A Literary Analysis
Ernest Hemingway’s short story “Hills Like White Elephants” takes place at a train station in Spain on a very hot summer day. The two main characters, the American and Jig, the girl, are travelling by train because the girl is going to get an operation. They are waiting for the next train that will take them to Madrid, the location of the operation, and they have forty minutes waiting until it gets there. The operation is likely an abortion, and the American is pushing for it while Jig is concerned and hesitant to go through with it. During the course of the story, as they wait for the next train to arrive, they discuss the operation. The American in the story is trying to convince Jig to go through with the operation because she keeps changing her mind about whether or not she is going to do it. Tension runs high as this operation is clearly very important to the fundamental structure of their entire relationship, and this decision will determine the future of the story of their romance. Hemingway was known for writing about manliness and the rugged, ultimate manly man because he himself lived like this throughout his lifetime. He was involved in the war, as an outdoorsman, and loved bullfighting. His lifestyle is often reflected in his writing, and this story is no different. The American represents the masculine ideal and what men are portrayed to have been like during the time the story was written, in the twentieth century. “Hills Like White Elephants” showcases the concept of masculinity and the dominance of the male character over the female by using literary elements such as plot, tone, character, and setting.
The plot of “Hills Like White Elephants” is not very linear or climactic. There is no climax that elevates the situations happening in the story, but rather it is about the dialogue between the two characters. This is meant to represent the idea that nothing is really changing within the lives of the characters at that moment, and instead Hemingway is building upon the future that takes place over the course of the story. In this regard, the entire intentio of the plot is to showcase and build up the conflict that the American and Jig are experiencing, without solving it in the same story. The action continues to rise even after the story ends, as the train leaves the station and they continue their journey to Madrid. During the story, while they wait on the platform, the American and Jig are having a discussion about their plans, but there is no clear linear development in that nothing changes within their relationship. They both simply argue about the operation, about the future of their relationship, and even about whether or not the hills really look like white elephants or not. However, at the end of the story, it is implied that after the operation happens, they will be breaking up and going their own separate ways. While he is telling her that he supports whatever she does, his rashness and irritability with her indicate that he might intend on getting rid of her once this operation is over with. He appears to be impatient for her to make a solid decision, as he keeps cutting her off and insisting that the operation will not be a big deal. At the same time, they seem to be reassuring themselves that this operation is a last chance for their relationship to be saved. The American tells Jig, “We’ll be fine afterward. Just like we were before” (Hemingway, 2003, p. 476). This implies two things: firstly, that they had already been having issues and were looking for a way to solve them, and secondly, that neither of them are confident enough in their relationship. They are attempting to reassure themselves that this is the right decision to save their relationship. However, it is obvious that they both know deep down it is not going to save them. The American attempts to tell Jig, “we can have everything” and “we can have the whole world” (Hemingway, 2003, p. 477). She continually tells him, “no, we can’t” (Hemingway, 2003, p. 477). The man is seemingly defeated by her insistence that he is wrong and just trying to cling on to hope from the past. The girl tells them the world “isn’t ours anymore” (Hemingway, 2003, p. 477). Through this conversation the two characters are admitting defeat. She says, “doesn’t it mean anything to you? We could get along” (Hemingway, 2003, p. 477). This is also another indication that the conflict between them represents more than just the operation and is symbolic for their entire relationship status.
The tone of the story represents the power shift that is going on between the American and the girl, as the American is overly dominant and controlling. This is established through the tone because there is no positivity represented by the atmosphere of the story. The air is uncomfortably hot, causing tensions to rise as heat is consistently used as a metaphor for discomfort and building crisis (Hemingway, 2003, p. 476). Tension is extremely high in the story, as the two main characters are divided on a very important and serious issue. They argue and cut one another off, and both of the characters turn down the ideas of the other. For example, when the American insists that they can be happy again and “have the whole world” the girl rejects his idea and says they cannot (Hemingway, 2003, p. 477). This interjection represents the tension that is rising between the two characters and the negative environment that they are creating for themselves. There are also many hints of desperation in the tone of the story, because Jig is desperately trying to please the American and do what she thinks will keep him happy as well as save their relationship. She keeps asking if it will make him happy if she goes through with the operation, as if looking for confirmation that this is the right decision through him. Overall, the reader is left with the impression that the couple is going through a very serious decision, meaning that the tone of the story is meant to be grim to reflect these dire circumstances. In addition, the conflict of masculinity as a theme is also connected to the tone because of the imagery used, such as the beaded curtain. The beaded curtain is meant to symbolise the fact that they are alone in this decision and cut off from reality at this point in time. The bead in the story physically separates the kitchen and employees of the train station to the passengers that are waiting for the train. Since the couple are the only passengers waiting, it appears as if they are alone in the world and the conversation is only interrupted a few times by the woman working there. This is connected to the tone because the reader is left with the impression of isolation and loneliness, two things that are connected to the grim atmosphere Hemingway has created.
The characters are the most important way that masculinity and male dominance are represented within the story. The American is the rugged, masculine ideal of manliness who exerts his dominance over his girlfriend because he sees himself as stronger and more intelligent than her. He gets very defensive with her, and always needs to view himself as the better person. When Jig comments on the hills looking like white elephants, the man says he has never seen one, and when Jig is not surprised by this the American gets defensive. He states, “Just because you say I wouldn’t have doesn’t prove anything” (Hemingway, 2003, p. 475). He has already admitted that he has never seen one, but does not want the girl making him appear inexperienced. Further, he is very short with her as she tries to make conversation with him. He even tells her to “cut it out” when she tries to make light of the situation (Hemingway, 2003, p. 476). The American also plays mind games with Jig in order to manipulate her into getting the operation. He tells her he does not care whether she gets it or not, but this is his attempt to get her to go through with it because he is making her think that he does not care either way. He is consistently trying to pressure her into going through with the operation, telling her “it’s really an awful simple operation” and that “it’s not really an operation at all” (Hemingway, 2003, p. 476). He tries to guilt her into thinking she is making a big deal out of something that is not in order to secure her confidence in going through with it. He disguises this manipulation by pretending to comfort her, saying “I’ll stay with you all the time” (Hemingway, 2003, p. 476). In addition to manipulating the female character, he clearly believes that he is more intelligent, worldly, and cultured than her. This is evident in the fact that he speaks Spanish and she does not, and he therefore gets to hang on to his control because she has to rely on him to get anything in Spain. He has to order their drinks, and has to tell her what signs mean. She asks him what the bead curtain says and he has to tell her it’s an advertisement for Arus del Toro (Hemingway, 2003, p. 475). Additionally, he has to call the woman from behind the curtain and order their beers for them (Hemingway, 2003, p. 476). When the woman tells them their train is five minutes away, she asks “What did she say?” (Hemingway, 2003, p. 478). All of this evidence that Jig cannot speak Spanish showcases the fact that she has been relying on him for the duration of their relationship. Their suitcases had “labels on them from all the hotels they had spent nights” (Hemingway, 2003, p. 478). If they had spent so much time in hotels, it is evident that many of these were either in Spain or in areas that Jig would likely not know the language. This means that she has been dependent on him to get by in foreign countries for quite some time and still continues to do so. One last way that the character of the American represents masculinity and male dominance is by showing physical strength and being the man by carrying the suitcases for the couple. Hemingway describes the bags he picks up as “heavy bags,” implying that it takes quite a bit of strength to carry them across the platform (Hemingway, 2003, p. 478). Thus, the American is showing the appearance that he is the strong on in the relationship and therefore appears as the real manly man.
