Preview

Symbolism in "Hills Like White Elephants"

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
954 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Symbolism in "Hills Like White Elephants"
Symbolism in "Hills Like White Elephants"

What is symbolism and what is the use of it? Is it simply created to confuse the reader or is it dedicated to make the reader think about the meaning of the story? What is the symbol? Is it a person, object, or event? Those are the questions we should ask ourselves before we start reading a short story "Hills Like White Elephants," written by Ernest Hemingway. "Hills Like White Elephants" is a perfect example of a wide use of literary symbols demanding all readers to read in between the lines and figure out the true meaning of them. This short story is filled with symbolism, some of which the reader may not even discover.
In the beginning of the story the reader is lunge into the lives of two people, American and Jig, who wait in a small bar at the train station for their train to come. The symbolism is obvious as the picture of the scenery when the introduction says, "The hills across the valley of the Ebro were long and white. On this side there was no shade and no trees…” (106).This introductory statement describes the authentic background, and on the other hand demonstrates the miserable and dark situation two characters face. The reader is probably curious about what the other side of the hill looks like. It is evident of the conflict between the man and the girl. The problem is an abortion. It is made clear all through the story, that the man wants the abortion and the girl is not certain about it. While concentrating on Jig’s choice, she looks at her life says, "That's all we do, isn't it-look at things and try new drinks"(107). In this reflection, she is stating how uninteresting her and her boyfriend's lives are, with no change and no obligation. Apparently American adores this way of life pushing her towards his way of thinking. This difference in feelings creates some tension between the two.
White elephants symbolize something no one wants - the girl’s unborn child. The girl’s remark in the opening of the



Cited: Hemingway, Ernest. “Hills Like White Elephants”. The Norton Introduction to Literature. By Alison Booth and Kelly J. Maya. Shorter 10th edition. 2010. 106-109.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    The different symbols in “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemmingway are used to convey the different opinions, feelings and emotions of the characters and meaning of the story at hand. The symbolic devices and setting are used to effectively communicate the conflicts and obstacles that the two individuals are having.…

    • 894 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In order to convey the message of the story in “Hills like White Elephants” Hemingway uses symbolism all throughout the story. The first example of symbolism that is use in the story is within the title “Hills like White Elephants”. White elephant means a costly unwanted belonging, which is how Jig, the…

    • 487 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The “Man” is encouraging her to have an abortion and states “ I know you wouldn’t mind it, Jig. It’s really not anything. Its just to let the air in.”(401). The “Man” is implying that an abortion would be no big deal and further states, “ I’ll go with you and stay with you all the time. They just let the air in and then it’s all perfectly natural. That’s the only thing that bothers us. It’s the only thing that’s made us unhappy.” The term “natural” used by man in this statement implies the abortion is a natural thing to do. This statement gives the impression that the “Man” is attempting to lure Jig into his way of thinking using their surroundings. Jig is disenchanted from nature and what it represents in the story and sees it from his “simple” solution to a clear problem. Their unhappiness is seen in their drinking of alcoholic beverages to dull the pain and feel like nothing is wrong, and implies their inability to face reality. Gazing across the landscape the “Girl” expresses how the hills look like white elephants. This statement is used as a distraction for the so-called “white elephant in the…

    • 1289 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Cited: Hemingway, Ernest. "Hills Like White Elephants." The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway. New York: Scribner 's, 1987. N. pag. Print.…

    • 846 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sometimes it takes a life-changing moment to awaken a person in a relationship the realities of those around them, Hemingway’s “Hills like White Elephant,” showcase techniques that express the relationship among the man and the girl who were in a short-flawed altercation about the girl going under an abortion operation.…

    • 689 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The story "Hills like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway is a fascinating story about one couple having faced with an unexpected pregnancy. The theme of the story is about the couple's decision between life and death. The main character Jig and The American are in disagreements on weather to keep their baby, or have an abortion. The couple's lack of communication creates the conflict in the story. For example, Jigs says, "We can have all this..." "And everyday we make it more impossible" While this problem is going on, the couple is sitting at a train station in the middle of a valley. Each side of the valley represents either life or death. As Jig moves about in the story, she faces different sides of the valley, which helps to determine the decision she will make. With the many descriptions and symbolism throughout the story, the final decision seems as if Jig is keeping the baby.…

