Summary Of Ernest Hemingway's Hills Like White Elephants

Ernest Hemingway uses setting subtly but effectively to emphasize the life-or-death decision facing a couple who disagree about whether the woman should have an abortion. The couple’s communication reveals tension in a new relationship. It also suggests traditional gender roles, where the man is dominant and the woman is more passive. In this essay, I will discuss Hemingway’s portrayal of the communication between a couple in her short story, “Hills like White Elephants”.

The novel open with a description of the sight of the river Ebro, and the mountains beyond it, from a train station in Spain. A man from America and a woman are drinking some beers outside the station bar as they wait for the train from Barcelona to Madrid. As they drink, the woman tell that American man that hills in the distance remind her of white elephants. The man tries to convince the woman, Jig, to get an abortion, but only, he says, if she thinks it is right. She agrees to have the abortion, but she states she is only doing it because she now no longer cares about herself. In addition, she demonstrates despair over her decision and feels like everything is now lost. She wants the man to stop talking and threatens to scream at him. The bartender who has been giving their drinks tell the couple that the train will soon arrive, and the man gets up to take their luggage

Hemingway portrays the American as man that is always under control of a situation. He still remains calm when he is confused while asking the about the operation. At first he avoids discussion of their issues, but when pressed, he oversimplifies the problem and pushes her to have it. The American fails to provide sympathy and understand about the crisis with her. He appears to identify himself as with the other passengers "waiting reasonably" at the train station than with his girlfriend, which indicates that they will go their separate