Approaching “Hills Like White Elephants”

Ernest Hemingway begins the story with a couple awaiting a train at a station located near the Ebro. He gives a brief description of the setting, then breaks into the action as if you were there observing the event yourself. It is very hot out, so the couple decides to order a round of beer. As the man orders, it becomes apparent he speaks the local language while his girlfriend does not. Therefore, since only he does, the girl relies on him to relay information. Hemingway portrays this dependency several times throughout the story. The man is more familiar with the area and customs.

Hemingway quickly puts the reader into the couple’s bickering conversation. Within the first few statements, the reader can sense negative energy. There also seems to be a hint of immaturity as the man and the woman argue. Apparently, the couple is struggling to get along. What’s bothering them? Adding to the “confusion,” Hemingway frequently omits the dialogue tags, leaving the reader to juggle back and forth between the two. He consistently uses this tactic and it results in some interesting tension and clash.

While the story continues, the reader will notice Hemingway never specifically names the characters. Although the man briefly refers to the girl as “Jig”, the man and the girl’s true names remain anonymous. When the story slowly begins to unravel, we get the impression these two characters represent the many couples that have gone through this scenario. The man and the girl are in a not-so-great relationship. They have rushed into things, been careless, irresponsible, and thus the girl is pregnant. Again, Hemingway never states this directly into the story; rather, he leaves the reader to derive this important issue.

As with many stressful topics, the couple attempts to avoid the subject whenever it arises. The two, more so the man, wish the “problem” would simply go away. Nevertheless, whenever they stop discussing it, the debate resumes in a matter of minutes. The couple cannot relax; they are constantly bothered by something. They continue to procrastinate in attempt to forget their troubles and “get back to normal.”

Eventually, as the two continue to fight and argueвЂ"often with very little purpose or reasonвЂ"the man brings up abortion. Again, Hemingway never has the man directly state it, yet it is eventually implied. Clearly the girl would rather not “go there.” She frequently asks him if doing so would bring them back together. Almost every time, the man replies in a irresponsible manner: he avoids giving her a direct answer and wishes to remain completely absent in the decision. “I will do it if it makes you happy and if you want to do it,” she states repeatedly. The man continues to reassure, “I’ll still be happy if we don’t, but if you want to do it, that’s great.” The man is responsible for his actions, but refuses to acknowledge it, as if it were all “her fault.” And how does he deal with it? He doesn’t. This commonly results in a poor and short-lived relationship.

The couple continues