Hills Like White Elephant Symbolism Essay

The short story, “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway, is about a young couple and the issue about abortion. Hemingway’s use of effective literary devices; symbolism and setting is used to understand the story. In the short story, the word “abortion” is not actually used in the story, but using the literary devices it supports the understanding of the story.
The setting is vital to the story. The story begins with a young couple referred to as “the American” and Jig waiting at the train station in Spain in the 1920’s. The train symbolizes the different directions in life if they choose to have the abortion. The train station symbolizes the stop in their life. If they choose to have the abortion their lives go in separate directions; Hemingway goes into detail about the scenery saying “The hills across the valley of the Ebro were long and white. On this side, there was no shade and no trees.” The side of the river with no shade or trees symbolizes the emptiness and loneliness Jig would feel if she had the abortion. “Across on the other side, were
In history, a white elephant symbolizes a present or treasure that is unwanted. As they are sitting there at the table Jig refers to the hills as looking like white elephants to instigate the talk about abortion, but later diminishes her statement saying they do not look like white elephants after all. The American does not catch this metaphor, and the possibility of Jig wanting to keep the baby.
In conclusion, it is unclear in Hemingway’s Hills like White Elephants if Jig decided to go along with the abortion or keep her unborn child, but at the end Jig says, “There’s nothing wrong with me. I feel fine.” Abortion and pregnancy are viewed differently and the main characters are perfect examples of this. Jig sees the unborn child as a new start and happiness while the American views the child as an