Hills Like White Elephants Reflection

      “Hills Like White Elephants” written by Ernest Hemingway is about a young girl wrestling with the idea of abortion due to the pressures and influences of the man in the relationship. The phrase which stood out and was repeated frequently throughout the passage the hills looking like “white elephants.” Throughout the passage, one can see how as the young girl studies the white hills she begins to reflect and realize how unique her baby is. The young girl begins to reconsider the abortion. This allusion links the unborn child and the white elephant.   The man sees the operation as a simple medical procedure and and he tries his best to persuade her into it.  As she considers his point of view she looks at the dry countryside, which is barren,  symbolizing her body after the abortion. The couple continues arguing until the young girl say “Would you please please please please please please please please stop talking?”

      When looking further into the symbolism of the White Hills, one can imagine the hills metaphorically representing a pregnant woman’s womb.  The hills are located on the other side of the valley, which can only be seen from a distance. The reflection of the distant hills might indicate that the girl finds it a distressing choice between the dry country and the hills. The dry country with the man also represents an abortion and the hills signify pregnancy and therefore leaving the man. It is also evident that that the man never looks at the hills. He avoids the fact that the choice of abortion is a difficult one. Lastly,  the color white in this story symbolizes the unborn child’s innocence.

      This phrase adds depth to our reading by portraying the issue of abortion in a metaphorical way. Although the word “abortion” is not found within the story, Hemingway uses two literary elements to portray this – the setting and symbolism.

Machete. N/A. October 2, 2006. “Like White Elephants – Literary Analysis”. Monday January 17, 2011

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