return to English III 2B

"Hills Like White Elephants"

by  Jackie, Sara D, Barbara

      The lack of respect for human life and the decisions life holds, are all themes brought up in Ernest Hemingways stories."Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway, is a very contoversial short story.The theme of themes to the story are easily identifiable.One major theme portraid in this story would be; the decisions life holds.As many know, life holds many difficut and life changing choices.In this particular story the tough decision being thought about is; the choice between abortion, or keeping the baby.Another theme used in the making of this story was, the lack of respect for human life,and man kind.Like many other of Hemingways stories, this story expressed the crulety of man kind.The man in this story is full heartedly leaning towards getting the abortion, thus proving he has no respect for the possible human life, nor for his girlffriend.This story is very debatable, and will never be able to be justified as humanly right or wrong.In this story particularlly,Hemingway seems to persent this situation in a crule inhumain act.Hemingways usage of mass amount of elemnts, helps his readers further understand his story, and its sole meaning.Hemingway uses his literary elements and form of writting styles to present his themes of  all in all human life as we know it.

      In "Hills Like White Elephants," by Ernest Hemingway, The characters are mostly noticed for not changing and remaining the same throughout the story. This short story is about a very controversal topic, abortion. In "Hills Like White Elephants," the girl is named Jig, who is the protagonist in the story. She is shows throughout the story that she is undecisive about going through with an abortion or not. Jig is characterized as a flat character. This is noticed at the beginning of the story when she says, "And if I do it you'll be happy and things will be like they were and you'll love me?"(Hemingway). This quotes explains how Jig is talking about the operation and is not sure to get the abortion done because she was scared to lose her boyfriend, proving again how undecisive she is. Towards the end of the story, Jig demonstrates herself as a flat character when she says, "I feel fine," she said. "Theres nothing wrong with me. I Feel fine."(Hemingway). By saying that, Jig once again portrays herself as a Flat character. This quote explains how she would rather be with him and go through with the abortion than lose him. Jig is still the same and doesn't really care about herself. Knowing that Jig is a Flat character, she would also fall into the category of being a Static character. In the beginning of the story Jig says, "And you think then we'll be alright and happy?"(Hemingway). Jig is talking about going through with the abortion and is still showing uncertainty. Another statement she made was, "Then I'll do it because I dont care about me."(Hemingway). This impacts the story by showing her actions don't change and she could care less about herself because she would rather be with her boyfriend. What really motivates Jig is her boyfriend for getting the abortion. This is pointed out when she says, "And if I do it you'll be happy and things will be like they were and you'll love me?" (Hemingway). Another quote which shows that she seems to be convinced is when she says, "Then I'll do it because I don't care about me."(Hemingway). As one critic Kenneth G. Johnston said, "She has an imagination to see white elephants, whereas the man only sees white hills. Her instincts tell her that the relationship will be altered." The boyfriend contributes to her attitude and shows how she is influenced, causing her own feelings to be pushed aside.

     Throughtout Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants," his characters attitudes and lack of changes throughtout the writtings, set the mood for the story.Every story has an antagonist, which in this case the man is portraid as this character.Throughout the story the character does not change his attitude.With no multiple personality the charcter is considered a flat character.At the begining of the story the man states"If you don't want to you dont have to.I wouldnt have you do it if you didnt want to, but I know its perfectly simple"(Hemingway).At the start of the story the man is hinting to wards wanting his "girlfriend" to get an abortion.Futher on into the story it becomes more clear the mans mind and attitude towards the situation is not changing.Leading into the end, the man flat out states,"But I don't want anybody but you.I don't want anyone else.And I know it's perfectly simple."(Hemingway)From this passage you can blantley see the man hasn't changed his perspective on this situation at all.Almost mocking the woman in a way,accusing her of being a baby about the abortion, by saying its "perfectly simple".The man throughout the story obviously does not take the relationship seriously, along with the possible pregnancy and does not want to change his mind.Along with being A flat character, the man is considered static.Maintaining the same perspective througout the whole situation,"By the end of the story,The American has revealed himself to be self-centered and lacking of feeling for the girl,jig.Despite his protestation of love."(Akers) Without changing his ways or attitude, the character remains the same.The man is stuck in the same carefree mind from beginning to end of the writting.Within the first couple passages the man reveals his true feelings about the situation,"It's really an awfully simple operation"(Hemingway).At the begining of the story ,the man is using all his energy and effort to persuade the girl to listen to him and get the abortion.This showing how carless he feels about the respect of human life and their relationship its self, or lack there of.To wards the end , the man says "We'll be fine afterwards,Just like we were before." (Hemingway)From this line alone it is easy to tell the man is saying anything he possibly can to get the woman to , yet still get the abortion.Thus proving that throughout the story the mans selfish, and controlling ways stayed the same all along.With just these character traits alone, it helps relate too the theme of the story,The mans actions and words further prove the carlessness of human life many people have.

