Literary Analysis Of Hills Like White Elephants

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.

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.)

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.

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

“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.

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.

Frequently, Hemingway uses setting as a significant role within his story to symbolize what the characters do not speak. Throughout the story, the two main characters sit at a bar nestled within a remote train station. All the while, Jig takes note of her surroundings: “On this side there was no shade and no trees…” (Hemingway 274). She also mentions, “…the country was brown and dry” (274). Hemingway’s description shows how bare and desolate the land is on that particular side of the train station. By way of contrast, the opposing side of the station paints a different picture, “On the other side, were fields of grain and trees along the banks of Ebro” (276). The clash between the two landscapes is profound. On one hand there is arid, lifeless land. Conversely, the opposing side yields, beautiful fertile land. Hemingway wanted to emphasize how Jig’s life would develop one way or another depending on the route she took. Notably, the dry land seems to represent the frailty of the situation and how unpromising the future looks should she go through with the abortion. Alternatively, the lush land she gazes at from the train station gives her a glimpse of what could be and perhaps represents her true feelings toward the pregnancy. Throughout the story, Jig has hesitation about the surgery and does not seem to want to follow through with it. Jig mentions, “’We can have everything’” (276) as she stares off into the mountains. The quote signifies that she wants to be as fruitful as the land and do away

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 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.

Would you do anything for that special someone? Author, Ernest Hemingway, shows how humans are willing to put others in front of themselves. He has done this by using many literary terms in his stories. Hemingway was renowned for his novels and short stories, such as “Hills like White Elephants”. This particular short story has shown to be taken place in Spain, where the girl and the man are traveling. This man and girl are found to be in a situation, but he had fallen in love with her and made a big mistake. The two are faced with a serious question now but, what decision does this couple make?

In Ernest Hemingway's short story "Hills like White Elephants” the story is about a young couple that is waiting at a train station. There are many elements in the story, such as disconnection, innocence, and irresponsibility. The girl express grief that their life consists of nothing but "looking at things and try new drinks” (7-8). The lacks of mentioning of the girl’s relationship with the man suggest that their relationship is not essentially serious or significant. While the couple waits at a train station they order large glasses of beer. This may be because they are trying to forget something that they do not want to think about. As they drink beer the woman comments that the distant white

Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants" is a story presenting a conversation between an American man and his girlfriend outside of a bar by a train station waiting for a train to arrive. This story takes place in Spain, specifically in the Ebro valley. This is told in the third person point of view, which strictly details only action and dialogue. Having never read a Hemingway novel or short story before, his unique writing style took some getting used to. Part of this style is an extensive use of dialogue that make up the majority of the text. Hemingway strips the narrative of everything that is not absolutely essential. What this adds to the story is a sort of ambiguity, because we can only see so much of what is going on. We only

“Hills Like White Elephants” takes place at a train station, overlooking the Ebro River, somewhere between Barcelona, Spain and Madrid, Spain. When reading this story one sometimes gets the feeling of Jig not being able to identify herself or not feeling worthy, she depends on The American Man to help mold her identity in a way. Jig seems rather boring and has a humdrum kind of persona. Jig and her partner obviously have some communication difficulties and it almost seems as if Jig tries to project this onto the setting because she sees no other way to express the dilemma.

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.