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Hills Like White Elephants Literary Analysis

619 Words3 Pages

"Hills Like White Elephants" is a short story written by Ernest Hemingway that was published in 1927. The story takes place in a train station in Spain. There are two central characters, the American and Jig. They are having a very serious conversation about a pivotal point in their relationship. They are discussing about a certain operation that is not specifically explained in the story, but it is implied to be an abortion. There are themes of doubt and ambivalence as well as the consequences that result from difficult choices. Jig is pregnant with the American's child. The story focuses on the pregnancy, and the topic of abortion. Jig was probably a creation of Hemmingway's thoughts on abortion. It could also be about how us as humans trying to please others while going against our own beliefs. The American comes off as impetuous towards Jig despite his kind words. He seems to not care about Jig's feelings and thoughts and only seems to care about his own. "The man seeks to neutralize be depicting the operation as …show more content…

The first use of imagery is in the introduction of the story, "The hills across the valley of the Ebro were long and white. On this side there was no shade and no trees and the station was between two lines of rails in the sun." (Hemingway 1). The two rail lines represent the two choices that face the couple. Jig seems to care a lot for the American, so much so that she is torn between the two difficult decisions. The surroundings of the train station plays a crucial role in the story with its symbolism. " Immediately the symbolic significance of the title and the reason for the frequent mention of the hills becomes apparent"( Weeks Jr. 76). Jig says that the long and white hills "look like white elephants". A white elephant could be representing an expensive item that could be a burden financially. The color white could symbolize the innocence of her unborn

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