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I was a tad bit disappointed after my first read through the story, mostly because I was expecting a phenomenal description of hills being likened to white elephants. While that did happen, it was neither the main focus of the story nor were the hills depicted in any extraordinary way. How seemingly mundane objects, such as the bamboo beaded curtains, were illustrated was done well. That said, the dialogue threw me in for a trip and was brought about more questions than answers. Frankly, I was frustrated.
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On my second read, this time focusing solely on the characters and what they were saying, I learned to better appreciate the piece. The elephant in the room, no pun intended, is this mysterious operation that kept being referenced. Perhaps I have yet to recover from my Vegas vacation and thought that by “operation” they meant some sort of plot or strategy. Once I got my bearing straight, I realized it was some sort of medical surgery.
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The way the characters talked about the surgery, and even its simple placement later in the story, leads me to believe it is an abortion or something of that nature. I say this because the male character kept saying things like, “I wouldn’t have you do it if you didn’t want to.” Further, the male character kept reassuring the girl that it’s all perfectly natural, minimizing the perceived risk, and mentioned how he knows many people who’ve done it and are fine — which sways me to think that this is either some life-or-death procedure or is an uncomfortable topic. What really convinces me that the operation in question is an abortion is the following line:
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“That’s the only thing that bothers us. It’s the only thing that’s made us unhappy.”
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After I cracked the “mystery” of the operation and realized this was the subtle focus of the story, I learned to appreciate the delivery more. As mentioned previously, the placement of the first mention of the operation really does it for me. The way Hemmingway brought it up, seemingly out of nowhere and midway through the piece, allowed me to feel that this a heavy topic. If the operation were brought up at the beginning, it wouldn’t carry that same weight with it. Conversely, if the operation were brought up at the end, it would feel more like a throwaway subject rather than the crux of the story. It being in the middle felt like both characters were somewhat avoiding having this conversation and even felt real to me.
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There were other tidbits that made me appreciate the story after my second read through, like how the girl would be looking at the distant hills and likening them to white elephants whilst the man would be more focused on the “there and then” — all the while both characters were separated by the beaded curtain. Perhaps there’s something to that, perhaps there isn’t. This is all to say that my disappointment after the first read through quickly vanished after my second go around and left me with greater appreciation for Hemmingway’s piece. -
Through my career at this school I have faced Hemingway several times, and every time I struggle with it. While I have grown to appreciate the writing and “stripped down nature of it, I just lack the willingness to put in the mental effort to fully understand what is being talked about *most of the time*.
The dialogue in this story could be described as jarring due to the lack of anything aside from it. There were several times were I struggled to differentiate from who was talking, although it is not impossible to decipher what they are saying. This method of writing leaves much to the readers imagination, and forces them to think about what they are saying.
The part that stuck out to me the most was the setting and how they are in a train station halfway between Madrid and Barcelona. Towards the end it seems like they will continue together, and it makes the reader think about what and why they are separating. It’s almost like they are at a crossroads in the lives.
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Judging the story by the title, the story is not what I expected. I expected the story to be like that one movie Water for Elephants with Robert Pattinson, and with the story being wrote by Ernest Hemingway I kind of expected it to seem irrelevant to today. The story, however, is very relevant to something that would occur today. The dialogue between the people who I believe are a couple is what makes it relevant. It is interesting because they are not called by their names the entire time. I think this aspect makes the story endearing because it seems like this dialogue could happen to any longtime committed couple who are on the verge of a toxic relationship. I also think its interesting how the waitress is called woman and the partner is called girl. Girl can seem a bit condescending because to me it seems most people refer to women as girls when they believe they lack maturity or are trying to make them appear less mature. Which this girl is drinking on a train so you know that she has to be of age so therefore she’s a woman. Now the male partner seems a bit manipulative based on his dialogue. It is obvious the girl doesn’t want the surgery and she is doing it to only please him. While, the man keeps insisting that he will love her regardless but its a passive aggressive pushing. She believes that the love and stability of their relationship depends on her getting the surgery. That is not love, to change yourself to please someone else. But, the man is trying to manipulate her into believing its her own idea. It is a very interesting story with a great deal of internal conflict.
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My first experience with Hemingway, and I gotta say, he lives up to his reputation. So much meaning packed into every bit of dialogue. You never have to be told what the story’s about because you’re shown what the story is. I get the sense that there’s a not insubstantial age difference between the two central figures, Jig and the American. After all, she’s a girl and he’s a man. Though the writing is minimalist, the symbolism of the white elephant is about as subtle as a punch in the gut, but I dig it. Even though she’s not real, I hope Jig makes whatever decision is right for her, but given the choices that likely led her to that point, prospects are doubtful.
