Hills Like White Elephants Literary Analysis
The story, “Hills like White Elephants”, focuses around the two main characters Jig and the American. The story takes place in Spain while the two wait on the train. They are both in with conflict whether or not Jig should get an abortion or keep the baby. To the American, in his mind he wants no part in having the baby with Jig, he just came to have fun. While they wait for the train they either have two choices, to either go west where the sun sets or to go east where the sun rises. West symbolizes discouragement and even death while east symbolizes new life and happiness. We began to see that Jig is starting to realize the severity of what can happen to her if she decides to get the abortion and how it can affect her, even kill her. “Jig
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“The beaded curtains can symbolize a lot of things such as the baby, the two’s relationship, and a barrier that Jigs putting up to protect her and her baby”. (Hibbison 5) The American keeps ignoring the barrier by suggesting that Jig should get the abortion and how it will bring back their happiness. He is telling Jig how it is “perfectly natural”. (Hemingway 28) “When he sees that Jig is ignoring what he is saying by walking to the fertile side of the station it seems as though he may come around about not getting the abortion, but he is not happy about it”. (Hemingway 30) While the American is trying to convince Jig to go through with the operation she finally tells him to please stop talking. Jig and the American were sitting down when the woman came out of the curtains with the two beers and told them the train comes in five minutes. “I’d better take the bags over to the other side of the station,” the man said as Jig smiled. (Hemingway 27) During the end Jig tells the American that she is fine, but in reality we all know she is not. Jig knows that she still has this bittersweet feeling of the American coming with her and them keeping the baby because he has finally decided to stop talking and walk to the other side to take the bags. We really do not know what he is going to do though. Whether he will stay with her or he did he just take the bags over there just to help
“The beaded curtains can symbolize a lot of things such as the baby, the two’s relationship, and a barrier that Jigs putting up to protect her and her baby”. (Hibbison 5) The American keeps ignoring the barrier by suggesting that Jig should get the abortion and how it will bring back their happiness. He is telling Jig how it is “perfectly natural”. (Hemingway 28) “When he sees that Jig is ignoring what he is saying by walking to the fertile side of the station it seems as though he may come around about not getting the abortion, but he is not happy about it”. (Hemingway 30) While the American is trying to convince Jig to go through with the operation she finally tells him to please stop talking. Jig and the American were sitting down when the woman came out of the curtains with the two beers and told them the train comes in five minutes. “I’d better take the bags over to the other side of the station,” the man said as Jig smiled. (Hemingway 27) During the end Jig tells the American that she is fine, but in reality we all know she is not. Jig knows that she still has this bittersweet feeling of the American coming with her and them keeping the baby because he has finally decided to stop talking and walk to the other side to take the bags. We really do not know what he is going to do though. Whether he will stay with her or he did he just take the bags over there just to help