Topic: discuss the role of setting as symbolic of the story in “Hills like White Elephant”…
Symbolism is the use of symbols to signify ideas and qualities by giving them symbolic meanings that are different from their literal sense. Symbols are used throughout literature to further explain a major theme. For instance, Ernest Hemingway uses many symbols in “Hills Like White Elephants”. In Hemingway’s short story, the main characters are a man referred to as “the American,” and a women referred to as just “the girl” and sometimes the nickname jig, both the American and the girl are discussing something important but as the readers we do not know exactly what the two characters are communicating about. The symbols used in the short story, such as the landscape, white elephants, the train, and the beaded curtain, gives the readers an…
Becoming a parent is something most people see in their future, however it often comes at the wrong time for some people. In Ernest Hemingway’s, “Hills Like White Elephants”, we see a couple’s conversation as it leads up to the decision they are making on whether or not to have an abortion. With the white elephants representing a metaphor for the unborn child, we are able to see the struggle of a couple trying to make a decision on whether to keep the child or not, through which it is apparent that the two of them as a couple don’t communicate properly and the girl does not normally know how to make her own decisions.…
In the short story “Hills Like White Elephants” written by Ernest Hemmingway, a short conversation between a young woman and her significant other about her recent pregnancy and possible abortion are described.…
When eavesdropping on a person’s conversation who is nearby, sometimes a person won’t get all the information on what they are talking about or find out how their conversation ended. Sometimes a person could infer the wrong things or not get the whole story. Also, since the people talking in the conversation might not tell the full story, the person listening might not get to know how the end of their conversation went, but if they are lucky, they might. The narrator in the short story “Hills Like White Elephants”, by Ernest Hemingway, was not so lucky and didn’t find out the ending, or many details of what the couple was disgusting. The story just ended with the woman saying “There’s nothing wrong with me. I’m fine”…
The story "Hills like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway is a fascinating story about one couple having faced with an unexpected pregnancy. The theme of the story is about the couple's decision between life and death. The main character Jig and The American are in disagreements on weather to keep their baby, or have an abortion. The couple's lack of communication creates the conflict in the story. For example, Jigs says, "We can have all this..." "And everyday we make it more impossible" While this problem is going on, the couple is sitting at a train station in the middle of a valley. Each side of the valley represents either life or death. As Jig moves about in the story, she faces different sides of the valley, which helps to determine the decision she will make. With the many descriptions and symbolism throughout the story, the final decision seems as if Jig is keeping the baby.…
It is his works, such as Hills like White Elephants, which subtly address modern issues that bring forth the question of morality and purpose to a general population (A Farewell to Arms, 3). It is his short, direct style, exemplified by his six word story “Baby shoes for sale, never worn.”, allows for a clear and deep expression of emotion (A Farewell to Arms, 4). His involvement of incorporating the reader through active reading breaks an emotional barrier set forth by usual text. This action allows for the reader to directly examine Hemingway’s characters, and thus reflect on their own behavior. Hemingway’s mastery of language, subsequent to his fluency in the Romantic languages, allows his works to be overall reflective of human behavior and relate to the reader in an emotional context (A Farewell To Arms,…
bring about a change in the way one makes decisions in life. Hemingway develops the…
Ernest Hemingway's, "Hills Like White Elephants," is discussed by many people because of the way that Hemingway used dialogue that contained a lack of descriptions, unidentified characters, and barely any narration to convey the short story's meaning. In this case, the reader is required to read between the lines. In this short story, one can see that all of the symbols disclose the unsteady relationship between the American and Jig and the conflict in relation to their lifestyle and operation.…
After reading the story “Hills Like White Elephants” there are many possibilities as to what will come of the American man and his girlfriend. Throughout the story the two characters seem to dance around each other. This stems from the issue that they have an underlying problem that festers because of a lack of communication.…
The whole story is based in a train station with the two main characters disputing with each other over a decision that will change their lives. This conversation is going on while the train is threatening to draw nearer. Towards the end of the conversation the man continues to warn about the train. This is evident in the repetition of the line “the train is coming in five minutes” (Hemingway 109.) The man is very impatient with the train and wants it to arrive. This is shown through the line “He looked up…could not see the train” (Hemingway 109.) This is symbolic of him wanting to run away from the truth of the situation and have everything go back to the way things were before the pregnancy. As James Nagel mentions in this line “His comments reflect…free of obligations” (Nagel,) it shows how the man just wants to be free and be with his girlfriend, but his girlfriend does not want the same thing. Her difference of opinion is what causes the animosity to…
Ernest Hemingway's impersonal objective narrative style is best exhibited in his short story, "Hills Like White Elephants", which describes a young girl and her older American boyfriend discussing whether or not she should have an abortion. Hemingway never explicitly uses the word abortion, but instead relies on the description and details of the setting to convey an idea of this weighty decision. It is his use of imagery, symbols, and dialogue that makes his minimalist technique most effective in expressing the real moral and importance of this story.…
The topic of "Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway continues to be a hot button issue, even 90 years after the story's publication. Though not as scandalous as it must have been in 1927, it remains the subject of great debate. In this short story, two lovers are awaiting a train that will whisk them away to Madrid for the purpose of an abortion. Even though the decision was made before arriving at the station, they continue to debate whether she will go through with it. The man's persuasive dialogue makes it apparent that he wants Jig to have the abortion and is worried that she will change her mind, however she is more concerned with the fate of her relationship with the man and the effects an abortion may have on her.…
This essay will use new criticism to evaluate “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway in the areas of characters, symbolism, and conflict. I will mainly focus on two of the three characters. There will be many opportunities to comment on symbolism. Consideration will also be paid to the ongoing conflict between the American and the girl, sometimes referred to as Jig.…
Denzel Morales Dr. Tomko WRT-201-035 February 6, 2009 Irony in “Hills Like White Elephants” and “A&P” Several authors use irony to strengthen their story or to make a point out to its reader like in the short stories “A&P” which was written by John Updike and “Hills Like White Elephants” written by Ernest Hemingway. In these two short stories the author use ironic situations which made the reader have a better understanding of the story. The irony in these stories can be found in many parts of the story like the setting, the use of words, and even in the title itself. The ironic twists in these stories are indeed believable. In the short story “A&P”, Updike uses lots of irony throughout his story. Sammy decided to step up to the plate and quit right in front of his boss in his attempt to impress the three girls that walked in the supermarket.…