    • 949 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Although most of the features of "Hills Like White Elephants" have been well discussed and understood, so that Paul Smith, in his 1989 survey of opinion on the story, can wonder if there is anything left to say about it (209), what has not been satisfactorily resolved is the question of the ending. In view of the fact that Hemingway leaves virtually everything, even what is at issue between the girl and the American, for the reader to "figure" out, meanwhile unobtrusively supplying what is needed to understand the story's structure and conflict, it seems logical to assume that he also expected the reader to be able to answer the question left by the story's ending: What are the couple going to do about the girl's pregnancy? Yet the ending…

    • 175 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Hills Like White Elephants

    • 1849 Words
    • 8 Pages

    The most remarkable aspect of the short story "Hills Like White Elephants," written by Ernest Hemingway, is it 's rich use of symbolism. The story is rather unique in that it does not have a complete plot line with an introduction leading to an expanded story. Neither are we left with a developed conclusion to the story. The main thrust centers around two characters having a quarrel about certain issues they disagree on. However, Hemingway leaves his reader in the dark as to the background of the two characters, even to the point of omitting specifics regarding the argument itself. Even though Hemingway provides very little detail regarding the characters ' respective pasts or even the current situation, the use of symbolism utilized throughout the conversation allows us to understand something of them through indirect implications rather than specific details. Hemmingway 's clever use of symbolism and allusion allows the reader to understand (again, without making direct reference to specifics) that they are arguing over whether or not Jig (the main female character) should have an abortion. By analyzing the couple 's dialogue we can deduce that the couple is in fact playing mind games, and manipulating each other 's points of views on abortion regarding their unborn child.…

    • 1849 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    A lot of the readers can relate to this because everyone goes through that stage of not feeling wanted. For Jig she was referring to her baby that was not wanted. Personally, Jig wanted the baby. Notice when she said “They’re lovely hills, (Hemingway, 1927)”, meaning that Jig was trying to get off the subject. The America man was trying to persuade her to abort it. Noticing that, when he said, “It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig, (Hemingway, 1927).” Then, he continued, “It’s not really an operation at all, (Hemingway, 1927)” Anyone could clearly see that he was talking about aborting the baby because he kept repeating sentences like “I know you wouldn’t mind it, Jig. It’s nothing. It’s not as painful, as you think, (Hemingway, 1927)”. In the end, Jig doesn’t want to abort the baby, but does anyway because it seemed like she just wanted the situation to end and also the manipulation by her man who keeps saying that if you get rid of the baby everything will go back as it…

    • 894 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The short story “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway is about an American man and a girl who goes by Jig. The two are waiting in a train station between Barcelona and Madrid. As the couple waits, they go and get some drinks while they designate an important decision; whether or not they should get an abortion. In the story an ‘abortion’ is never mentioned directly so it allows the readers thoughts to linger on symbolism. Courage is a theme that is revealed in the story through the two devices irony and symbolism. Jig is the courageous one in the story, not because she is pregnant with the child because she seems willing to keep it, thinking it will bring joy to her typical life.…

    • 704 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hills Like White Elephant is a story that is narrated with very little detail. The subject of the couples argument is never given yet we are able to find out through the writing. This goes on with the whole story as we must dig deeper to see the hidden clues that Hemingway has left us with. Though this narration is very limited, we are able to analyze sections to strengthen the meaning of the…

    • 823 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    This essay will use new criticism to evaluate “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway in the areas of characters, symbolism, and conflict. I will mainly focus on two of the three characters. There will be many opportunities to comment on symbolism. Consideration will also be paid to the ongoing conflict between the American and the girl, sometimes referred to as Jig.…

    • 466 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Cited: Hemingway, Ernest. “Hills Like White Elephants”. Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing. 7th ed. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2010. 171-175. Print.…

    • 729 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Denzel Morales Dr. Tomko WRT-201-035 February 6, 2009 Irony in “Hills Like White Elephants” and “A&P” Several authors use irony to strengthen their story or to make a point out to its reader like in the short stories “A&P” which was written by John Updike and “Hills Like White Elephants” written by Ernest Hemingway. In these two short stories the author use ironic situations which made the reader have a better understanding of the story. The irony in these stories can be found in many parts of the story like the setting, the use of words, and even in the title itself. The ironic twists in these stories are indeed believable. In the short story “A&P”, Updike uses lots of irony throughout his story. Sammy decided to step up to the plate and quit right in front of his boss in his attempt to impress the three girls that walked in the supermarket.…

    • 603 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Cited: Hemingway, Ernest. "Hills Like White Elephants." Discovering Literature; Stories, Poems, Plays. 2nd ed. Ed. Hans P. Guth and Gabrielle Rico. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice hall, 1998. 22-25.…

    • 760 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays