Literary Analysis Essay on Symbolism in Hills Like White Elephants

Introduction

Ernest Hemingway's novel "Hills like White Elephants", a man and woman have a conversation over beers while waiting for a train to Spain. The two of them exchange a lot of words, but never seem to be able to identify what they are discussing. The man wants his woman to do something she doesn't want to do. He is also anxious and upset about it. The "operation", as the man refers to it, will be "simple" ("Hemingway 233). The man promises the girl that everything will be just as before and that the two of them will be fine. The story is rich in meaning, and the story uses three symbols to communicate that meaning. The first is the white elephant-like hills that represent the "elephant" in the room. This symbol represents the taboo topic that the couple is discussing but not naming. It also symbolizes the baby that can't be removed easily. The second symbol is the shape of the hill, which represents the topic matter the couple is discussing: his pregnancy and her desire to have an abortion.

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The third symbol of the impending decision is the soon to arrive train. It symbolizes the difficult, imminent moment when the woman must decide whether to proceed with the abortion she wants. In the story's first instance of symbolism, the white hills the woman claims look like elephants are the first. (Hemingway 229) White elephants are a symbol for a possession that is difficult to get rid of and very expensive to keep. The child growing in the woman’s womb is clearly the possession that can't be easily gotten rid. It is easy to get rid of, the man believes. But she is cautious and cynical about her tone. He repeats his words as if he were speaking in a hollow chamber. Or as if there was a vast expanse between them. It is. Like the river that separates them from each other, the fact she has a growing life inside her is what keeps her apart from him. He wants to end that life. It is almost like ending life. She argues with him about the benefits of the operation. "We can have all the things." "No. We can't." "We have unlimited access to the entire world." "No. We can't." "No. We can't." It's not ours anymore." "It is ours." "No. It is theirs to take away. You will never get it back." (Hemingway 231). You have nothing if you remove the white elephant. The woman understands the gravity of this situation better than the man who insists that he can take it easy and pretends it is not a big deal.

The hills are symbolic of the subject they are referring to: the swollen soil, fat and round as a swollen abdomen, full of life, symbolizes her pregnancy. Although she isn't described in this way, the symbolic meaning of the white elephant symbol and the phrase "Operation the man speaks about the hills" gives them meaning. Hemingway reveals that the girl is fascinated by the hills and would not mind being pregnant just like the man. Hemingway has her say "They're beautiful hills" (230). She keeps talking about them and looks at them many times throughout the story. He doesn't want to see them, or even acknowledge their beauty. He keeps pushing her to accept the idea in a gentle manner. He is persistent, reluctant and she alternates between passive and aggressive. It is obvious that she wants to become fat like the earth, and swell like the hills. She knows she will be brown and bone dry after her abortion. She is in a moral dilemma. The hills are her symbol. She will lose her life and grace if she continues with the abortion. That is why she agrees with him that they will both be without the world if she does.

The train that arrives in minutes is the symbol for the imminent decision. They have danced around the topic. As their suitcase stickers reveal, they have traveled all over the world together. They've been married for over 30 years and have a daughter together. What should they do? It can live and bear fruit if the woman loves it, or it can be killed and the man's ego will turn the world into a barren and empty place. He resists the woman's egotistical urges, but she also has a desire for her to love him. She is conflicted, torn. She doesn't know who she owes most, to him or to her child. The white hills seem to be her only source of conscience, telling her what is good and pure. All this time, the train is rapidly approaching and will arrive in a matter seconds. They argue endlessly, never coming to a conclusion. But life is coming and they must make a decision. They will travel by train to get there. Either to more drinking and endless looking at things (which the girl claims is all they do), or to a child, life, love, and responsibility. They must make a decision. They will be transported to brown, dry country. They will travel to the white hills where they will find work, labor, and possibly new happiness and lives. The train reminds them that they have to make a decision and act now. "The train arrives in five minutes," the barista says (Hemingway 232). You can't afford to wait.

Conclusion

The short story "Hills like White Elephants" contains a lot of symbolism. The image of the white elephant symbolizes that there is something that can't be removed and that has a high price. The hills are pregnant. The train that is about to arrive represents decision time. Each symbol is full of meaning and significance, even though the taboo subject never gets mentioned by name. However, they all reflect the urgency felt in every word.

Works Cited

Hemingway, Ernest. “Hills Like White Elephants.” The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction. Ed. R.V. Cassill. New York: Norton & Company, 1995.