discussion: “'What should we drink?'” the girl asked. She had taken off her hat and put it on the table.” The reader perceives the hat as a symbol of exposing her readiness to discuss something. Besides, she opens the crucial issue in an implicit way when she describes the “hills like white elephants”. This metaphorical phrase presents two different approaches to the pregnancy. In addition, it suggests her imaginative way of thinking: she relates to the hills, as the physical shape of her pregnancy. The American man, seems manipulative and averts responsibility. In addition, his speech is scientific and unimaginative.

Ernest Hemingway penned a short story titled, “Hills Like White Elephants.” The story takes place at a train station in Spain and depicts a troublesome dilemma for the two main characters. The story begins with the characters casually discussing what kind of beer to partake in; the tone quickly shifts when the man mentions a surgery to his female friend, Jig. The reader is left to infer that the two characters are discussing an abortion. Ernest Hemingway uses symbolism throughout the story so the reader can delve into a deeper meaning without the ensnarement of excessive emotion. Throughout the story, Hemingway uses several examples of symbolism to depict Jig’s inner struggle with the decision she is faced to make.

The short story, “Hills Like White Elephants” written by Ernest Hemingway, is tactfully designed to get the reader on the side of one of the main characters through the proper use of Ethos, Logos, and pathos. The main topic of the short story is up for a little interruption by the reader as what the two main characters were discussing wasn’t openly named. However, I have come to the conclusion that they were discussing abortion which was illegal in the United States at the time the story was written. The story shows a couple, near a train station, drinking as the man tries to convince the woman that an abortion is a “simple operation” and that it is what’s best for their lives, meanwhile the woman is trying to tell him that she is against it.

Ernest Hemingway was an American author and journalist. One of his most famous and controversial pieces “Hills Like White Elephants” is frequently discussed among authors and readers. In this short story there is a girl and a American man sitting at a train station. The girls name is Jig, we come to find out that she is pregnant and that the two are disusing whether to keep the baby or not. They question each other to see if the options would ruin their relationship. Hemingway portrays things to serve as double meanings. Two of the main subtopics and questions formed from this paper is whether or not Jig has the baby. And whether of not the tense relationship between the two lasts. Among the many authors who have their own opinion on what these things mean is, timothy Obrien, who wrote, “Allusion, Word Play, and the Central Conflict in Hemingway’s ‘Hills Like White Elephants”. In his paper he focuses on certain phrases to conclude his belief that Jig does get and abortion and that the relationship between Jig and the American does not last. A professor at Illinois state university by the name of Stanley Renner, author of “Moving to the Girls Side of “Hills Like White Elephants””, does not think the relationship lasts. Although the relationship does not last he believes that the baby does. David Wyche, author of “Letting the Air Into a Relationship: Metaphorical Abortion in “Hills Like White Elephants””, he is not

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.

In “Hills like White Elephants”, a vacationing couple vaguely speaks their mind on harsh decisions that will affect their relationship. While abortion is still a controversial topic, prior to the Roe v. Wade in 1973, abortion was prohibited in 30 states making it a difficult process in 1927. Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills like White Elephants” describes the human response of two American tourists in Europe on issues such as age and morality through the use of figurative language, syntax, and point of view.

An individual’s first impression of something is often limited by that individual's prior understanding or view. After being exposed to another perspective that first impression often evolves, like looking through a lens. This phenomenon can be observed in literature. Ernest Hemingway's “Hills Like White Elephants” tells of a man and a woman waiting at a Spanish railway station. While having drinks, they discuss the option of her having an abortion. Brooks' "The Mother" discusses the mental effects of abortion and how a woman may feel after having one. At first glance, Hemingway’s story simply shows that abortions can hurt and put strain on relationships, but by understanding the pain that a woman goes through in “Brooks’ piece, we can better understand the discussion that the man and woman are having in Hemingway’s story and why communication in a relationship is so critical.

Relationships can be difficult, but a lot of couples work through the difficultly by supporting and helping each other. In the short story “Hills like White Elephants”, written by Ernest Hemingway, an unnamed American and a young woman, named Jig, are waiting for a train to arrive. Set in the mid-1920s, the couple are sitting at a bar drinking beers, and awaiting to travel to their next destination. Talking vaguely with each other, Jig describes the hills as “white elephants”, meaning an unwanted gift. During the story, the couple discuss an ‘operation’ that the man wants the girl to have, but she doesn’t to want to, symbolizing wanting to keep their unborn child. In this story, “Hills like White Elephant”, the theme is the ending of a relationship, by the of lack of communication, selfishness and choices.