Hills Like White Elephants

The most interesting thing about Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants" is not the problem facing the American and the girl, but the way in which the story is told. The style is completely...

In Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants," the character the American appears to be an overly selfish person who is used to getting his way without consequences. Over the course of his...

The fact that the woman in the story, Jig, has white elephants on her mind leads me to believe that she views her unborn child as something that other people would think of as a gift but that she...

Though it is never said explicitly either way, there are many reasons to believe that the American and the “girl” in Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” are married. Their conflict is...

In Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants" there is, indeed, much to the dialogue between Jig and her unnamed partner (is not that curious?). Also, symbolism plays a significant role so you may...

You do have to read this story pretty carefully to pick up the central theme of abortion and how it is presented. Hemmingway seems to focus on this theme and how terrible it is by actually only...

There are several reasons Hemingway selected this title for this story. The less important ones are the functional (maybe the hills really looked like this), and some of the lesser symbolism of the...

One question per day, please. In Hemingway's short story "Hills Like White Elephants," the "White Elephant" is, according to Wiki: an idiom for a valuable possession of which its owner cannot...

I would like to suggest that you take the unpopular position that the American and Jig are married. Most people who have commented on this story believe they are just living together. I can offer a...

There are many ways you could carry out an analysis of this story. The story's title and Jig's line, early in the story—"they look like white elephants," (describing the faraway hills)—present an...

I think that the fundamental difference in the third person style of narration in both stories is one of support for the protagonists. It is evident in the narration of Santiago's narrative that...

Interestingly, I think we can expand our discussion of the role of the hills in Hemingway's classic short story. Note how Jig later on contradicts her earlier statement, saying that now the hills...

I see from your tags that your focus for this essay is symbolism. Indeed, Hemingway's "Hills like White Elephants," is rich in symbolism. First of all, you need a thesis statement. Once you have...

"Hills Like White Elephants" is a very short story. In the Finca Vigia Edition of The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1987), that story only takes up four...

The significance of the discussion about what they should drink is its insignificance. By reading between Hemingway's minimalistic lines, we realize Jig is pregnant and the American man is desirous...

I think that there are different elements to take on this. Much of this is going to depend on what approach you are going to take in the paper. I think that focusing on Jig and how she can...

It is clear that it is Jig who is affected much more than the American. Of course, the limited role of the narrator in this excellent short story means that we as readers have to infer a lot into...

Although Hemingway doesn't use the word "abortion," it should be obvious that the man has been pressuring the girl to have one and she has very relutantly consented. The man says the operation will...

Certainly, I think that there is going to be complexity in trying to understand Hemingway's short story. On the surface, it is about a couple having a discussion about a medical procedure,...

Because it was written by Hemingway, no. Hemingway was masterful at his ability to empathize with both male and female characters, in my opinion. In addition, his perspective was believable,...

The characters are definitely recognizable but in this short story, as in all short stories, there is not enough time to fully develop the entire personalities of the characters. By definition,...

Since "explication" means a detailed analysis, you'd essentially select one element of the story and take it apart to explain how it works for and in the story. Start by reading the story and...

This is a tricky question because, in a day of strides toward humanity as one instead of as divided into groups and sectors, it suggests that men and women authors have vastly different...

I think that the white elephant symbolism, as discussed in #3, is one of Hemmingway's most powerful images, as it seems to operate on so many different levels. It is the "elephant in the room"...

Although the short story treats the conflict between the man and woman equally and unbiasedly, the film version of Hemingway's story makes the girl a point of focus. By developing her side of the...

It is not at all clear from this story what Jig's wishes actually are at any point. Indeed, the only time she explicitly asks the American to do anything is when she asks him to "Please please...

This is subject to your own interpretation. I’ll offer a couple ideas. This is a selfish, shallow man trying to convince the girl to have an abortion; which we understand without either of them...

In "Hills Like White Elephants," Hemingway has constructed a traditional gender relationship between Jig and the man with her. Jig acts on intuition, which traditionally is an attribute assigned to...

It is certainly never overtly stated in the text, but it is implied through context clues, particularly the line in which the American explains to Jig that the operation is simple because "it's...

Anyone reading a Hemingway short story must be willing to work because most of the story will be found lying below the surface details. As a realist, Hemingway created characters, placed them in...