     In particular, the setting that “Hills Like White Elephants,” has contributes to an important part of the story and how Ernest Hemingway expresses his creative writing through the scenery that he is describing. Not only that but, the setting for “Hills Like White Elephants,” is also a big way of how Ernest Hemingway’s characters are going to express themselves and have a symbolic meaning toward what path the couple might take and if Jig will go through with the abortion.

    As first, when the story begins it is stated that the setting takes place by a train station in Barcelona, which is located in Spain. The weather and location is described as, “It was very hot and the Express from Barcelona would come in forty minutes” (Hemingway). This quote points out that the couple are at a train station, located by Barcelona. Ernest goes further to say, “It stopped at the junction for two minutes and went to Madrid” (Hemingway). This verifies that the setting is in Barcelona by a train station. One critic, Diane Margaret says, “The Spanish setting contributes to the ironic tone of the story, for the moral drama takes place in a catholic country in a firm opposition to abortion.” What Diane Margaret is trying to say is, the irony in the story has to do with a girl named Jig, who is in a country that has a firm belief of being against abortion and yet she is there and deciding what path she will take that will effect her forever. 

    In addition, Ernest Hemingway does have a creative way for writing and describing little details as a big significance, even though when the story takes place is not clearly stated. Although, making an inference from where the narrator writes, “On this side there was no shade and no trees and the station was between two lines of rails in the sun” (Hemingway). This quote is initiating that the story takes place during the morning. Reading further the narrator also states, “Close against the side of the station there was the warm shadow of the building and a curtain made of strings of bamboo beads hung across the open door into the bar to keep out flies” (Hemingway). This proves that the story could now be taking place during the mid afternoon. The decision of when the time will come for Jig to make her decision if she will get the abortion or not is a big part of the story as well.

    On the other hand, the tone and atmosphere are certain to be stated. One critic, Kenneth G. Johnston, explains, “She has the imagination to see white elephants, whereas the man only sees white hills. Her instincts tell her that the relationship will be altered.” Kenneth G. Johnston is saying that the relationship is taking a strain on itself and Jig is put in a difficult position to go through with the abortion or not. Especially when Jig says to her boyfriend, “Would you please please please please please please please stop talking?” (Hemingway). Obviously, this quote also proves that Jig’s boyfriend bringing up the topic about abortion and is making Jig get frustrated and does not want to hear him talk anymore. No doubt, Jig’s annoyance is distinguished when she also says,  “  ‘I’ll scream. The girl said’” (Hemingway). The story taking a tense tone and atmosphere  shows how the story is throughout, considering that Jig’s major decision is about abortion and how man kind reacts to the situation.

    All in all, the setting is an important part of the story to show how the relationship will be altered when Ernest Hemingway is talking about the train station and ultimately what will Jig decide. One critic, Kenneth G. Johnston, agrees “The station sits between two lines of rails to suggest the two directions in which the couple may go—toward Madrid and the abortion or away from Madrid toward a settled, family life.” Kenneth also says, “ The girl does not understand Spanish, a fact which helps to reveal her essential helplessness and dependency.” These quotes show how Jig has a decision to go through with the abortion and maybe stay with her boyfriend or not get the abortion and risk not being with him anymore. In “Hills Like White Elephants,” the little details in the story show that they have a bigger impact than the story itself, revealing the controversial topic still talked about today.

“Hills like White Elephants” includes complicated conflicts in this short story that reflect back to the value of life, man versus nature. The major conflict is the decision the girl Jig has to make of abortion. For a woman to decide on an operation that kills their child is very tough. Women all over the world go through the same situation as Jig. The minor conflict is the connection between Jig and the man and how is influences Jig’s decision.  When a woman is having a child, knowing they are going to have support is very important. For her to know that the man is not going to be supportive of her, makes it very difficult.

