Table of Contents
Like the representation of an abortion, this revolves on the affair Hemingway had with his first wife. The love died before even blooming just like an unborn fetus before growing (Wyche). Hadley’s pregnancy got in the way of Hemingway’s writing as he thought he would be free to explore. He did not look forward to being a father and felt a way of being trapped just like the American felt with Jig’s pregnancy. After the divorce, he met this woman named Pauline which he had a more simple relationship and realized that was what he was needing all along. There is no other choice to wonder if the same will happen to Pauline as it seems to be a pattern of behaviors. This can also represent the Americans feelings towards settling and shows once responsibility comes to light, he will bail.
Symbolism
Why hills like white elephants? What does that mean? In the beginning, it immediately shows how Jig looks over at the window and sees the line of hills and says they look like white elephants. In the title, the hills are being compared to white elephants instead of saying the hills physically look like white elephants. This shows that there is more to it than just the appearance and creates significance with the repetition of the hills like white elephants (Link, 67). She then says it is not really because of the image but more because of the white color against the trees. This symbolizes pregnancy by her nude white breasts that represent the hills (Weeks, 76). Jig looks forward to being a mother which is why she is so fascinated looking at the hills. This is why she tends to respond with such aggression when the American says he has never seen a white elephant. She actually means pregnancy and not the elephant itself. He does not get the reference because he does not know what the hills mean to her at this moment.
The man then brings up a procedure and starts indicating that it is simple and not a procedure at all. Her health or any physical insecurities are not mentioned so we know it is not to cure or to fix something with her body. She asks questions like “but if I do it, then it will be nice again if I say things like white elephants, and you’ll like it?” (Hemingway, 125). This repetition also shows how the hill is not only a hill, but can be substituted with other things as well as maybe a baby. She asks for his opinion as if he is part of the situation. Jig is willing to do anything to keep their relationship even if she resorts to something she is not willing to do like the act of abortion. They are caught in two different paths and stumble on a crucial point when they have to make a decision. It is obvious that the main conflict revolves around the pregnancy that the man does not want to happen.
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The two different sets of rales that separate the hills signifies the two’s isolation throughout the course of the story. But there is no visual representation where Jig is convinced and both come together into one. They show his and hers opinions separately. The “hills on the dry side of the valley”; which are the white elephants as she refers to in the tittle, represents Jig’s motherhood dream and the ones on the “fields of grain and trees along the banks of the Ebro” represents the American’s sterile desire to live their lives without it (Wyche, 60). The story also ends with a cliffhanger where although Jig claims she will abort the baby, she might not at the end. We are not given that information. So the separate hills can also imply that maybe she will stand her ground and never go through with the abortion leading to both going their separate ways.
Character Analysis
The girl clings onto the thought of a family not knowing the man will leave her at the end. She sees the fields of grain, mountains, and the river through the trees while he just sees her and their bags (O’Brien, 20-21). Jig is more cautious of her natural surroundings than he is. This finds support throughout the story but mainly through her white elephant reference. When she asks if her comment about the hills looking like white elephants was bright, he agrees with her with such simplicity. She reminds him how at one point he thought of things like that being bright and asks if once the abortion happens, he will think the same again. As they continue to drink, Jig is cautious enough to add water to her drink which is odd if she wants to keep the baby. This can add to how she ends up giving in and agreeing that everything will be fine just as the man said but does not realize that no matter how much she is persuaded to go through the operation, she will have to live with the memory and the pain of the abortion suggested by the man she loves (Hashmi, 77).
When the illusion of the hills are brought up, he barely shows empathy for the simile. His uninterested attitude over the hills shows the killing of her dream. It seems to be more about “fixing” their problem than even interest in their relationship. Although the man says everything will go back to normal, there are things that might never be the same. At some point he did find comments like those to be entertaining but she is different in his eyes now. The American saw her just as one of the many rest stops on the road of life. The unborn child represents being tied down and him asking for an abortion will let him continue to live this free lifestyle without any consequences (Wyche, 60). So the question is, will he stay with Jig after she fulfills his wishes or will he leave because he is not obligated to stay anymore (Hashmi, 74). The American saying that he will stay during the procedure is the love he has developed for her as a person over time rather than partner wise.
In conclusion, the symbolism over the hills shows a good representation over the decision of abortion and how the setting portrays Jig’s feelings over motherhood. Hemingway makes sure to make it the story’s main subject as this story is highly symbolic. He indeed wants the audience to feel Jig’s feelings throughout the story and lets the reader decide whether Jig decides to go through with it, if she actually will or what will really happen after she does.
