Hills Like White Elephants Rhetorical Analysis

Pamela Smiley wrote an article called “Gender-Linked Miscommunications in Hills Like White Elephants” that explains the dialog differences and the frustration that occurs between opposite sex conversation, for instance the man in the story is precise, straightforward, and has low emotional content, but Jig is imprecise and tries to tie in emotions. Smiley indicates in the article that men are more goal-based and women may tend to be emotional oriented. This is significant because it shows how women can often submit to a male, rather than follow their own decisions. Possibly one of the most interesting facts pointed out that happens in Hills Like White Elephants is that Jig exhibits dependency on the American, which is something I did not notice

He states that the first time the hills are mentioned they are literally mentioned as being “long and white”, but the second time around they are compared to the country side which is “brown and dry”, which symbolisms the limitations and aridity of the couple’s relationship (Weeks, pg. 75). A surprising fact that he put together was color symbolism which included the drink tasting of (black) licorice and the white elephant, contrasting the difference between sorrow and joy with the colors used. This again related back to the brown and dry countryside and how up and down the relationship between the couple is. Weeks also compared the white elephant to something that is unwanted or given away, because this is how the male sees the child, but Jig sees the child in comparison to Buddha’s mothers dream where she envisioned a beautiful white silvery elephant. This is all significant because it shows that the male sees things that are dark such as the drink as a positive rather than the beautiful hills and the meaning of the white elephant. The reader gets a sense of how much the male does not want Jig to keep the child and how awful their communication with each other seems to be. Referring back to the color symbolism having a purpose of showing the reader the “good side” and “bad side” of every reference and color selection made, suggests that Jig stating “wasn’t that bright” fits into this data collation because the purpose of the word bright to show lightness and joy which is what Jig feels about being pregnant even though it is not directly stated. It is important to see that Jig is the one trying to remain hopeful, despite the manipulation she is receiving from her