The Overtly Symbolic, Hills Like White Elephants

The Overtly Symbolic, “Hills Like White Elephants” Any reader would have to reread this story at least ten times with every ounce of their being focused on every word and every quotation to better understand each hidden facet of this couple’s conversation. The short story, “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway, is a puzzle that one must make an exhausting effort to piece together. The title itself gives off the aloofness that is to follow. Hemingway purposely did this with his idea that relates to his “Iceberg Theory”. Like an iceberg that is only revealed at the surface of the water, his stories only present a small amount of information so that the reader must dive in and discover ALL the rest. Not only is the meaning of “the
They were white in the sun and the country was brown and dry.’ They look like white elephants,’ she said”. We must keep on reading to relate the hills that look like white elephants to “the operation”. The first mention of “the operation” comes as a surprise because its sounds like the American just blurts it out after ordering their third round of drinks, ‘It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig,’ the man said. ‘It’s not really an operation at all.’ Even after the operation is finally mentioned, the reader may not come up with a consensus of what the true meaning of it is due to the ambiguous word play that the author distinctively uses to hide the true meaning such as, ‘I know you wouldn’t mind it, Jig. It’s really not anything. It’s just to let the air in.’ Just to let the air in? How would any reader find this sentence in relation to an abortion? Ironically, the symbolism that effectively aides the reader to believe the operation is an abortion is the title itself. The meaning behind a ‘white elephant’ is of something of great value but as well of great burden. Hemingway unnecessarily uses dialog to throw off the reader to keep them guessing, but it just became
There is absolutely no background to go off of concerning their relationship or who they are individually. We evidently can determine that the American is from America but where is Jig from? Even though we know the setting takes place somewhere in the country forty minuets from Madrid, Spain, Jig never speaks in Spanish. Ironically, the American only speaks in Spanish a few times when addressing the woman behind the beaded curtain (the waitress). Even her name doesn’t present a hint of where this confused young woman is from. Hemingway also does not give any description for neither character. All the imagery that is given is that Jig takes off her hat. He may desire us to focus on the dialog but a reader can only assume that Jig was young and naïve. She clearly doesn’t want to have the operation but yet earnestly desires the validation from her lover. A description of the couple would of better helped us readers in judging the outcome of the