Analysis of “Hills Like White Elephants” 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. The male protagonist is known only as the American in the story. He is
Premium Ernest Hemingway Fiction Short story
“Hills like White Elephants” By Ernest Hemingway Ernest Hemingway born in 1899‚ in Cicero‚ Illinois‚ served in World War 1‚ worked in journalism before publishing his story collection In Our Time. Hemingway won the Pulitzer Prize for writing four novels‚ The Sun Also Rises‚ A Farewell to Arms‚ For Whom the Bell Tolls‚ and The Old Man and the Sea‚ in 1954 he became a Nobel Prize winner. Hemingway was raised in the suburb of Chicago but he and his folks spent most of their time in Michigan. He
Premium Ernest Hemingway World War II
‘Hills like White elephants’ by Ernest Hemingway revolves around a conversation between a girl and an American man. The story is written in simple sentences and when one reads the story one does not really notice the subtleties present. Hemingway’s iceberg theory is relevant to this story because though the story seems to be simply about a man and a woman having a causal conversation there are undertones of more serious and pressing issues. It is set at a train station in between Barcelona and Madrid
Premium Ernest Hemingway Fiction F. Scott Fitzgerald
Conflicts in “Hills Like White Elephants” The story begins with a man known as the “American” and his girlfriend sitting at a table outside of a train station. The station is surrounded by hills‚ trees‚ and fields in Spain. The couple is waiting for the next train to Madrid. Throughout the story there is an inner conflict with the girl as well as an external conflict between the girl and the American. They speak of an operation that must be done for them to be happy together. This couple is at a
Premium Pregnancy Short story Abortion
Hills Like White Elephants The short story “Hills Like White Elephants” was written by Ernest Hemingway. The author seems to be a minimalist where he does not provide explanation about the very issue why the couple is unhappy and annoyed with each other. To have a more deeper understanding on the literature‚ I have looked up a translated version of it and according to a Japanese translation of the very story‚ it said that the problem was about her pregnancy and that the man wants her to have an
Premium Pregnancy Abortion Fetus
short story "Hills Like White Elephants"‚ Ernest Hemingway explores the human transition of character from following to leading‚ depicting how life’s situations bring about a change in the way one makes decisions in life. Hemingway develops the thematic meaning through the two main characters‚ the man and the girl‚ in the setting‚ and in the use of symbolism. Thematic meaning begins to unfold through the two main characters. The first character is the girl. The girl is a quite
Premium Fiction Ernest Hemingway Short story
Ernest Hemingway – Hills Like White Elephants According to the Oxford English Dictionary‚ a white elephant has a more figurative meaning: "A burdensome or costly possession. Also‚ an object‚ scheme‚ etc.‚ considered to be without use or value." It’s easy to see how this could be seen in context of an unplanned pregnancy that at least one of the parents wants to terminate. At first when I read through Hemingway’s short story‚ ‘Hills Like White Elephants’‚ I thought that it was merely a conversation
Premium Pregnancy
itself. In “Hills like White Elephants” an important symbol is the elephant. One way it is used is the term “white elephant”. A white elephant is a gift that is unwanted by the owner and the maintenance required is higher than the usefulness. Also there is another expression that involvles elephants‚ “the elephant in the room”. These interpetations of the word plays a part of being a symbol in the story. One reason why the term “white elephant” is used as a symbol is for the baby the girl has. Throughout
Premium Symbol Linguistics Semiotics
Having a baby can be the most important decision a couple can have. In “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway‚ a couple indirectly talks about whether or not they should have an abortion. Both of the partners are very vague in talking about their opinion on the situation. In Hills like White Elephants‚ Hemingway uses symbolism of the hills‚ it and white elephants to help explain the couple’s opinion on the baby and the situation. Instead of calling the unborn child a baby or saying the
Premium Pregnancy Symbolism
In the story “Hills Like White Elephants” the setting plays a role in the couple’s relationship. All of the different elements like the train station‚ train tracks‚ and the surrounding landscapes all how to tell The American and Jig’s story about their unspoken issue. Starting with the train station and its tracks‚ which symbolizes a junction - present to the further - a decision the couple needs to make. Each direction will take them to a different place. This substantial decision about the abortion
Premium Ernest Hemingway Fiction Train station