The Problem of Abortion in Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway

In Hemingway’s ‘Hills Like White Elephants,’ Jig’s moment of choice takes place in the particular area that will make her think about that choice most carefully.

The short story “Hills Like White Elephants,” written by Ernest Hemingway, is about a young couple and the polemic problem of abortion. However, seeing that the phrase “abortion is located nowhere is the story, it is often understood via Hemingway’s use of literacy elements: putting and imagery/symbolism. This story takes vicinity in a very short period of time, however yet tells a tale that is tons greater than itself. The girl is named Jig, the place the man is recognized virtually as “a man” or “The American.” Although the relationship between the two is not sure of, they are sincerely not married, but have continued a relationship which resulted in the female turning into pregnant. It looks that the couple are travelers who stop in distinct cities before shifting on to the next. However, to the reader, their relationship could play out as being shallow.

Jig is a younger female who is pregnant. The whole center of attention of this story is Jig being pregnant, and the subject matter of abortion being added up through the different scenes and pics Hemingway employs. Hemingway’s motive in creating the persona of Jig was once possibly reflective on his feelings on abortion to an extent. However, it can also seem like a seem to be at human nature, about how we go in opposition to ourselves and do something undesired simply to please anyone else. The man, otherwise acknowledged as “The American”, is the solely logical antagonist in the story. Hemingway’s portrayal of him is less flattering than his portrayal of Jig. He comes off as being insensitive to Jig’s feelings, regardless of his type words. As the reader, unique opinions that Hemingway portrayed the man as, leads us to consider that he is anyone who is putting his personal desires first. He is no longer given a appropriate first identify in the story, while Jig is. His desire is not clear on the matter.

From the first paragraph the setting straight away introduces the disturbing ecosystem that will mirror the rest of the story. The story takes place in Spain and even though the time duration is in no way stated, it can be assumed to be around 1927. The first use of imagery is in Hemingway’s introduction of the placing of the story, “The hills across the valley of the Ebro had been lengthy and white. On this side there was no shade and no trees and the station was once between two lines of rails in the sun. The American and the female with him sat at a desk in the shade, outside the building. It used to be very warm and the specific from Barcelona would come in forty minutes. It stopped at this junction for two minutes and went to Madrid.” Just like the two rail traces that surpassed with the aid of the station, there had been only two options and two instructions in which the couple had to decide as they seemed to be in the middle of making a drastic decision. She seemed to care a superb deal about the man, to the factor where she as a character, is torn between two decisions. The landscapes and surroundings of the station play a necessary role in the story thru its wide symbolism. When the female sees the long and white hills she says that they “look like white elephants”. A white elephant is a metaphor for an expensive possession that is a financial burden to maintain. The colour white seems to characterize the innocence and purity of her unborn child.

She additionally admires the relaxation of the scenery: “The lady stood up and walked to the stop of the station. Across, on the different side, had been fields of grain and trees alongside the financial institution of the Ebro. Far away, past the river, have been mountains. The shadow of a cloud moved throughout the field of grain and she noticed the river through the trees” It seems that the fields of grains and timber characterize fertility and fruitfulness. The Ebro River should also represent life, as it develops the fields. As the female appreciates the surroundings and it’s “connection” to her unborn infant the “shadow of a cloud,” which represents the idea of the abortion, overcomes her happiness. The man is obviously in choose of the abortion, as the entirety he says is an in persuading her into it. “It’s in reality an incredibly easy operation, Jig.” the man said. “It’s now not genuinely an operation at all.” “I’ll go with you and I’ll stay with you all the time. They just let the air in and then it’s all flawlessly natural.” They sat down at the table and the girl appeared throughout the hills on the dry aspect of the valley and the man appeared at her at the table. As Jig considers his point of view she appears at the dry aspect of the valley, which is barren and sterile, which ought to signify her physique after the abortion. The man and female argue and quickly give up when she says “Would you please please please please please please please please end talking? He did now not say whatever however looked at the bags in opposition to the wall of the station. There were labels on them from all the lodges the place had spent nights.”

The American apparently wishes this abortion because he wants to maintain his cutting-edge lifestyle. His vivacious spirit is shown via the baggage with all the hotel labels on them. He realizes that if Jig have been to continue with the pregnancy, he would have to settle down and reflect onconsideration on elevating a family, which would suggest putting an stop to seeing the world. Their lifestyle would now not be possible with a baby, or at least it would be difficult to proceed in its modern form. Therefore, the man thinks an abortion is the fine solution. This is very a great deal clear due to his prevalent affirmations of an abortion or operation being an “easy” and “simple” process, and that matters will be as they have been after it is carried out. His comments of “I don’t choose absolutely everyone however you” and “I don’t choose all people else” illustrate his wish to maintain their relationship at it is by way of now not introducing a infant into their life. Jig has obvious doubts, but she goes along with it for the sake of persevering with their way of life that they are accustomed too.

As the story ends with the couple watching for their train’s arrival in five minutes, there is no decision and there is no decision mentioned related to the abortion. Hemingway’s interweaving of the two literacy elements, placing and imagery helps him supply to the reader each sentence with most detail. It is obvious that Hemingway deliberately left the readers to conclude for themselves what will happen next.

“Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway was once by using a long way one of the fine memories that I enjoyed reading. Looking beyond the text in this story required integral thinking that persisted to continue to be interesting. The use of images throughout the short story reflects on the couple’s scenario in every aspect. The writer employs snap shots that required the reader to assume past the textual content and realize what some common younger couple went via in the 1920’s. Although the couple’s relationship played out as being shallow for the duration of the story, I experience that the abortion never took location as he realizes that his selfish questioning used to be now not the quality decision to live off.