The Jig Is Up

852 Words4 Pages
The Jig Is Up The story of ones life is the summary of all the decisions one makes throughout their life. In Ernest Hemingway’s 1927 short story, “Hills Like White Elephants”, He sets the scene of the American man and his lover, Jig. It’s a hot summers day in the Ebro Valley of Spain where they await a train from Barcelona to Madrid. The lovers are discussing who will make the decision as to whether Jig is to have an abortion or not. Jig is faced with more than this though. She must make a choice that is difficult and complex. Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants”, articulately displays imagery to set the scene, the theme is discussed without ever saying it, and has symbolism to show the barriers between the lovers. As the scene is set, Jig enjoys the beauty of the fields of grain and the view of the Ebro River through the trees. Despite the beauty of their surroundings, the tension is set by the warmth of the day and the back and forth conversation between her and the American. They both take a seat at a table in the shade and enjoy a cold beer, as to cool the situation down and break their heated argument. As much as Jig attempts to avoid the conversation by making obvious remarks as to the beauty of the scenery and describing that the hills look like white elephants, it only fuels their debate. The American is intent on Jig making the decision to get the abortion, but he only wants her to do it if she wants to. The reader can only imagine that in 1927 era, in the Catholic country of Spain, where abortion was illegal up until the year 2009, Jig would be concerned about more than the beauty or the countryside. There were moral questions, legal concerns, and the worry of where their relationship was heading. Jig couldn’t even make the decision whether or not to have a beer though. So, making the choice between having a baby, or not, is clearly more complex.

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