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FangyuanWangAppreciationofmodernproseOctober2，2011Reflectionon“HillslikeWhiteElephants”byHemingwayThestorytakesplaceatatrainstationintheEbroRivervalleyofSpain.Thetimesettingisnotgiven,butthisparticulardayisoppressivelyhotanddry,andthesceneryinthevalleyisbarrenanduglyforthemostpart.ThetwomaincharactersareanAmericanmanandhisfemalecompanion,whomhecallsJig.WhilewaitingforthetraintoMadrid,theAmericanandJigdrinkbeerandaliquorcalledAnisdelToro,whichJigcomparestolicorice,showinghowyoungshereallyis.Theirconversationismundaneatfirst,butquicklydriftstothesubjectofanoperationwhichtheAmericanisattemptingtoconvinceJigtoundergo.Thoughitisnevermadeexplicitinthetext,itismadeclear,throughphrasesofdialoguesuchasIt'sjusttolettheairinandButIdon'twantanybodybutyou,amongnumerouscontextclues,thatJigispregnantandthattheconflictinquestionisanabortion.TheAmericanmanistryingtoconvincethegirltoterminatethepregnancy,sothathecanterminatetheirrelationshipguilt-freewhilethegirlistryingtofigureoutwhichismorelikelytogethimtostay,getanabortionorkeepthebaby.Thecharacter'spersonalitiesareverydistinctiveinthisstory:theAmericanmanisstrongandsmart,hetakescontrolbyorderingdrinksandtakingtheinitiativetobegintheconversation.Thegirlisquiet,almostsubservientoneveryissueexceptthepregnancy.Andthisisalsoaconflictinthearticle,onwhichtheendisbased.Jig'sreferencetowhiteelephantscouldbeinreplytothebaby.TheAmericancouldseethebabyasawhiteelephantandnotwanttoraiseitbecauseofthecost,whileJigcouldseethechildasanextraordinaryadditiontohermundanelifeofdrinkingandmindlesstraveling.HillsLikeWhiteElephantsisthematicallyrich,givenitsshortlengthandsparsenarrative.Onthesurface,itdealswithconceptssuchastheconflictbetweenpersonalresponsibilityandhedonism,comingofageandsoon.Tomywayofthinking,whatHemingway,anoutstandingwriterofhistime,actuallywantstoexpresscanbeinterpretedasastatementaboutthelifestylesandattitudesofLostGenerationofAmericaninEurope,atamoreabstractandgenerallevel.