Hills Like White Elephant Symbolism

Authors often use the literary device of symbolism to convey an idea or concept to the audience in an expressive way without saying it outright. Symbolism adds layers and a deeper meaning for the reader to analyze and uncover the author’s intentions. Ernest Hemingway’s short story, “Hills like White Elephants” is a phenomenal example of how physical objects and ideas can take on a special significance to create a deeper and emotional interpretation of the story. Throughout the short story, the overall theme is hidden and can only be unveiled through careful examination of symbols. The “Hemingway Iceberg” is in full play throughout this story, by using little dialog and vast symbolism. The short story “Hills like White Elephants” has many symbolic

The string of beads belonged to a beaded curtain at the train station. The curtain itself is a symbol that entertains many ideas. The first being that the beads the girl grabs for support can represent a rosary. Rosaries are often made from beads and offer religious and emotional support. The girl may have been reaching out to a spiritual power for help or simply trying to comfort herself in a stressful time. The second idea is that the curtain represents a barrier between the American man and the girl. Neither of them pass through the curtain during the story symbolizing how they may never pass through the barrier of what they should do with the pregnancy. Another symbol from the story is the drinks that the two consume. When the story opens, the girl first asks, “‘What should we drink?’”(Hemingway 314). During the short story, the girl consumes four alcoholic beverages in the span of around thirty minutes. Given the story’s time period, not much was known about drinking and pregnancy; however, people had some idea that drinking can cause some sort of defect in a fetus. From the excessive drinking, the girl may have been trying to cause a miscarriage. On the other side, she may have used the drinks to build up the courage to tell the American man that she wanted to keep the

The girl explains to him how she sees the hills and how, “‘They look like white elephants,’” (Hemingway 315). The hills and the imagery of a white elephant are both symbols that represent the girl’s pregnancy. In some Indian cultures, a white elephant represents peace and posterity. The white elephant reflects how the girl believes that her pregnancy is a gift and will bring great fortune and wellbeing to her. Oppositely in some American and European cultures, the phrase, “white elephant” is an idiom for something that is unwanted or burdensome. This interpretation of a white elephant reflects the man’s wish to terminate the pregnancy. The elephant can also be used as the phrase, “the elephant in the room” which means that there is a major issue or problem that no one is wanting to discuss. In this story the issue is the pregnancy and the girl wants to avoid the conversation of abortion. The shape the hills take on may represent the shape of a pregnant woman, showing another symbol for the hills. The symbols that Hemingway chose to use in the short story greatly convey the story he wanted to