Deciding on abortion, the girl is confused and looks for help from the man. The thought of abortion is difficult to think about because it is a death that is in your hands. This short story is defiantly a “Tragedy….It announces the end of the line, the end of a family, the end of society” (page 164, Henningfeld). With this on Jig’s shoulders, the man does not make it any easier. Without being compassionate, the man says, “I don’t want anybody but you. I don’t want anyone else. And I know it’s perfectly simple” (Page 4, Hemingway). This statement impacts Jig to feel like she has no choice but to go through with the abortion because the man is all for it. The symbolism in this short story also explains the impact of the decision, such as ‘white elephants’. According to Dictionary.com, a white elephant is a possession unwanted by the owner but difficult to dispose of. This especially relates to the conflict of abortion because the woman and the man do not want the baby, but it is difficult to make the decision. It shows the idea of the baby being unwanted to then, but yet a gift that they have to decide on if they should keep it or kill it.

Furthermore, the minor conflict displayed in the short story is the value of their relationship. Jig and the man’s relationship were not serious and the thought of bringing in a new life is a struggle for them. Obviously the man is not for Jig keeping the baby, but he still wants to be with her. For her knowing this, she asks the man, “And if I do it you’ll be happy and things will be like they were and you’ll love me?” (Page 3, Hemingway). She is looking for his love and happiness and the only way she could get a response from him is for her to go through with the abortion. Instead of the man choosing to be considerate, he makes her feel abortion is her only option.

Without any compassion, the man says, “I know we will. You don’t have to be afraid. I’ve known lots of people that have done it” (Page 3, Hemingway). This shows that he was not worried about the fact the abortion is a murder to an innocent life, he seen it was a simple operation to fix a problem.  The conflict in this short story defiantly impacts the theme because it shows how abortion is a struggle for a woman to go through and not as an emotional impact for a male. Jig and the man’s relationship was not prepared for a child, the option of abortion is there just like it is there for all the other people in the world who are in the same situation they are in. Their relationship struggles and, “…without using …the word baby. The elisions suggest their poor communication an anxiety about the ‘awfully simple operation’ neither can name a well as about marriage and parenthood” (Page 89, Bethea).

The widely read short story, “Hills Like White Elephants” is a short story written in complete symbolic metaphors. The main component or element in this story is easily pointed out from beginning to end with the variety of meaningful symbols. One of the many symbols, used repetitively, was the “white elephant”. The white elephant symbolizes burden, which is then symbolizing the burden or hidden secret of the girls’ pregnancy. It also stands for the situation of getting pregnant in a not so serious relationship, and how it is looked down upon. In the start of the story the girl, Jig says, “They look like white elephants” (Hemingway). The girl is so concerned and confused with her possible options of the pregnancy, she is relating the coincidental or possible sign of seeing hills that look like white elephants out in the open, as a sign of what she should do with the ultimate choice of abortion. Later on the girl talks of white elephants again, “They don’t really look like white elephant ” (Hemingway). In this line the girl is simply was trying to cover up her uncertainty of getting the abortion. The girl hinting at the hills no longer looking like white elephants is showing the mind games she is playing on herself. Throughout the story the symbols grow more and more discreet, and explain the girls thoughts and feelings about her situation.

     Symbolic references carried throughout the story, begin to become more realistic. A symbol or connection is repetitively used between “hills” and the pregnancy. The random hills in the dry land are a symbolic connection to the random pregnancy that seems dry to the couple. The girl states, “They’re lovely hills.” (Hemingway) From this, it is obvious the girl is beginning to second guess getting the abortion her selfish boyfriend wants her to do, and that the “hills”, or pregnancy ,could be a good and lovely thing. The connection between the hills and the pregnancy could be deciphered as; “The precious dream of a family relationship, so ardently desired by the girl”(Harshmi). The author described the hills as: “The hills across the valley of Ebro were long and white” (Hemingway). In this case white; being a happy, joyful color, and long being a choice that will last forever, again symbolizing back too the pregnancy. The white color the girl sees’ on the hills, is symbolic to the way she is looking at the pregnancy, The girl is looking on the bright side of the situation, and believes it could bring joy. The “long” part of the hills , is describing the long term effect keeping or getting rid of the baby. In continuation of the symbolic use throughout the story, the connection between licorice and the feelings the girl has about the situation and her relationship are shared. The licorice is used to symbolize the negative out-look the girl has on her relationship with her boyfriend, and their lives together. While drinking the girl states, “ It taste like licorice”(Hemingway). Licorice, being black, and black being empty and cold, the adjectives that could be used too describe the couples relationship. This confusing herself in a way. The girl so badly wants to be in a relationship with her lover, yet can symbolize their relationship as dark and empty. Again the girl states , “Everything taste of licorice, especially all the things you’ve waited so long for like absinthe” (Hemingway.) This further proving the girls lack of happiness in her relationship. Showing the girls has waited so long to have a family and a serious relationship, yet she doesn’t have one in this case. This can also be concluded as the feelings the girl has towards the pregnancy. The girl is still undecided because, she has waited so long to have her own baby, yet its nothing to the man, causing it to be nothing to her. Critic Lewis Weeks states, “ Hemingway’s uses of the white elephants symbol in his title and throughout the story has immeasurably enriched this poignant episode, with its sight into the complexities, the disappointments, and the sadness of lifes ‘ might have been’s’ .” The symbols throughout the story make up all of the missing details, to explain the mass feeling and emotion behind, the couples simple daily task, yet their huge decision making.Hemingways extraordinary use of symbols themselves, make up the story, and show the lack of meaning mankind has for human life.

