Hills Like White Elephants
Ernest Hemingway's "Hills like White Elephants"
Ernest Hemingway's "Hills like White Elephants"
Ernest Hemingway's short story, "Hills like White Elephants" draws largely on the themes of selfishness and naivety, which can be seen in looking at the story's main characters. In order to further embed these themes into his writing, Hemingway skillfully utilizes the literary tools of setting and symbolism to not only give readers an understanding of the situation at hand, but an allowance to place themselves into the characters' shoes.
The story centers upon a young couple traveling throughout Europe. Whether the couple is married or engaged is left unsaid, and it becomes uncertain whether or not the couple has really known each other very long at all. The woman, Jig, and the American man she is with begin the story with small-talk on a train that evidently leads into a much larger for Jig, which is something she remains uncertain about despite her partner's insistence that it will be for the best.
Jig's naivety to the situation is mirrored in the man's selfishness. When she repeatedly asks what it will be like when the procedure is all over -- will they be in love again, the way it used to be -- her partner assures her, "we'll be fine afterwards . . . just like we were before" (Hemingway, 1998, p. 23). The reader can allude to the fact that the man is looking for a quick fix, and he will say and do what is needed in order to get it. It is also apparent that Jig is so naive to his motives and desperate to rekindle the relationship the two shared before, that she is allowing him to determine how the situation should be remedied. As the man talks and talks, assuring Jig that it is really "her choice," even though the reader knows it really isn't, Jig becomes increasingly frustrated but remains on course.
These themes are added to tremendously by the literary components of setting and symbolism. Author Elaine…
Hills Like White Elephants" -- Ernest Hemingway Will the couple agree to an abortion? Jig, the girlfriend, knows she is going to have to give in to the man and have the abortion, and there are hints and there is foreshadowing (albeit very subtle) that provide the clues. This paper reviews the subtleties and on pages 2 and 3 points to specific passages that suggest she will in fact give in
post: Hills Like White Elephants Ernest Hemingway's short story "Hills Like White Elephants" revolves around the dialogue of a young woman and a man, obviously lovers, who are discussing the woman's pending abortion. The woman does not want to have an abortion; the man wants her to do so. She sees his not-so-subtle lack of enthusiasm about her pregnancy as an example of how he does not care about her.
Hills like White Elephants -- Critical Literary Analysis One of the first things entering the mind of a reader (on an obvious level) in Hemingway's short story is that the image of a white elephant the woman sees in the line of hills in the distance has created a classic man-woman conundrum. She sees it her way and he sees it his. The beer and the anis del Toro -- and
Hills Like White Elephants analyze literary works week's readings, completing: Explain literary work captured interest, terms concepts text support explanation. Describe analytical approaches outlined Chapter 16, details text support interpretations. "Hills Like White Elephants:" Using dialogue to advance a story Ernest Hemingway's short story "Hills Like White Elephants" is a spare, poetical tale told almost entirely in dialogue. The plot of the story is simple -- a man and a girl are traveling
Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway In Hemingway's story there are a number of contrasts between the two people. First of all, there are the obvious contrasts -- he's a man, she's a woman. He speaks Spanish, she doesn't. (When the woman tells them, "The train comes in five minutes," Jig's response is "What did she say?") But the larger contrasts deal with the attitudes of the American and Jig. The
Hills Like White Elephants": Critical Analysis Ernest Hemingway's "Hills like White Elephants" is an intriguing story of two individuals who have come to a difficult conversation. Hemingway captures this conversation between man and woman about a pending abortion but never actually revealing what they are talking about, only subtly alluding to the issue throughout the conversation. The context for the conversation is at a bar in a rather desolate place in
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now