Analysis Of Abortion In Hills Like White Elephants

Are all elephants that awkward? An analysis of abortion in Hills Like White Elephants

The girl stood up and walked to the end of the station. Across, on the other side, were fields of grain and trees along the banks of the Ebro. Far away, beyond the river, were mountains. The shadow of a cloud moved across the field of grain and she saw the river through the trees. “And we could have all this,” she said. “And we could have everything and every day we make it more impossible.”

The girl stood up and walked to the end of the station. Throughout the short story Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemmingway, the reader is introduced to two characters, an American man and a girl. The girl is named Jig, as stated by the man throughout the story,

The shadow is an interesting part of this scene. It has already been discussed about the light and dark symbolism found in this scene, but this is a point of darkness, the shadow, creeping into the light that the girl is looking off into. This isn’t necessarily a major moment for the girl, but it gives an almost “without a shadow of a doubt” feel when looked at closely. Despite even the darkness coming in over the life filled area, life goes on, vibrantly if it may be added, and it doesn’t stop the growth, and it doesn’t stop the girl in her process. Seeing the river is just another added factor in the discussion of life. The girl, observing all the life in front of her, adds the final piece to her thought process by observing the river. She looks through the trees, the life that represents the baby that is within her, to see the source of the life, the river, which represents her. It is at this moment where things change in conversation, and she begins to defend herself and her thoughts. The river is key, and can be seen as the final moment of decision for the girl.

“And we could have all this,” she said. “And we could have everything and every day we make it more

She again uses “we,” showing that she has a high desire to stay with the man in such a troubling time. She also states that they could “have everything,” which implies what every happy couple sees as everything, a lively relationship with children. The girl wants everything, as clearly stated, and her language shows that she is putting her foot down in regards to this abortion. The final portion of this sentence brings the reader to the word “impossible,” which really dictates the full feeling that the girl is feeling during this troublesome time. The language to describe how impossible the situation is to the girl creates a lot of emphasis. “Every day” it becomes more and more impossible, showing that this has been a very long discussion between the two. Her thoughts that “we make it” impossible is a sign that they both can’t come to an agreement, and she is clearly upset about it. Finally, her use of “more” confirms the emphasis on it all, that it has been a long-standing problem and she appears to be tired of it