     The lack of respect for human life and the decisions life holds, are all themes brought up in Ernest Hemingways stories."Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway, is a very contoversial short story.The theme of themes to the story are easily identifiable.One major theme portraid in this story would be; the decisions life holds.As many know, life holds many difficut and life changing choices.In this particular story the tough decision being thought about is; the choice between abortion, or keeping the baby.Another theme used in the making of this story was, the lack of respect for human life,and man kind.Like many other of Hemingways stories, this story expressed the crulety of man kind.The man in this story is full heartedly leaning towards getting the abortion, thus proving he has no respect for the possible human life, nor for his girlffriend.This story is very debatable, and will never be able to be justified as humanly right or wrong.In this story particularlly,Hemingway seems to persent this situation in a crule inhumain act.Hemingways usage of mass amount of elemnts, helps his readers further understand his story, and its sole meaning.Hemingway uses his literary elements and form of writting styles to present his themes of  all in all human life as we know it.

     To conclude, In the depths of Ernest Hemingways writtings, his uasge of elements, and writting style help support the themes of this story.The outstanding relationship of symbols to describe the abortion and moods throughout the story, help the readers to desifer the idea of the story.The setting of the story helps to further understand the couples relationship, and the unexpected "possible" pregnancy.Along with the conflict of the story, you can tell the problems the couple is having by the incredable amount of symbolic refernces.The stories meaning and overall make up of the story , is by the way Hemingway used all of his elements.With just the right cobinations, Hemingway was able to creat this story.Weeks stated, "Hemingway greatly portrays the monstrasity man kind ignores in everyday life."(weeks). Hemingways stories are based upon the facts of life.He tries to express that the world is nothing but cruel, ignorent people.Still to this day , all trace of man kind live in the world Ernest Hemingway has created in his stories.

Works Cited

 Bethea, Arthur F.   "Raymond Carver's inheritance from Ernest Hemingway's literary technique." The Hemingway Review 26.2 (2007): 89+. Web. 19 Jan. 2010.

Harmin, Nilofer. "Hemingway's 'Hills Like White Elephants.'." 63.4 (Summer 2005): 234-237. Rpt. in Short Story Criticism. Ed. Jelena O. Krstovic. Vol. 117. Detroit: Gale, 234-237. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Web. 11 Jan. 2010.

Hemingway, Ernest. "Hills Like White Elephants." The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway. New York: Collier, 1987. 211-14.

 Hemingway, Ernest.  "Hills Like White Elephants." Transition. LitFinder for Schools. Gale. Minooka Community High School. 10 Nov. 2009. 

Johnston, Kenneth G. “Hills Like White Elephants: Lean, Vintage Hemingway.”

    Studies in American Fiction. 10.2 (Autumn 1982): 233-238. Rpt. In Literature     Resource Center.  Detroit: gale,      223-238. Literature Resources from Gale. “Web.”     21 Jan. 2010.

Margaret, Diane. ‘The Legend and Read the Work: Teaching Two Stories by Ernest     Hemingway.” 30.3 (Summer 2003): 124-137. Rpt. In Short Story Criticism. Ed.     Jelena O. Krstovic. Vol. 117. Detroit: Gale, 124-137. Literature Resources from     Gale . “Web.” 21 Jan. 2010. 

White elephant. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved January 22, 2010, from Dictionary.com website

Weeks, Lewis E., Jr. "Hemingway Hills: Symbolism in 'Hills like White Elephants'." Studies in Short Fiction. 17.1 (Winter 1980): 75-77. Rpt. Detroit: Gale, 75-77. Literature Resources from Gale. Gale. Web. 11 Jan. 2010.