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Literary Analysis

Hills like White Elephants

The setting of the Short Story

The first paragraph of the short story introduces the setting whereby there is an intense

atmosphere. The short story's setting is in Barcelona, Spain, whereby the main characters are a

young couple. The young couple is about to make a drastic decision as they are only faced with

two choices. They are to decide between two directions that are similar to rail lines in the station.

The openness of the railroad station implies that the young couple must address the problem

faced with as there is no way out. The landscape that surrounds the railway station is

fundamental in building the storyline of the short story. Ernest uses challenging scenarios

alongside with characters to project the specific stand of the issue raised in the short story.

Besides, Hemingway points out to the junction point and the train station, which represent the

short story's setting. The junction point is used as a setting and represents a movement or change

that can occur in different periods. The junction points can change, and this implies that

individuals can make changes. The use of the rail station and the junction points are the short

story's setting. The setting is further explained that the choices of the young couple are different

and they should not walk either end of the rail station. "Beyond the Mountains" indicates that
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there is no option for the young couple and they are to adopt the right decision. The train station

is the short story’s setting that shows some forms of decisions that the young couple is to

consider.

The irony in the Short Story

The irony that Hemingway uses in the short story is first seen in the title. The girl lover mentions

of the hills that are white elephants as she understands the meaning of the phrases. The girl lover

holds a conversation with the man and tells the man of the white elephants as he says he has

never seen white elephants. The irony present in the title is that the man acquires a white

elephant that cannot benefit him since he has never seen white elephants. The man believes that

he can return his girlfriend to the former relationship that they had, but the girl believes that it is

impossible. The irony is also seen when the man places his bags on the other side of the station.

It indicates the girl's decision to turn from her decision of life.

Symbolism in the Short Story

Ernest Hemingway uses symbolism throughout the short story’s plot. The first symbol in the

short story is the white elephants. Historical derivation of the meaning of white elephant

facilitates a straightforward process of establishing what the white elephant symbolizes. A white

elephant is seen as a gift given to individuals and has no significant meaning to the recipient. In

the short story, the husband refers to his lover's pregnancy as the white elephant. The white

elephant represents pregnancy that is less important to the husband. It is seen from the husband's

decision of false supportive nudges to his lover. The husband has to force his lover to abort the

baby as he is not willing to have a child.

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The second symbol in the story is when Ernest uses the phrase, "Elephant in the room." The

expression that avoiding the elephant in the room refers to the white elephant that is of less

significance to the male lover. The male lover refuses to address the pregnancy of his lover by

considering it less important to him. For the girl lover, the pregnancy is not a white elephant, and

this is the reason why she is unwilling to receive. It is different when she is to hold the

conversation with the American that she chooses to avoid the idea. The railway station is also

used as a symbol in the short story. The rail station is seen to be lonely, and it represents an

important decision that must be taken by the young couple. The isolation of rail represents the

girl’s loneliness when she faces the situation.

The tone of the Short Story

Hemingway creates a tone where the young couple on the emptiness felts communication in

making decisions. The disconnect that the dual planes in the story created on the young couple is

the founding of their relationship. The story is more stilted, and the melancholy in the story is

presumably an abortion. The girl feels awful following a seemingly-innocuous series of

exchange with her lover.

Themes of the Short Story

The themes of the short story are talking versus communicating, whereby Hemingway primary

uses dialogue in the form of conversation. The story is about an American girl and his girlfriend,

who hold conversations that bring out the rift between them. The girl cannot converse in Spanish

and depends on her American language to express herself. The girl lover even begs the man to

stop talking when she realizes the futility of the conversation.

Characterization as a Literary Element

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There is the use of characterization in the short story to bring out the topic of abortion that the

story presents. Hemingway uses characterization to show both sides of the perspectives on

abortion. In essence, there is an exploration of how an individual may alter perspectives where

there is personal involvement in matters. Characterization is seen in the varying viewpoints that

Hemingway uses in raising the provisions of different cultures on abortion. “The American girl"

is an element of characterization that refers to the female lover. It shows that it can be any female

lover from the Western World where there is civilization. The specific scenario where the female

lover came from the Western World is not an essential topic for consideration due to massive

civilization in the West.

Also, there is a characterization where Hemingway characterizes the male lover. There is a

characterization of the male lover whose focus is on drinking. "A fine time" is a phrase that

characterizes the male lover's actions who makes the wrong decisions. The young couple goes

through a transformation state where they are to make appropriate decisions for their prosperity.

Characterization done by Hemingway is through allowing the characters to have a recognizable

starting point. The final decisions that the young couple adopt are the opportunity presented by

the characterization of the young couple.

Narrative (Point of View)

The short story uses the third-person narrator in presenting the major conflict in the short story.

Third-person omniscient is the point of view utilized by the narrator in presenting the character's

feelings and thoughts. The narrator is familiar with the emotions and feelings of the characters,

and the story is from an unnamed narrator who is not part of the characters.