In contrast to the character of the American, Jig appears to be less rugged and more delicate than her male counterpart. She is meant to represent the femininity that contrasts with the American’s masculinity. Traditionally, especially in the twentieth century when Hemingway was writing, women were viewed as the weaker, more gentle sex who were supposed to be dismissive and dependent on men. Jig is much more emotional than the American, and more concerned about the operation than the man. She is thinking through all of the aspects of getting the surgery and has many more concerns than her boyfriend. She expresses these concerns, but is consistently getting put down by the American, since he does not agree that she should be taking so long to make a decision. She constantly changes her mind about the decision in getting the operation because she is extremely self-conscious and unsure of herself. She keeps gazing out into the distance, as if in a trance to distract herself from the questions and comments made by the American. The comments that the hills look like white elephants, distracting herself and the American from the larger issue at hand (Hemingway, 2003, p. 475). She is only concerned about pleasing the American and trying to hold on to their relationship as long as she possibly can. This is likely because she does not know how to take care of herself and has been relying on the American to survive. All she wants is for the two of them to be happy in their relationship, and she keeps asking the American if he is sure that they will be happy once the operation is over. This is the influencing factor that will make her decision, but she needs confirmation from him that it is the right choice. He reassures her that it is the right choice for their relationship, and telling her he loves her and that he wants her to be happy seems to be the way that he can convince her of this. She asks “if I do it you’ll be happy and things will be like they were and you’ll love me?” (Hemingway, 2003, p. 477). She is asking for confirmation that he will love her again once the operation is done. This seems to be textual evidence to indicate that it is the only thing deciding whether or not she is comfortable going through with it. Jig also does not seem to hold much power over the American, as she asks him to stop talking but he keeps talking anyway. She even says, “I’ll scream” to threaten him to stop talking (Hemingway, 2003, p. 478). However, he just keeps trying to insist on things and clearly does not respect her wishes. She seems to be used to the dominance that the American expresses toward her and the fact that she is supposed to be submissive to him. She has clearly dealt with this for their relationship and seems to think it is the only way that they are going to get by.
The setting is extremely important for the message and overarching theme of the story. It establishes the other elements of the story and provides information about the context of the story as well as the characters and plot. This is because of the metaphor that the scene represents. The American and Jig are sitting at a train station in the hot sun, which is uncomfortable. Hemingway describes the station as “two lines of rails in the sun” with “no shade and no trees” (Hemingway, 2003, p. 475). This is at the time that they are having their important discussion about the girl getting the operation. The conflict lies between the decision that is going to be made and how each character feels about it. However, in contrast to the scorching hot train platform, in the horizon there are beautiful hills and forests that are described as lush and welcoming. Hemingway writes, “Across, on the other side, were fields of grain and trees along the banks of the Ebro” (Hemingway, 2003, p. 477). The fields of grain can be seen as symbolism for the promise of growth. Grain is a crop that is used to feed populations, representing the act of nurturing. The fact that these fields containing a crop used for growth are located in the distance represents that growth and positivity will exist later on for the couple. Optimism can be seen through the idea of growth and nurturing. The river in the distance contrasts the thirst that the scorching hot sun causes, representing nourishment as well. Water represents clarity in this situation, and the promise of a clear future for the girl if she makes the right decision. The heat that both characters are experiencing discomfort from will be resolved with the cool water from the Ebro river and the shade provided by the clouds in the distance. Overall, the setting represents the optimism of the future, and the idea that everything is going to be okay once this problem is done with. The cool shade and water in their future allow a promising idea that they will become peaceful later on in their lives. Whether it means that they stay together or not, it symbolises the fact that they have acknowledged this is the worst part, and the worst part will soon be over. The environment looks much more comfortable over in the distance, which means that once the girl and the American finish this part of their journey they will both find peace and happiness in their own ways. It is not entirely a bad thing for the couple to be parting separate ways because this optimism could mean that they both have a better future without the other in it.
“Hills Like White Elephants” contains an overarching theme of masculinity and male dominance, and Hemingway showcases this through his use of plot, tone, character, and setting. In each of these elements, Hemingway includes devices such as metaphors, imagery, and symbolism to portray the story of the distanced lovers and their quest for an abortion. Tension runs high between the American and Jig as they continue to discuss the planned operation, likely an abortion, that she is planning to have once they reach Madrid. The story does not have a clear plot, but builds conflict slowly as the two reveal more about their relationship and their plans for the near future. The American seems to be in control of their entire relationship, as he manipulates her and tries to guilt her into taking the operation due to his optimism and belief in the couple’s future. This belief in their future may or may not be entirely true, as there is evidence that both the American and Jig have come to terms with their relationship being over, but he does what he needs to do at the time. Masculinity is a common theme in many of Hemingway’s stories, and this story represents the power that men had over women during the twentieth century.
References
Hemingway, E. (2003). Hills like white elephants. In A. Charters (Ed.), The story and its writer:
