Hills-Like-White-Elephants

Themes,Motifs,andSymbolismin“HillsLikeWhiteElephants”Thisshortstoryisaboutacouplewithamajorconflict–thegirlispregnantanddoesnotwantanabortion–herboyfriendappearstowanthertogetanabortion.“HillsLikeWhiteElephants”waswrittenbyErnestHemingwayandwaspublishedin1927inabooktitled“MenWithoutWomen.”Overtime,sinceitspublication,peoplehavereadandanalyzedthisseeminglysimplepieceoffictionandhaveformedvariousopinionsonthethemes,motifs,andsymbolismthroughout.Iwillbepresentingsomeofthemhere.THEME–themainthoughtorcentralideaexpressedbyaworkOnethemeisCommunicationincluding•Aconflictbetweenthecouple•Theirinabilitytocommunicateeffectively•Thegirl’sdependenceuponthemanAnothertheme...SelfishnessandManipulation“Well,let’stryandhaveafinetime.”“It’sreallyanawfullysimpleoperation,Jig.It’snotreallyanoperationatall.”“Iknowyouwouldn’tmindit,Jig.It’sreallynotanything.It’sjusttolettheairin””“I’llgowithyouandI’llstaywithyouallthetime.Theyjustlettheairinandthenit’sallperfectlynatural.”“We’llbefineafterwards.Justlikewewerebefore.”“That’stheonlythingthatbothersus.It’stheonlythingthat’smadeusunhappy.”“Youdon’thavetobeafraid.I’veknownlotsofpeoplethathavedoneit.”“Well,ifyoudon’twanttoyoudon’thaveto.Iwouldn’thaveyoudoitifyoudidn’twantto.ButIknowit’sperfectlysimple.”“Ithinkit’sthebestthingtodo.”“Iloveyounow.YouknowIloveyou.”“Iwon’tworryaboutthatbecauseit’sperfectlysimple.”“ButIdon’twantanybodybutyou.Idon’twantanyoneelse.AndIknowit’sperfectlysimple.”“Idon’tcareanythingaboutit.”Afinaltheme...Choices•ConfrontingandacceptingthefutureOR•EvasionofresponsibilityMOTIF–Somethingthatrecursthroughoutthepiecetodevelopthetheme.Thiscouldbeareference,anincident,oranactivity.AlcoholisonemotifThereisdrinkingthroughoutthestory•Firsttheyordertwoglassesofbeer•ThenthegirlwantstotryAnisdelToro•Theyorderasecondroundofbeers•Thentheyorderathirdroundofbeers•Aftermovingtheluggage,themanstopsinthebarroomandhasanotherdrinkIntryingtoavoidconversationandtheissueathand,thecouplefillstheirtimewithalcoholicdrinks.AttheendofthestorytheyeachdrinkaloneHesitsatthebaranddrinksanAnisSheisatthetablefinishingherbeerfromthethirdroundAsecondmotifTheman’sover-simplificationofthe“operation”.Usingthiseuphemism,ratherthantheharshword“abortion”,isonewayheminimizesthischoice.Hiscontinuingstatementsstresshow“perfectlysimple”thisprocesscanbeandalsoimplyhisstrongopinionthatsheshouldjust“doit”.SYMBOLISM–theuseofwords,places,characters,orobjectsthatmeansomethingbeyondwhattheyareonaliterallevel.Asymbolisawordorobjectthatstandsforanotherword,object,oridea.Thetitleactuallycontainsthreedifferentsymbolsincludinghills,thecolorwhite,andthewhiteelephantHillstheroundedenlargementofthegirl’sstomachwithababyTheColorWhiteSymbolizestheinnocenceandpurityofherunbornchildWhiteElephantSymbolizesuselessnessorbeingunwantedAwhiteelephantsale,forexample,isatypeofyardsaleorbargain-binsale.Atthesesales,stuffthatisunwantedissold.Thisreferencecouldimplythattheunbornbabyisuselessorunwanted.WhiteElephantSymbolicofavaluablepossessionwhichtheownercannotdisposeofAccordingtoAsianlegends,thepossessionofawhiteelephantwasregardedasbothablessingandacurse.Itwasgoodbecausetheanimalwassacredandwasconsideredtobeahigh-levelgift.Itwasbadbecausetheanimalcouldnotbeusedasalaboranimalandwouldbeexpensivetoownandmaintain.WhiteElephantSymbolizesavoidanceofadifficulttopic(“anelephantintheroom”)Thephrase“anelephantintheroom”isaeuphemismforatopicpainfullyobviousthatnoonewantstodiscuss–itreferstoaquestion,problem,orissuethatisobviousbutisbeingignored.WhiteElephantstrengthandfertilityAccordingtotradition,Buddha’smotherhadadreamaboutawhiteelephantthatbroughtheralotusflower.Thefollowingdayshegavebirthtoherson.Jig(Nicknameofthegirl)Ajigisadeviceusedinwoodworking.Somehavesuggestedthathernameissymbolicbecausethemanthinksofherasatool–anobject–ratherthanapersonwithemotionsandfeelingsaboutherunbornchild.AjigisalsoatraditionalIrishdance.Thisnicknamecanshow,inasubtleway,thatthegirlandmandancearoundeachotherandaroundtheproblemthatexistswithoutsayinganythingimportantorcomingtoanycleardecision.BambooCurtainsboundariesthecoupleisfacingatthispointintheirlifeORtheseparationthatexistsbetweenthecoupleAnisdelToroThispowerfulliquorcansymbolizetheexcitementthatherAmericanboyfriendhastooffertoJig,butthedrinkfailstodeliver.ThisnewdrinkthattasteslikelicoricecanrepresenttheinnocenceofJig,sinceshehasneverheardofthisdrinkbefore.RailroadTracksThesearetracksthatrunside-by-side,yetnevermeet,andcouldrepresenttherelationshipbetweenJigandherboyfriend–beingtogether–yetnevercomingtogether.Thesetracksarethedividinglinebetweenthegreen,fertileland,andthebrown,dryland,representingthedivisionthatexistsbetweenthecouple.TrainStationSymbolicofthepointwhereadecisionmustbemade,asitisthemidpointbetweentheirjourneysGreenSideofStation(Lush,fertile,vibrantgreenlandscape)fertility–thegrowingbaby–anewlife–anewbeginningBarrenSideofStation(Brownanddrylandscape)Death–theabortion–theendoflifeEbroRiverRepresentslifeandvitalitySymbolicofthepassageoftimeBaggagethepastHotelLabelsonBaggagealloftheplacesthecou