Hills Like A White Elephant Symbolism Essay

Words: 628
Pages: 3

Ernest Hemingway is a master of omission. This is true in the short story "Hills Like White Elephants." Hemingway's style reveals more than it conceals. Hemingway never disclosed the conflict between the two main characters but,it is deciphered that the argument was about an abortion. Using the symbols of alcohol,hills like a white elephants and the train to decipher what the short story concealed.

Ernest Hemingway used alcohol as one symbol to reveal what the story concealed. The main characters drank through their entire conversation. As the woman says “ I wanted to try this new drink. That’s all we do,isn’t it- look at things and try new drinks?” The man agreed to this question revealing that there was no real relationship between the pair. They were causally involved with one another so the man didn’t really care how she felt when he convinced her to get the abortion. He convinced her that everything will go back to normal and the child was the source of unhappiness in their normality. As they both continued to drink it foreshadowed the intentions of the woman getting the abortion.
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The definition of white elephants is “A possession that is useless or troublesome,especially one that is expensive to maintain or difficult to dispose of.” The white elephant symbolized the unborn child as it was considered unwanted. As Jig says the hills look like white elephants, the man claimed he’s never seen one before and she replies “No,you wouldn’t have.” Here she is emphasizing their physical differences. He could never understand what is going through regardless of what sweet words he says to her because he, wants to dispose the child and is going through much difficulty trying to convince Jig to have the