Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway

Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway

Hills Like White Elephants is a short story by Ernest Hemingway that explores themes of communication and choice through a conversation between an American man and a woman named Jig at a train station in Spain. The couple discusses a life-altering decision, hinted to be about an abortion, against the backdrop of the dry landscape and the symbolic hills that resemble white elephants. Hemingway's minimalist style captures the tension and emotional distance between the characters, making it a poignant study of relationships and the complexities of human interaction. This story is often analyzed in literature courses for its rich symbolism and themes of gender dynamics, making it essential reading for students and fans of classic American literature.

Key Points

  • Explores the complex dynamics of a couple's relationship in a tense conversation.
  • Symbolizes the weight of choices through the imagery of hills resembling white elephants.
  • Highlights themes of communication, misunderstanding, and emotional distance.
  • Set in a Spanish train station, reflecting the characters' transient lives and decisions.
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HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS by Ernest Hemingway
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. 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. The American and
the girl with him sat at a table in the shade, outside the building. It was very
hot and the express from Barcelona would come in forty minutes. It
stopped at this junction for two minutes and went on to Madrid.
"What should we drink?" the girl asked. She had taken off her hat and
put it on the table.
"It's pretty hot," the man said.
"Let's drink beer."
"Dos cervezas," the man said into the curtain.
"Big ones?" a woman asked from the doorway.
"Yes. Two big ones."
The woman brought two glasses of beer and two felt pads. She put the
felt pads and the beer glasses on the table and looked at the man and the
girl. The girl was looking off at the line of hills. They were white in the sun
and the country was brown and dry.
"They look like white elephants," she said.
"I've never seen one," the man drank his beer.
"No, you wouldn't have."
"I might have," the man said. "Just because you say I wouldn't have
doesn't prove anything."
The girl looked at the bead curtain. "They've painted something on
it," she said. "What does it say?"
"Anis del Toro. It's a drink."
* River in the north of Spain
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"Could we try it?"
The man called "Listen" through the curtain. The woman came out
from the bar.
"Four reales."
"We want two Anis del Toro."
"With water?"
"Do you want it with water?"
"I don't know," the girl said. "Is it good with water?"
"It's all right."
"You want them with water?" asked the woman.
"Yes, with water."
"It tastes like licorice," the girl said and put the glass down.
"That's the way with everything."
"Yes," said the girl. "Everything tastes of licorice. Especially all the
things you've waited so long for, like absinthe."
"Oh, cut it out."
"You started it," the girl said. "I was being amused. I was having a fine
time."
"Well, let's try and have a fine time."
"All right. I was trying. I said the mountains looked like white
elephants. Wasn't that bright?"
"That was bright."
"I wanted to try this new drink. That's all we do, isn't it—look at
things and try new drinks?"
" I guess so."
The girl looked across at the hills.
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"They're lovely hills," she said. "They don't really look like white
elephants. I just meant the coloring of their skin through the trees."
"Should we have another drink?"
"All right."
The warm wind blew the bead curtain against the table.
"The beer's nice and cool," the man said.
"It's lovely," the girl said.
"It's really an awfully simple operation, Jig," the man said. "It's not
really an operation at all."
The girl looked at the ground the table legs rested on.
" I know you wouldn't mind it, Jig. It's really not anything. It's just to
let the air in."
The girl did not say anything.
"I'll go with you and I'll stay with you all the time. They just let the air
in and then it's all perfectly natural."
"Then what will we do afterward?"
"We'll be fine afterward. Just like we were before."
"What makes you think so?"
"That's the only thing that bothers us. It's the only thing that's made
us unhappy."
The girl looked at the bead curtain, put her hand out and took hold of
two of the strings of beads.
"And you think then we'll be all right and be happy."
"I know we will. You don't have to be afraid. I've known lots of people
that have done it."
"So have I," said the girl. "And afterward they were all so happy."
"Well," the man said, "if you don't want to you don't have to. I
wouldn't have you do it if you didn't want to. But I know it's perfectly
simple."
"And you really want to?"
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FAQs of Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway

What is the main theme of Hills Like White Elephants?
The main theme of Hills Like White Elephants revolves around the complexities of communication and choice in relationships. The story highlights how the characters, particularly Jig and the American man, struggle to openly discuss their feelings and the implications of their decision regarding an abortion. This lack of clear communication leads to misunderstandings and emotional distance, making the theme particularly poignant as it reflects real-life challenges in intimate relationships.
Who are the main characters in Hills Like White Elephants?
The main characters in Hills Like White Elephants are an unnamed American man and a woman named Jig. Their conversation reveals the tension in their relationship as they navigate a significant and life-altering decision. Jig's perspective is central to the narrative, showcasing her emotional turmoil and desire for connection, while the American man represents a more detached and pragmatic viewpoint, creating a dynamic that underscores the story's themes.
What does the setting symbolize in Hills Like White Elephants?
The setting of Hills Like White Elephants, particularly the train station in Spain, symbolizes transition and the uncertainty of choices. The hills that resemble white elephants serve as a metaphor for the burdensome nature of the decision the couple faces. The dry landscape reflects the emotional barrenness of their conversation, emphasizing the disconnect between their desires and the reality they confront. This symbolic setting enhances the story's exploration of the characters' internal conflicts.
How does Hemingway's writing style affect the story?
Hemingway's writing style in Hills Like White Elephants is characterized by minimalism and sparse dialogue, which intensifies the emotional weight of the story. His use of simple language and short sentences creates a sense of immediacy and realism, allowing readers to feel the tension between the characters. This style invites readers to read between the lines, uncovering the deeper meanings and emotions that are often left unspoken, thereby enriching the narrative's impact.
What is the significance of the title Hills Like White Elephants?
The title Hills Like White Elephants is significant as it encapsulates the central metaphor of the story. The 'hills' symbolize the burdensome decision the couple faces, while 'white elephants' represent something that is both precious and unwanted. This duality reflects the complexity of their situation, where the choice they must make is laden with emotional weight and societal implications. The title prompts readers to consider the nature of their conversation and the underlying tensions in their relationship.

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