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This piece by Ernest Hemingway is an excellently crafted short story. Some time ago last year I attempted to read another work by Hemingway, “The Sun Also Rises,” which turned out to be quite similar in narrative style with rich dialogue with a plot focus that is not always explicitly clear. From a writing perspective it seems like a challenge to make the vast majority of a story to be solely the dialogue between two characters, especially since it is never quite clear what they are explicitly talking about. It’s also impressive considering that all dialogue in a story should be considered essential, and that this story is rich with dialogue that very essential to the setting and mood of the story. It was interesting to me that as the tittle depicts, the hills like white elephants as the girl describes them, were never the focus but only a distraction from it. It becomes obvious later in the narrative after the hills are mentioned by “the girl” that their conversation is some kind of “operation.” I found it interesting that the author refers to the female character only as “the girl” although the male counterpart addresses her as Jig. Upon a second read and further examination it seemed to me as though the male speaker in the story is the driving force behind the so-called operation, and his words toward Jig seem more manipulative than comforting. It is very clear that Jig is not enthusiastic about this operation, however the male character thinks it’s necessary, and she obliges possibly with the sole purpose of maintaining their relationship. Overall, I really enjoyed this short story and I look forward to reading more works by Hemingway in the future.
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As many have mentioned in their analyses above me this story’s title did not obviously relate to the premise of the story. I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Sounds like it is about abortion, based on the dialogue between the characters in the story. This story was heavily focused on dialogue and it was relatively easy to follow along. I believe that the reader will pick up on more aspects of the story every time they read it.
I looked up the meaning of a white elephant and it actually fits quite well with the message of the story. A white elephant is considered a gift, so on the surface, this gift is an honor (having a child). However, maintaining the “elephant” is a considerable burden.
When the female character comments that the hills look like white elephants, the man says he is never seen one. The female proceeds to say “no, you wouldn’t have”, I believe that this could have several meanings and or metaphors tied to it. She could be talking about female fertility/ the changes that occur while pregnant, she could also be stating that the man is someone who would never intentionally have a child. -
Hemingway did a great job in his story “Hills like White Elephants” in portraying tension and emotion (or lack of emotion) between his characters, without ever actually describing their interactions. Most of this story is a conversation between the two main characters “the American man” and “the girl”, and predominantly only dialogue is written for the reader to discern what the story is about and what the characters are feeling. Despite the American man’s words being words of reassurance, the reader can pick up without reading any tone describing words, that the man is mostly disinterested in the girls feelings, and more concerned in ensuring that the girl follows through with “the operation”. While “the operation” isn’t named, it can be inferred by the reader that this operation is most likely an abortion. This can be picked up on by the fact that these characters are most likely lovers, as they have shared many hotel rooms while traveling together, and their interactions lead the reader to believe that the couple aren’t just two strangers or even two just friends. It’s clear that the girl is at the very least uneasy about this invasive and dangerous, especially for the time, procedure, and who can blame her. However, the man seems to be unconcerned for the girls safety or feelings about this, despite reassuring her she doesn’t need to go through with it if she doesn’t want to. It’s clear to the reader and to the girl that the man won’t take no for an answer, and she indirectly tells the man she is aware of his lack of real love for her, knowing he doesn’t notice or care to understand her words. All of this is communicated through Hemingways talentedly written dialogue, without the need for tone or much body language description.
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Hills Like White Elephants is an story that details a conversation between two people while using the White Elephant as a distinct motif. A White Elephant is used to describe something that is too costly to remain useful; in other words, something that is found to be useless after effort is put into it. The story revolves around a conversation between a girl and a man. After progressing in the story, it is revealed that the two are talking about an operation that is supposed to restore their lives to a previous time where they were both happy,though throughout the story, it is evident that the girl believes getting this operation will allow her to maintain her way of life with the man. The dialogue and setting in this story is unique, as it is able to convey much more detail than what is explicitly written. This description through dialogue in combination with the motif of the white elephant is significant as it could be foreshadowing their future after the operation, or could indicate the current thoughts that both the girl and the man have when thinking about their situation.
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Insightful discussion! The ideas shared here remind me of the creativity and depth offered by online ebook writers UK, who excel at bringing complex emotions and themes to life.
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