Essay about Hills Like White Elephants, by Ernest Hemingway

Hills Like White Elephants The Latin saying, mutatis mutandi, translates into everything affects everything else, and this especially applies to the characterization used in Ernest Hemingway’s Hills Like White Elephants. Through close examination, it is evident that the character of Jig is revealed not only through her own actions, but also through the contrasting descriptions of her surrounding environment and her subtle mannerisms. By strategically scattering these faint clues to Jig’s persona though out the story, Hemingway forces the reader to overcome common stereotypes and examine ambiguous dialogue before being able to discover the round, dynamic character that is Jig. Initially, Jig’s character is referred to as†¦show more content†¦Jig’s rounded character is revealed only when her statements are closely analyzed and placed into context. When reading the story, it is easy to miss the obvious sarcasm in statements such as †¦And afterward they were all so happy (344) due to the skillful way that Hemingway hides Jig’s true inner self. Jig’s inner struggle is mirrored and indirectly shared with us through her contrasting environment and dialogue. The story introduces itself with the gloomy description The hills across the valley of the Ebro were long and white. On this side there was no shade and no trees†¦ (343) which clearly clashes with the fertile description of the opposite side, described as †¦fields of grain and trees along the banks of the Ebro. Far away, beyond the river, were mountains. (345) Other contrasts are apparent though out the narrative, such as Jig’s association with light as opposed to the American’s relationship to darkness. This association is evident in Jig’s recognition of her environment, noting that the hills were †¦white in the sun†¦ (343), and is further developed through minute details like The girl smiled brightly at the woman†¦ (346) These contrasts act as an important bridge between the superficial two-dimensional girl and the complex rounded woman that we can identify with. Hemingway purposely refrains from giving the characters proper names, allowing them to be symbols of many couples in the same situation. This ambiguousShow MoreRelatedHills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway580 Words   |  2 PagesE.B. White once said, â€Å"Theres no limit to how complicated things can get, on account of one thing always leading to another.† This quotation means that nobody ever knows how complicated things are going to get, and on top of that they can get worse. One can agree with this statement because in life you can go through unexpected situations that really affect your life in a negative way, and in life things might get worse. Both Soldiers home by Ernest Hemingway and Hills like white elephants by ErnestRead More`` Hills Like White Elephants `` By Ernest Hemingway886 Words   |  4 Pagesreader could put themselves into. Whether they choose to partake in a wayward journey full of adventure or the daily life of a human being with mora ls; a story’s aspect influences those thoughts with a deeper understanding. In Ernest Hemingway’s â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants,† it follows an American man and girl at a resting point during their travels. They arrived by train, stopping between Barcelona and Madrid. While there, they patiently waited for the next train at a bar inside of the station.Read MoreHills Like White Elephants By Ernest Hemingway893 Words   |  4 Pages Ernest Hemingway was a prolific writer. His short story, â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† shows the tense situation between a man and a woman on vacation. Hemingway chooses to be vague in many ways. He never gives real names to his characters, nor explicitly states where they are besides hinting that they are in Spain. Additionally, he leaves it entirely to the reader to discover what the couple is discussing. By only providing information to the reader through only the dialogue of the two centralRead More`` Hills Like W hite Elephants `` By Ernest Hemingway939 Words   |  4 PagesThe short story â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† written by Ernest Hemingway, is an intriguing literary work that foretells the story of a man and a woman waiting for a train, whilst discussing their feelings and emotions towards the surgical operation that is about to occur on the woman. Although the story was originally written in August 1927, the piece was later published in Hemingway’s short story collection ‘Men Without Women’. The text includes a wide variety of literary terms and has various criticalRead MoreHills Like White Elephants By Ernest Hemingway990 Words   |  4 Pages Another relationship coming to an end†¦ Throughout the story â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† written in 1927 by Ernest Hemingway, he used the train station setting, the desired operation, and obviously the relationship between the American and the girl to symbolize a crumbling relationship and unwanted gift between them. The American and the girl find themselves wound up in a rough, unplanned situation that they are trying to fix. Many bread crumbs are dropped throughout the story to symbolize a collapsingRead 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 More`` Hills Like White Elephants `` By Ernest Hemingway1750 Words   |  7 PagesErnest Hemingway’s stories are known for their ever interpreting meanings behind them, and â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† does not trail from the rest due to the never mentioned word ‘abortion’. â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants,† written by Ernest Hemingway, takes place around World War 1 in Spain, at a train station (Hills Like White Elephants. 4). An American man and a girl have been discussing the girl’s unspecific operation. It is apparent that the girl is perturbed about this operation, while theRead MoreHills Like White Elephants By Ernest Hemingway1037 Words   |  5 PagesOlivia Sellers English 102 Scheck February 10, 2016 â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† by Ernest Hemingway Ernest Hemingway’s â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† can be puzzling and hard to decipher. Due to this, a number of conclusions can be drawn away from the text. The dialog between characters leaves a number of questions unanswered and leaves the reader confused about the conversation as a whole. Many things are left unsaid and not explained in the story, with that being the case, the reader must takeRead More`` Hills Like White Elephant `` By Ernest Hemingway865 Words   |  4 Pagesbefore it begins, or as easily getting rid of problem before it even became one. In the short story â€Å"Hills like White Elephant†, the compensation of abortion can easily be seen between Jig and her American lover’s decision whether to keep the innocent’s life or not. Ernest Hemingway uses the fiction element plot, symbolism, and setting to illustrate the theme of abortion in â€Å"Hills like White Elephants.† Abortion has been viewed as a crucial struggle between couples. Many view this situation as endingRead MoreHills Like White Elephants, by Ernest Hemingway1432 Words   |  6 Pagesunderstood behaviors. Ernest Hemingway weaves both of these stereotypes into his short story â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants.† The story’s plot revolves around a couple arguing about whether or not to have an abortion. In Hemingway’s â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† a theme of male domination can be found, but by examining the dialogue closely, a theme of females asserting their will and manipulating emerges as well. Male domination is the primary and most obvious theme in â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants.† During the