An Analysis Of Hemingways Hills Like White Elephants...

In Hemingway’s â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† I found many layers of symbolism, and a fascinating psychological underplay afoot between his two characters. It begins with the girl’s comment about a line of white hills seen in the distance, which she compares to white elephants. The man responds with the comment â€Å"I’ve never seen one.† The symbolism of a white elephant is widely known as something very large or apparent that no one wishes to acknowledge or speak of in American society. It is an interesting opening to a very strained conversation concerning an apparent pregnancy, and the man’s wish to terminate it. The couple’s careful avoidance of actually naming the problem, or the proposed solution, suggests the situation in which a mate,†¦show more content†¦As an interesting note, the name ‘wormwood’ derives from the German word Wermut, which translates as ‘grievous’ in the English language. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The man’s response to her bitterness is one of irritation and he snaps at her, whereupon she promptly blames him for his lack of appreciation for her clever metaphor about the white hills; referring , most likely, to his distracted attitude. It seems likely she is accustomed to him complimenting her for her intelligence and wit, which is now not happening due to his worry over her pregnancy. He again placates her, this time by agreeing the metaphor was a bright comparison. When she softens her reference to the hill with an explanation, he makes small talk for a moment, then launches into his campaign to convince her of the banality of an abortion. At this point, Hemingway inserts her name, which suggests empathy for the girl’s position. By giving her a name, while leaving the man without one, the reader might find her to be a more personalized character. She has a name, which in human society is a symbol of individuality and importance, while someone thatShow MoreRelatedAn Inferential Analysis of Hemingways Hills Like White Elephants.931 Words   |  4 PagesIn Hemingway s Hills Like White Elephants I found many layers of symbolism, and a fascinating psychological underplay afoot between his two characters. It begins with the girl s comment about a line of white hills seen in the distance, which she compares to white elephants. The man responds with the comment I ve never seen one. The symbolism of a white elephant is widely known as something very large or apparent that no one wishes to acknowledge or speak of in American society. It is anRead MoreAnalysis Of Ernest Hemingways Hills Like White Elephants711 Words   |  3 Pagesanother perspective that first impression often evolves, like looking through a lens. This phenomenon can be observed in literature. Ernest Hemingways â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† tells of a man and a woman waiting at a Spanish railway station. While having drinks, they discuss the option of her having an abortion. Brooks The Mother discusses the mental effects of abortion and how a woman may feel after having one. At first glance, Hemingway’s story simply shows that abortions can hurt and put strainRead MoreAnalysis Of Ernest Hemingways Hills Like White Elephants991 Words   |  4 Pagespeople outside of just the person that is making the decision, this causes a person to be weary of their choices. In Ernest Hemingw ay’s story, â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants,† he focuses the attention on how difficult it can be to make the right decision by expressing the elements through the setting, character, conflicts, symbols, and foreshadowing in the story. In Hemingway’s story, he creates the setting in which he writes, â€Å"It was very hot and the express from Barcelona, would arrive in forty minutesRead MoreCritical Analysis on Hemingways Hills Like White Elephants Essay575 Words   |  3 Pages The thing that makes, Hills Like White Elephants, by Ernest Hemingway such a powerful story is the subtlety with which it is told. Hemingway is commenting on subject matter which for the time would have been considered taboo, but does so without actually spelling it out for the reader. As the characters sit together drinking beer and talking, it becomes immediately apparent that there is something weighty between them and as the conversation continues, the reader can feel pressure building betweenRead MoreEvaluation Argument Hills Like White Elephants1388 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ Ernest Hemingway: Hills Like White Elephants A white elephant is an idiom for a valuable but burdensome possession, but also it means a rare and sacred creature. In Ernest Hemingway’s short story Hills Like White Elephants, Hemingway uses an unborn child as a white elephant. This short story depicts a couple of an American man and young women at a train station somewhere in Spain. Hemingway tells the story from watching the couple from across the bar and listening to their troublesome conversationRead MoreHills Like White Elephants By Ernest Hemingway1446 Words   |  6 PagesErnest Hemingway’s short story â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† explores the topics of abortion, sex before marriage, and feelings of separation. There are many different points of view one can take on Hemingway’s work. The main literary analysis that will be explained is the significance of the title and how it is layered into the story in various places. In addition to this, the narrator’s point of view will also be discussed since it plays a role in bringing the characters together. Lastly, it willRead MoreErnest Hemingway s `` Indian Camp `` And Hills Like White Elephants ``928 Words   |  4 PagesWith an analysis of Hemingway’s â€Å"Indian Camp† and â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants†, Bauer attempts to bring her own feminist perspective to Hemingway’s notoriously misogynistic texts to prove that there are more to his female characters than there is on the surface and to possibly emasculate his reputation of portraying women as powerless and one-dimensional characters. Dr. Bauer’s overall argument regarding the position of women in Hemingway’s â€Å"Indian Camp† and â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† is thatRead MoreCritical Analysis of the Short Story ‘Hills Like White Elephants’ by Ernest Hemingway.1497 Words   |  6 PagesCritical Analysis of the short story ‘Hills like White Elephants’ by Ernest Hemingway. Word Count: 1367 Hills like White Elephants – Ernest Hemingway â€Å"Will Jig have the abortion and stay with the man; will Jig have the abortion and leave the man; or will Jig not have the abortion and win the man over to her point of view?† (Hashmi, N, 2003). These are the three different scenarios that have been seriously considered in Ernest Hemingway’s short story, â€Å"Hills like White Elephants†. ErnestRead MoreErnest Hemingway s Hills Like White Elephants Essay1135 Words   |  5 PagesKatherine Escobar Professor. Riobueno ENC1102 12/11/16 Ernest Hemingway’s â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† Ernest Hemingway’s â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† is a story about two characters on their journey in the valley of Spain. They are deciding whether or not to make an abortion, which is indirectly implied on the narrative. Hemingway has a specific way of creating the story that it becomes apparent that every description he used is a symbol of the plot. Through this way of storytelling, HemingwayRead MoreHills Like White Elephants, a Theme Analysis Essay1243 Words   |  5 PagesHemmingway uses time, place, and symbolism in Hills like White Elephants to intensify the central dilemma in a story about a man and a woman deciding on whether to go through with an abortion. Although a literal reading of the title may not seem to have any relation to the story, the title is rich in implications. Critics suggest that Hills refers to the shape of a womans stomach when pregnant, and Websters 21st Century Dictionary defines white elephant as: [An] awkward, useless possession .