Literary Analysis Of Hills Like White Elephants
Nicole Pastore
Feindert
English 303, 10:45AM-12:50 PM
14 February 2016
“Hills Like White Elephants” and Setting In “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway, the setting enhances and symbolizes the difficult choices both the American and Jig must face as well as analyzes the problem of projecting problems on to the environment in everyday life. Heavy in dialogue and lacking in detailed descriptions of the environment, Hemingway’s sparse choices in description become very essential to the theme. The story is set in a train station between “two lines of rails” (Barcelona and Madrid) and is symbolic of a “crossroads” in the couple’s relationship as well as the imminent choice they must make. One station will lead to where Jig will have an abortion while the other one will lead to a life where she will become a mother. It is also likely that one train may lead to the couple’s eventual breakup and one does not. Even though they are in the process of traveling and a train will come in forty minutes, their dialogue makes it clear that they are still unable to make their decision. Utilizing the setting of the crossroads between Barcelona and Madrid, Hemingway seems to suggest a “fork in the road” for the couple where they must choose one path only to leave the other behind. As suggested in the title and by Jig, the …show more content…
The man never describes the environment, only comments on it based off of what Jig says. Given this, it is quite possible that “Hills Like White Elephants” could have taken place anywhere and Jig would have projected her problems on to the landscape or environment there as well. While her descriptions all depict the imminent difficult choices the couple must face, Hemingway could also be observing or noting the reality of projecting one’s problems on the environment in the real
Feindert
English 303, 10:45AM-12:50 PM
14 February 2016
“Hills Like White Elephants” and Setting In “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway, the setting enhances and symbolizes the difficult choices both the American and Jig must face as well as analyzes the problem of projecting problems on to the environment in everyday life. Heavy in dialogue and lacking in detailed descriptions of the environment, Hemingway’s sparse choices in description become very essential to the theme. The story is set in a train station between “two lines of rails” (Barcelona and Madrid) and is symbolic of a “crossroads” in the couple’s relationship as well as the imminent choice they must make. One station will lead to where Jig will have an abortion while the other one will lead to a life where she will become a mother. It is also likely that one train may lead to the couple’s eventual breakup and one does not. Even though they are in the process of traveling and a train will come in forty minutes, their dialogue makes it clear that they are still unable to make their decision. Utilizing the setting of the crossroads between Barcelona and Madrid, Hemingway seems to suggest a “fork in the road” for the couple where they must choose one path only to leave the other behind. As suggested in the title and by Jig, the …show more content…
The man never describes the environment, only comments on it based off of what Jig says. Given this, it is quite possible that “Hills Like White Elephants” could have taken place anywhere and Jig would have projected her problems on to the landscape or environment there as well. While her descriptions all depict the imminent difficult choices the couple must face, Hemingway could also be observing or noting the reality of projecting one’s problems on the environment in the real