Hills like white elephants explanation. Critical Analysis of Hills Like White Elephants Essay 2019-02-18

Hills Like White Elephants Summary & Analysis from LitCharts

For instance, the Anis del Toro is a drink that is illegal in many countries because those who gorge themselves on the drink can, and probably will, die of alcohol poisoning. It is a story about a man and a woman waiting at a train station talking about an issue that they never name. It is a euphemism for abortion. Ernest Hemingway places the setting at a train station for many motives. When the unnamed girl first compares the far-off hills to white elephants, the American simply replies, 'I've never seen one. While the former story employs dialogue to depict the relationship of an adventurous, carefree couple in the 1920s, the latter uses third person limited point of view to show a faithful young couple whose religion is their source of morality.

Hills Like White Elephants: Theme, Symbolism & Literary Analysis

A symbol is a person, object, or event that suggests more than its literal meaning Meyer 220. The end of a romance can occur either through choosing to leave your other half or being the one who is left. While they wait they order drinks and have a heated ongoing conversation over whether or not Jig will have an operation that would be of great significance to their relationship. Through the characters' dialogue in which they avoid a substantial conversation and implicitly state their disappointment in life, Hemingway explores the emptiness generated by pleasure-seeking actions. Landscapes, especially rugged ones, were a favorite thematic element for Hemingway and no less so in 'Hills Like White Elephants. It leaves an open end, readers can have their own ending and therefore take part in the story when reading. Taken from his The Complete Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the third person by an unknown narrator and is set at a train station in Spain.

Hills Like White Elephants Analysis

This has led to varying interpretations of the story. The man has experience in this, but the woman seems not to. While they know others who have gone through with it and seem to be happy with their decision, it is still a risk, and it is still a major decision that is frowned upon by many. First, Hemingway uses concise words to describe characters and scenery to show a vivid image. Here her feelings are closest to the surface and there is the sense that there will be an emotional explosion, and then perhaps even some real communication and confrontation of the truth.

Hills Like White Elephants: Theme, Symbolism & Literary Analysis

It is important to note that this interpretation assumes the couple have the abortion and end their relationship; neither of these are certain, due to the ambiguity of the story. At this point the girl asks the man to do her a favor, to which he instantly agrees. She knows that no matter what choice she makes, her relationship with the American man can never go back to the way it was. In the story, Hemingway refers to the Ebro River and to the bare, sterile-looking mountains on one side of the train station and to the fertile plains on the other side of the train station. While Jig represents fertility, life and continuity, the American represents sterility, dryness and death.

Hills Like White Elephants Analysis

Conflict is created through conversation as these characters face the obstacle of an unexpected pregnancy. The entire story encompasses a conversation between two lovers and leaves the reader with more questions than answers. He tells his story through conversations between the two main characters, the American and the girl. The idea that she is stronger now than she was at the beginning of the story can be seen in the way she asks the American to stop talking end communication. It is this breakdown in communication that reveals the bigger problem in their relationship, which is a lack of honesty and trust. The man, who speaks Spanish while the girl does not, orders two beers from the Spanish waitress, who is referred to as the woman.

Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway “Hills Like White Elephants” Summary and Analysis

They must make a decision that will affect both of their lives, and potentially end their relationship. The American man and Jig, the girl with him, the two main characters in the story are faced to make a sudden decision on an operation, an abortion. As they sit in the station, they order two beers and the girl gazes at a line of distant hills. The American is the man in the relationship. It is evident that this is why Ernest Hemingway writes the literary pieces he writes. Most of the story is simply dialogue between the two characters, the American and Jig.

Hills Like White Elephants Summary

There is also a sense of confinement in the story, particularly with the American. Jig is a sympathetic character, ultimately more sympathetic, scholars have argued, than the American. As soon as the reader starts reading, symbolism greets him. Wade, the justices ruled in a 7-2 decision that a Texas law barring a woman from having an abortion unless her life was in danger was unconstitutional. Lesson Summary The underlying theme of Ernest Hemingway's 'Hills Like White Elephants' deals with the difficulties a couple, particularly the female, has in facing an unexpected and ultimately unwanted pregnancy. Although they drink primarily to avoid thinking about the issue at hand, readers sense that deeper problems exist in their relationship, of which the operation is merely one. The overuse of two is definitely symbolic within the story.

Analysis of Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway...

In fact, themes are the purpose to an author writing anything. He has successfully used the setting and the actions of the characters to portray the conflict instead of blatantly stating them, thus making it more effective. The man carries the heavy luggage to their tracks where the train is not yet visible. White is a color of purity, just as licorice is a candy which children often eat, both of white highlight the innocence of Jig and how she wants to please this man. Sand Slides Like Lambs Have you ever looked at the West Elk mountains and seen the lamb in the side of Mt. A few examples involve the title.

Hills Like White Elephants: Theme, Symbolism & Literary Analysis

The third person narrator in this story gives the reader the events pieced together, told afterward, and translated to English. However, he clearly is insisting that she do so. Mikhail Shimonov Professor Kaufman March 28, 2011 Critical Analysis of Hills like White Elephants At first glance, Hills like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway, may allude to many interpretations, however, the short story has a clear purpose. Letting air inside the uterus was one of the historical ways of terminating a pregnancy. One of the points Hemingway brings up in this argument is that men have no point of reference for the experience of pregnancy. The American especially is not ready to take responsibility even remotely despite insisting on forcing her to abort the baby.