Hills Like White Elephants Literary Analysis - 1264 Words

In â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† by Ernest Hemingway, which takes place in 1927, a character who goes by the American makes abortions seem like a harmless procedure: â€Å"It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig†¦ It’s not really an operation at all† (140). This, however, is not the case and Jig knows that there is more to it than it just a simple surgery. Whether it was a manipulation driven tactic or pure ignorance, the American couldn’t have been further from the truth. During the twenties, an overwhelming number of women either died or suffered severe medical complications during an abortion due to its taboo nature. With abortion being illegal in that time, Hemingway tastefully leaves it to the readers to figure out what type of†¦show more content†¦Although this may seem like a casual remark, it actually serves as a segue for the couple to finally evaluate their relationship as a whole. Furthermore, as she later takes bac k the comment, it supports that Jig once and for all accepts the fact that the relationship with the American is failing. Jig’s final words in the story: â€Å"I feel fine†¦There’s nothing wrong with me. I feel fine† (Hemingway 143), implying that the problem has been with the American the whole time and that her pregnancy isn’t what ruining the relationship. Jig begins to see that the American has been trying to control and manipulate her for probably longer than just the time she has been pregnant. The reader can see that she favoring the lush landscape over the dry and lifeless landscape suggest her leaving her relationship with the American for a life with the baby. Another element that plays into the themes of the story is the train and it’s tracks. These elements are a metaphor for the junction the couple is at in their relationship and what decision they are going to make. Throughout the story, Hemingway shows the turmoil that the coupl e is enduring and how their unborn child is an added burden on their declining relationship. For example, the American and Jig are talking, but not effectively communicating becauseShow MoreRelatedLiterary Analysis Of Hills Like White Elephants Essay1467 Words   |  6 Pagesdirectly to give readers a vivid image. Under this sketch, readers can know characters’ emotion and get the theme through their imagination and analysis. First, Hemingway uses concise words to describe characters and scenery to show a vivid image. Readers can image by themselves through description to analyze characters’ emotions. In â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants†, Hemingway describes characters little. This short story basically consists of a dialogue between a man and a woman. In the short story, HemingwayRead MoreLiterary Analysis Of Hills Like White Elephants1027 Words   |  5 PagesThe amazing Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway’s (1899-1961), who was a famous American novelist, short story writer, and journalist, basically shows us a couple standing in a train station, near the Ebro River, waiting for a train from Barcelona to Madrid. While waiting for the train, the couple takes the opportunity to order some drinks and enjoy the scenery (it is the moment when the girl says that the hills of the valley look like white elephants). However, as soon as they beginRead MoreLiterary Analysis of Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemmingway1014 Words   |  5 PagesErnest Hemingways Hills Like White Elephants consists mostly of a dialogue between a pregnant girl and her husband, who would like her to have an abortion. The story defines a two-part theme. The first is a commentary about the way selfishness can corrupt a relationship. The second comments on life and what it means to bear life. This story is developed in a short period of time by Hemingways use of two central elements, character and setting. Though the setting is heavily symbolic, and charactersRead More Symbolism in Hills Like White Elephants, by Ernest Hemingway1687 Words   |  7 Pagesdifferent literary elements and terms are incorporated into the story by the author. Ernest Hemingway frequently uses various literary elements in his writing to entice the reader and enhance each piece that he writes. In Hills Like White Elephants, Hemingway uses symbols to teach the reader certain things that one may encounter during daily life. Symbolism may be defined as relating to, using, or proceeding by means of symbols (Princeton). The use of symbols in Hills Like White Elephants is utterlyRead More Hills 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 MoreHedonism in Hills Like White Elephants, by Ernest Hemingway Essay1588 Words   |  7 Pagesnature. The roaring twenties witnessed the uprising of a society that extolled such desire through the creation of a culture solely dedicated to consume. Ernest Hemingway analyses the behavioral patterns of such culture in his short story Hills Like White Elephants, where the concept of Hedonism- fathomed as an egotistical action whose only purpose is to bestow pleasure- and its consequences on the individual is explored. Through the characters dialogue in which they avoid a substantial conversationRead MoreHills Like White Elephants : A Critical Analysis1708 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Hills Like White Elephants†: A Critical Analysis Introduction: One of the many themes in his stories for which Ernest Heming way is known, includes feminism. At Hemingway’s time feminism was known as a famous movement and it affected many important writers like Octavia Butler and Virginia Woolf. Hemingway was a literary icon of his time and he was influenced by the political, social and human rights movements of his time. He was also touched by the hopelessness of women and how their thinkingRead MoreBad Hooks Catch No Fish862 Words   |  4 Pagesthen all could be lost, unless it is mentally forced upon. This is especially true for a novice, or introductory, reader getting into the finer aspects of literature or composition. Such as, Paul Rankin’s (2005) essay, on Hemingway’s â€Å"Hills like White Elephants,† lacks a motivated lead. The opening transition word could throw a reader in the opposite direction Rankin would have hoped for. The beginning paragraphs poor lead could cause one to become lost before the r evelation of thesis which makesRead MoreMan vs. Woman2215 Words   |  9 PagesMan VS. Woman: A Literary Analysis Of Conflicts In Two Stories Gena Jones ENG125: Introduction To Literature Instructor: Denya Ciuffo August 31, 2015 Man VS. Woman: A Literary Analysis Of Conflicts In Two Stories In the short stories â€Å"Sweat† by Zora Neale Hurston and â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† by Ernest Hemingway, there is a very similar conflict of Individual vs. Individual between the men and the women that represents the constant struggle for power in the human relationship. While â€Å"Sweat†Read MoreThe Tell Tale Heart Analysis1295 Words   |  6 PagesIt can also be said that the style utilizes realistic techniques using narratives with surreal or dreamlike elements. An example of Magic realism in Sherman Alexie’s short story is how Thomas Builds-the-fire jumped off the roof and flapped his arms like an eagle. They describes him as â€Å"flying†. The story also likens his broken arm to that of a broken â€Å"wing†. Sherman Alexie uses this technique as he is an Indigenous American with ancestry for many different Native American tribes. What are the characteristics