In this short story “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway, focuses on a couples struggle to communicate and finding common ground which leads to a crisis point in their relationship. This story sets place in Spain where a woman named Jig and the American man are seated outside of a bar near a railroad junction. The couple starts out by having a few beers and discussing a problem they are facing in their relationship, as the conversation continues between the two, you can see that the couple is starting to get slightly angry and aggravated with each other whether or not they should proceed to Barcelona in order to have an abortion.
Jig disagrees with the American’s choice, although she refuses to say her thoughts openly. The American, on the other hand, sees abortion as a solution instead of really facing the fact that he doesn’t want to give up his “adventurous lifestyle”, trying to convince Jig that aborting this child is the right decision to make. In this story, the author highlights a couple’s lack of communication, choices that can result in change in the relationship, and how society will view this woman after the abortion.
Although this story is merely a conversation between the American man and the woman, neither of the characters truly communicates with each other, illuminating the distant gap between the couple. The American express’s the choice that he wants Jig to choose but he doesn’t truly listen or understands the reason for her point of view. The American man is purely selfish and stubborn and will say almost anything to convince Jig to have the operation, which, although never mentioned by the author, it is later understood to be an abortion. “If you don’t want to you don’t have to.
I wouldn’t have vou do I didn’t want to. But I know it’s perfectly simple” (477). Although the American man does not directly tell the woman to have this operation if she didn’t want too, but he also states his opinion that an abortion is just a ‘simple operation’, almost trying to manipulate the woman’s decision making. “Would you please, please, please, please, please, please stop talking? “(478). As the American continues on about the abortion, the woman wants nothing but to shut him up, realizing he’s not willing to understand her perspective of the situation and the only way she can satisfy him is to proceed with this operation.
The indication of the heat and the rail line leading to contrasting sides of the valley symbolizes the way Hemingway focuses on the central conflict between the two characters and the unpleasant choice they must make. On one side of the valley, it contained trees and long white mountains, which resembled white elephants to the woman. This side of the path symbolizes life and happiness, the white elephants is seen to symbolize the child she is carrying. Therefore, identifying that Jig desires motherhood and wants to settle down in a family with the American.
The other side of the valley, is the complete opposite of life, it was empty with no shade nor trees. This side seems to represent the outcome of the relationship if they do proceed with the abortion and the danger of the operation for the woman, and perhaps it can also be identified as the emptiness of this couples dynamic. “I wanted to try this new drink. That’s all we do, isn’t it look at things and try new drinks? “(476). Jig seems to desire more than just an adventurous lifestyle, such as the American.
She wants to settle down and start a family with this man. The painful choices Jig has to decide is whether to bear the child and possibly losing her lover, or want to be with this man enough to get an abortion and forget her wants and needs. The junction not only symbolizes the decision of whether to keep this child or continue on with the abortion, it also seems to highlight that these two people are at different stages in life, one is still looking to have fun while the other is ready to settle down. When the author wrote this hort story, it was in time period where woman did not bear equal rights as men in society. This story not only portrays a third person point of view but also from a man’s perspective. The American man is portrayed to be the dominant one in the relationship and Jig is set to be dependent on him. Even when ordering drinks Jig has to depend on the American to order it because she doesn’t speak the language, and always asking the man for permission.
This suggests that Jig is afraid to lose him, so she does anything in her power to please him, even if it’s not want she wants. I know you wouldn’t mind it, Jig. It’s really not anything. It’s just to let the air in. “(476) The American seems to be making a decision for her already, making the operation to be seen as something natural and simple. The woman replies “And you think then we’ll be alright and be happy. “(476) this shows that although the man is convincing her of something that she opposes of, her main concern was making him happy and that she doesn’t want to upset the man, but at the s time this decision he is making for her is not what she wants for herself.
Although Hemingway only shows us a conversation between the couple and does give the reader any details of the characters, the conversation between the couple involves a deeper meaning about life. The junction represents that the couple is stuck in a tough situation and the paths leading to completely different places shows us the journey the couple can take, as to whether they are going to stay together or split up due to whether they are keeping the child or having this operation.
As for the heat, it contributes to the anger and tension between the couple. The man is portrayed to be stubborn, selfish and manipulative for he is convincing the woman that this is nothing but a simple operation and they will be happy again. He doesn’t think about how the woman feels and how dangerous this operation can be. This story not only shows the dynamic of this couples relationship but what lies behind that, the lack of communication between the two, tells us that their relationship is shallow and the reason they are appy is because they are always traveling and trying new things, but a real relationship is based on communication and how you can overcome problems together.
The American man often ignored the root problem that was causing this couple to be unhappy, he was scared of change and still wanting to live an adventurous life while the woman desires to settle down and start a family. Often making life choices and decisions, it should be chosen for the better of the relationship rather than for a selfish reason.
