‘Name’
‘Instructor’s Name’
‘Hills Like White elephants’, written by Ernest Hemingway, is one of those rare stories which does not fall under any of the plot category prescribed by Christopher Booker. The style was unconventional for its time, and the entire plot revolves around a conversation between a man and a woman, who embark on an argument regarding the necessity of an operation. The man referred as American is trying to convince his female companion to undergo an operation. The American repeatedly says that it is up to her to decide on it but he says that rather unconvincingly, and is determined on persuading her. He conveys how simple the operation would be, and assures that everything would be alright between them if she undergoes the operation. After a lot of bickering and arguing the girl agrees unwillingly and asks him to stop talking anymore. The man goes to check on the train and when he returns he finds her smiling and she assures him that she is fine.
The major conflict in the story is the necessity of the operation. Though the nature or purpose of the operation is unspecified by the author, it seems to be a major decision in their life. From their conversation it can be speculated that they are talking about an abortion. While the man sees the baby as a white elephant in context of the additional expenses, Jig (as she is referred by her companion) sees it as a spectacular addition to her otherwise dull life characterized by meaningless travels and drinking. The conflict is solved by the unrelenting argument put across by the man, and his promise that everything would be alright between them if she goes through with the operation.
The main character, which is Jig, appears for the most part unwilling to undergo the operation. She travels reluctantly from denial to acceptance mainly to continue their relationship amicably. Yes, she loses her stand but hopes to win back the heart of the man she loves. The story takes the direction of its characters, in the sense that the mood of the story changes according to the nature of their personalities. It starts with a description of a serene natural landscape of the hills and rivers. The girl describes them as white elephants and the man denies it. Now the story changes track and mirrors the discontent and tension that exists between the characters. The girl’s feeling is natural, because like any woman she is eager to have a child of her own and her reluctance for the operation is understandable. But the man exhibits an aversion towards responsibility, and it is this character trait the basic reason behind the entire dilemma the couple is faced with.
The conclusion of the story befitted the plot aptly because those final two lines reflected the entire nature of the characters’ personalities. The man asks whether Jig feels better knowing entirely well that she does not. And she answers that she feels fine and there is nothing wrong with her. This response is in line with her previous attempt to make her companion stop talking about the operation, and just leave the matter alone. Almost all aspects of the story are enigmatic. We do not know the nature of the operation and we do not know any details about the characters, not even their names. So it needs an equally enigmatic conclusion to fit the overall theme. So this is a fitting conclusion and the author has left the interpretation of the ending to the reader’s imagination.
References:
Ernest Hemingway. (1927) Hills Like white elephants. Retrieved from http://www.asdk12.org/staff/grenier_tom/HOMEWORK/208194_Hills_Like_White_Elephants.pdf
