Literary Analysis Of Hills Like White Elephants

Complicated Love We will be “just like we were before,” said no happy couple ever! In the short story “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway it presents a tale of two lovers. Hemingway’s use of the barroom between the train tracks (used as his setting) alludes to a problematic relationship. The main characters; the American, and the girl are facing difficulties which becomes increasingly evident throughout the text when we learn the lover’s relationship is in shambles, due to their disagreement over an abortion. A dysfunctional relationship portrayed throughout the text is seen through their apparent lack of communication, along with being in different stages of their lives, and finally with their willingness to give up anything just to be happy or loved.

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.

promises his utmost respect and loyalty in an attempt to make her want to leave with him. He

“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,” written by Ernest Hemingway is a short story about two characters and their’s turning and twisting arguments about an operation and also how the settings affect on both this characters perspective and attitude toward the abortion. The story begins at the train station somewhere in Spain where this couple waiting for a train to Madrid and discussing whether to keep baby or no. While in the stations, different events take place as highlighted by the author of the story where the girl explore surrounding of the train station and compare each thing with her situation such as the nearby rail tracks, trees, river, the hills, alcohol. On the other hand, the American responds by stating that he has never come across white elephants and refuse her perspective and shows his decision to not have a baby. The two characters continue ordering more drinks while having their discussion. In a nutshell, the story “Hills like White Elephants,” is a short story about a young girl name Jig and American man who waiting for a train and discussing about whether a girl have an abortion or no, based on abortion, there is a conflict of their relationship derived on the environmental setting of the short story.

In Ernest Hemingway’s short story “White Hills Like Elephants”, the author built a storyline of symbolism consisting of an American man and his apparently pregnant partner “Jig”. The storyline’s setting is set in Spain, where there are mountains, hills and fields, in which a train station is in the middle of it all. Hemingway uses figurative language to imply that Jig is pregnant, and her man’s disagreement regarding keeping the child. The couple, waiting for the next train to come, whilst drinking beer and briefly discussing the future of the child, come across obstacles in their relationship, which concludes in a result of both of them not coming to a concession. Hemingway depicts the deceptive side of human nature, by referencing to the setting and characterizations to portray the ambiguous relationship of the main characters. The setting and its characterizations represent the unborn child. In addition, Jig’s man uses characterization of the abortion in order to ease it into her, and get her to follow through with it. Lastly,

In “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway, which takes place in 1927, a character who goes by the American makes abortions seem like a harmless procedure: “It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig… It’s not really an operation at all” (140). This, however, is not the case and Jig knows that there is more to it than it just a simple surgery. Whether it was a manipulation driven tactic or pure ignorance, the American couldn’t have been further from the truth. During the twenties, an overwhelming number of women either died or suffered severe medical complications during an abortion due to its taboo nature. With abortion being illegal in that time, Hemingway tastefully leaves it to the readers to figure out what type of

Ernest Hemingway’s Hills like White Elephants leaves the reader’s mind to wander throughout the piece. The story’s set place in a railway restaurant involving two individuals that are, apparently involved in a less than stable relationship. Contemplating the outcomes of an event that neither of them is really sure that he or she wants to embark on, is the mystery Hemingway reveals. Both individuals are leaning toward different directions, but is not sure the direction they desire is the one they truly believe is right. The uncertainty of their interactions is the viewpoint of the story. Hemingway is opening our eyes to the fact that relationships are uncertain, but there must be a common ground for both parties to stand on.

But when she asks if it means anything to him, he immediately responds, "Of course it does. But I don?t want anybody but you. I don?t want anyone else. And I know it?s perfectly simple" (277).

Ernest Hemingway’s stories are known for their ever interpreting meanings behind them, and “Hills Like White Elephants” does not trail from the rest due to the never mentioned word ‘abortion’. “Hills Like White Elephants,” written by Ernest Hemingway, takes place around World War 1 in Spain, at a train station ("Hills Like White Elephants." 4). An American man and a girl have been discussing the girl’s unspecific operation. It is apparent that the girl is perturbed about this operation, while the man continually coerces the topic. Despite the fact that Hemingway never spells out what the type of operation they are discussing, critics and readers believe the operation has something to do with an abortion. These perceptions occur because of

Though Hills like White Elephants is a very short story, it offers a lot to be taken away from it. I feel like every person that reads it can get a different message from the story. That is one of the things that makes Hills like White Elephants such a great story. I can relate to this story very easily because I have been in situations that are somewhat similar to the one the American and Jig is in.

“Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway takes place in the early 1920’s where an American man accompanied by an American girl waited at a Spanish train station located next to the Ebro river for the train that will take them from Madrid to Barcelona. The couple ordered two big beers, and the girl was distracted by looking at the hills covered by the sun. Then the girl described the hills as “white elephants” and a tense conversation begins to build up around that topic. As the couple continued talking the man tries to convince the girl ( Jig ) to have an abortion, but only if she wants to, he says. The girl worries about their relationship and how it will change due to the pregnancy/abortion.

In the short story Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway, the entire story is a dialogue between a man and woman about an unplanned pregnancy. The woman does not know whether to keep the baby, however the man is trying to convince her to have an abortion. Language and Communication, the characters’ choices, and alcohol are the three main themes that help determine what the story is about, how they get to their location, the reason behind the mans decision, and even the outcome of the story. Alcohol is a theme of the story but not a major one however, it does help the reader with the cliffhanger at the end of the story. In the beginning of the story, the characters are drinking in a bar.

Megan Moore Martens IB English III 19 November 2014 Nature Motifs in “Hills Like White Elephants” and “Out, Out- “ Nature imagery can be used as a recurring motif in many ways throughout literature. In the short story, “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway, a girl and a man sit at a bar, drinking while waiting on their train. As they drink, they discuss whether or not the girl should get an abortion, or keep the baby and changer her entire lifestyle. Throughout the course of the story, the girl is shown looking away at beautiful landscapes that surround her.

Ernest Hemingway’s Hills Like White Elephant is about a couple, the American and a female named Jig debating about an operation Jig should have. Throughout the story, Jig is distant, the American is rational. Although the story never explicitly states what it is that the couple is arguing, if you really think about it, you’d realize that the tough situation where they are trying to make a decision, keeping their unborn child or having an abortion based on several different suggestions described. The reader must interpret their dialogue and body language to infer their backgrounds and their attitudes with respect to the situation at hand, and their attitudes toward one another. What the American thinks is best solution to their pregnancy,