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Wyche disputes all the critics who suggested that the text was either about whether Jig should carry the pregnancy to a full term or have an abortion. Wyche feels that the text was a metaphor representing pain which comes as a result of an end of a relationship between two people. One of his main ideas was therefore to dispute some of the ideas that critics had put forward in the past and bring forward a new meaning to the short story. As Wyche noted most of the critics saw a metaphor of abortion but failed to see that the abortion could also be used as metaphor to mean something else which in this case means the pain of a breakup. By bringing other critic’s point of view into play, he successfully acknowledges what they wrote and their ideas but also presents him with a point to dispute the same. Even if he does not refuse the ideas produced by earlier critics, the author presents a different point of view from whatever was presented before.

Ernest Hemingway's short story "Hills Like White Elephants" relies on symbolism to carry the theme of either choosing to live selfishly and dealing with the results, or choosing a more difficult and selfless path and reveling in the rewards. The symbolic materials and the symbolic characters aid the reader's understanding of the subtle theme of this story. The hills symbolize two different decisions that the pregnant girl in our story is faced with. Both hills are completely opposite of each other, and each "hill" or decision has a consequence that is just as different as the appearance of the hills.

Jig appears to be unsatisfied with her life. In the opening scene, she is imagining white elephants as she looks onto the Ebro hills. The white elephants refer to an unwanted gift. She wants the gift of a child but knows she can't have it because the man doesn't want it. This makes her unhappy and makes her look for an "imaginary life." She drinks a lot and never settles down in one place. As she looks at the hills, she sees that there is no shade and no trees on their side. Later in the story, she sees that the other side of the hills is very fertile with a river, a field of grains, and many trees. Jig imagines her life as it could be if she becomes a mother and changes her lifestyle. Her life would be as happy as that little scene. Jig is also unhappy because she can not express her true feelings. She tries to tell the

“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).

Although Jig and Sheri were both dealing with the same issue of not wanting to have an abortion, they both interacted with their partners differently. While the American spoke with Jig over some alcohol, he downplayed the seriousness of the procedure. Jig was easily influenced by what the American was telling her and she even said, “Then I’ll do it. Because I don’t care about me” (Hemingway 637). While Jig did not want to have the procedure done, the way she interacted with her partner shows she cares more about his approval than she cares about herself. Also, it shows that when Jig interacts with her boyfriend, she is not willing to communicate her true feelings. Unlike Jig, Sheri is sure of herself and was not seeking her boyfriend’s approval. While Sheri did not speak in the short story, Lane had a vision of her saying, “This is her own decision and obliges him to nothing” (Wallace 258). Lane’s vision of their interaction shows that Sheri is not afraid to

He tells her that she does not have to have the operation, but tells her it is the best thing to do. The girl begins to think, “And if I do it you'll be happy and things will be okay like they were and you'll love me” (Hemingway 107)? He reassures her that he loves her now. Jig is more realistic about the situation and the consequences in front of her. She knows that she is going to make the ultimate decision, although she is asking for reassurance from the American(Short Stories for Students). The girl also knows that regardless of her situation, their relationship might not work out anyway. The choice to abort or not abort the baby ultimately leaves her with the same consequence: life without the American.

Tension appears although this conversation suggests that they have been fighting prior to their arrival at the train station. Jig implies that she believes the American is stuck in his own perception and is unable to see beyond it . Since Jig is still dependent on her mate at this point when making choices, if only about drinks, she remains calm and changes the subject.

Never in anybody’s time should you ever put someone else first before over yourself. Doing that just leads down a road of destruction, and then the fact that this whole conversation is about abortion they probably should just get rid of it because she could just end up alone. Jig sounds as if she has no will or fight in her so she probably shouldn’t take care of a child. The baby in this story played a huge role for its future possible parents. The couple had to make a decision that if it were the wrong one could have broken them up, or made their relationship a happy one.

There are several instances in the story that “the American” reiterates “Jig’s” options for her future. Although he expresses that he would support and love her no matter what the ultimate choice is, she feels conflicted and her pain, which builds throughout the story and as the conversation progresses, becomes more obvious. What is most interesting is, as his second thoughts about the unspoken abortion spike, her resistance to discuss the topic any further grows in tandem. Although the two heroes’ love for one another is evident, there is the aching uncertainty between them: Is there room for a child in their relationship built of travelling, drinking, and discovery?

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.

The American is dishonest making her feel as if their relationship is before anything else. He feigns indifference telling Jig that he doesn't care whether she has it or not. Even though he is relentlessly pushing her to do it by oversimplifying it"...if you don't want to you don't have to. I wouldn't have you do it if you

Jig knows that having the child will make her look like a whore in the eyes of her community, thus she knows that she has to get rid of the baby, but in her heart she wants to keep it.

The girl remarks that she and the American man never do anything together except try new drinks. This can represent that their relationship is boring and mundane which seems to bother the girl. These feelings can reflect that girl may be ready for change and a chance to settle down, unlike the man who doesn't seem interested in changing his carefree ways. She also asks the man permission for a drink and has to rely on him to order the drinks because of her inability to speak Spanish. She appears disappointed that she is so dependent on the man and no matter what her decision may be, their relationship will no longer be the same. After trying the new drink she replies that “Everything tastes like licorice. Especially all the things you’ve waited so long for like absinthe” (Hemingway 655). Another symbolism that Jig is now feeling bittersweet about the decision because she may want to have the baby, but the man's decision is to have the abortion.

Jig's main objective throughout the story is ensuring that her partner is happy. This is apparent when she tells him that she will go through with the abortion. "Then I'll do it. Because I don't care about me." "And I'll do it and then everything will be fine." Through these comments it is evident that she truly believes if she has an abortion their relationship will be fine giving little thought to the emotional and physical trauma the procedure will cause. Jig's subservient attitude is indicative of her low self esteem throughout the story. She allows herself to be shaped by a man whose care for her is more than obviously not a reciprocation of hers for

The couple must choose a path to take and deal with the consequences of that choice. In this time period abortions were rarely heard of. Because of the lack of knowledge of abortions in this time period, the decision becomes much harder for the couple to make. Jig is afraid of what