Themes: Sterility and Vacuity of the Modern World
“Hills Like White Elephants” calls to mind the “A Game of Chess” section of T. S. Eliot’s The Waste Land (1922); like Eliot’s masterpiece, Hemingway’s story deals with the sterility and vacuity of the modern world. The boredom of the man and the desperation of the girl reveal the emptiness of the postwar generation and the crucial necessity of taking responsibility for the quality of one’s own life. Both Eliot’s poetry and Hemingway’s fiction are filled with a sense of missed opportunities and failed love, of a fullness of life lost and never to be regained: “Once they take it away, you never get it back.” As in Eliot’s poem, the landscape takes on powerful symbolic dimensions here. On the side of the tracks where the couple is waiting, the country is “brown and dry”; “on the other side, were fields of grain and trees . . . the river . . . mountains.” The girl calls attention to the symbolic value of the setting and indicates that in choosing to have an abortion and to continue to drift through life they are choosing emotional and spiritual desiccation.
Expert Q&A
What other social issues does "Hills Like White Elephants" address besides abortion?
"Hills Like White Elephants" addresses social issues beyond abortion, including the limited options for unwed pregnant women in the conservative 1920s, particularly in Catholic Spain, where marriage or adoption were the only acceptable routes. It also touches on themes of abandonment and the uncertain future of a child born into a potentially unstable relationship. Additionally, the story highlights the hedonistic lifestyle of American expatriates and differing gender perspectives on abortion's impact.
What differences in attitudes and values do the characters' conversations reveal? Do you agree with the critic's view that the story is about transience, loss, and failed possibility?
The characters' conversations reveal differing attitudes toward life and responsibility. The American man prioritizes his freedom and a transient lifestyle, while the girl desires stability and family, indicating maturity and a longing for meaningful existence. Critics argue the story highlights themes of transience, loss, and failed possibilities, which align with the girl's sense of unfulfilled dreams and the man's reluctance to embrace change. The story evokes sympathy for the girl's predicament and emotional depth.
The theme of abortion in "Hills Like White Elephants"
The theme of abortion in "Hills Like White Elephants" is central to the story, as it captures the tension and communication breakdown between the couple. The narrative revolves around their discussion about whether or not to proceed with the abortion, revealing underlying issues in their relationship and differing perspectives on their future together.
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