"Hills Like White Elephants" is a short story written by Ernest Hemingway in 1927. The story is told through a conversation between a man and a woman, who are referred to only as "the American" and "the girl," respectively, as they wait for a train at a Spanish railway station.
Throughout the conversation, it becomes clear that the couple is discussing a difficult decision that the girl is facing. The American is urging her to have an abortion, while the girl seems hesitant and unsure. The story is written in such a way that the actual subject of their conversation is never explicitly mentioned, but it is heavily hinted at through their use of euphemisms and imagery.
For example, the girl mentions the hills in the distance, saying that they look like white elephants. The American responds by saying that he has never seen one, to which the girl replies, "No, you wouldn't have." This exchange can be interpreted as a metaphor for the girl's pregnancy, with the hills symbolizing the burden of the unborn child and the white elephant representing something rare and valuable that is also a burden to care for.
The tension between the American and the girl is palpable throughout the story, with the American trying to persuade the girl to go through with the abortion and the girl expressing her doubts and reservations. The American seems more concerned with the practicalities of the situation, while the girl seems to be more focused on the emotional and moral implications.
In the end, it is unclear whether the girl ultimately decides to have the abortion or not. The story ends with the couple continuing their conversation as the train approaches, leaving the reader to interpret the outcome for themselves.
Overall, "Hills Like White Elephants" is a poignant and thought-provoking exploration of the complexities of relationships and the difficult decisions that we often face in life. It serves as a reminder that sometimes the most important conversations in life are those that are left unsaid, and that the true meaning of things is often hidden beneath the surface.
Hills Like White Elephants: Full Plot Summary
The girl and the American have been traveling in Europe and they stop at the train station waiting for the next train. The man asks the woman if she feels better, and she replies that she feels fine. This setting shows the choice, which the main heroine makes of whether to obey her gallant, and become barren and fruitless, and maybe even dead or to oppose him, and be a fruitful lady, and a mother of a child. Significantly, their conversation begins with a discussion of what to drink, suggesting how central alcohol has become to their avoidance of real communication. The couple is trying to decide whether they should have an abortion or not. She was sitting at the table and smiled at him.
Hills Like White Elephants: Symbols
Had Hemingway said that the girl, for example, spoke "sarcastically," or "bitterly," or "angrily," or that she was "puzzled" or "indifferent," or if we were told that the man spoke with "an air of superiority," we could more easily come to terms with these characters. Alternatively, she has the abortion, but the emotional toll on her causes her to split up with the man, and they each go their separate ways. The curtain and the child both are unimportant for the man. It is a wonder that this story was published at all. In one scenario, the woman refuses to go through with the abortion. She tosses out a conversational, fanciful figure of speech — noting that the hills beyond the train station "look like white elephants" — hoping that the figure of speech will please the man, but he resents her ploy.
Symbolism in the story "Hills Like White Elephants."
Although it is never actually said we learn that the couple is talking about whether to have an abortion. The Ebro River also represents life, as it germinates the fields. As the couple waits, they go and get some drinks while they designate an important decision; whether or not they should get an abortion. It is hot, and the man orders two beers. His frustration is palpable, yet when he rejoins the girl, both once again feign normalcy, refusing to communicate honestly in favor of further avoidance and concealment.