Symbolism and Setting in Hill like White Elephants

Symbolism and Setting in "Hills Like White Elephants"

The story "Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway has two characters, the American and Jig, that are obviously facing a possible "operation," an abortion. In this essay, I will explain my views of what Hemingway meant with this complex story and what are the symbolism and the setting in the story. Throughout the story, the setting, the body language of the characters and the conversation, help the reader to create his/her own views of the story. My overall view of the story is that both characters are facing the same problem, although they are leaning towards different direction in solving the problem.

As the couple waits between two destinations, Barcelona and Madrid, the setting of the scene, "between two lines of rail in the sun" (Hemingway 294), reveals to us that they are trapped in a situation. The station is placed between two lines of rails, which suggest the two decisions the couple may take - toward Madrid and the abortion or going back home and start a family. The two rails resemble their decisions and the station is the situation they are in.

"On this side there was no shade and no trees" (Hemingway 294). This sentence symbolizes the relationship and the emptiness between the American and Jig. This side is very bleak and barren. This is what they see before even anything has been resolved. The fact that they are waiting for a train is significant. They are at a railway junction as they are in a junction in their lives. The author says "the express from Barcelona would come in forty minutes," (Hemingway 295), which shows us the urgency with which the couple should take their decision. They only have forty minutes.

As the conversation starts, the American asks Jig what she would drink and he does order two "big ones" (Hemingway 295). That means that the American is trying to escape from the conversation about the "operation." He wants to drink more in order to forget the decision they have to make. Also, it could mean that he is trying to drown his thoughts about the abortion in the large amount of beer. Jig looks at the hills, and makes a comment "They look like white elephants" (Hemingway 295). Her comment resembles her thoughts - white thoughts, maybe she doesn't want to have the "operation", and she sees the world differently. Jig says that she would try the new drink "Anis del Toro" which suggests that she is ready for something new in her life, possibly a baby.

Out of the blue the American says "It's really awfully simple operation, Jig, it's not really an operation at all" (Hemingway 296). He is trying to convince her to have the abortion. The American is a person devoted to traveling, a nomad who does not want to give up his way of living: "He looked