I believe this is perhaps one of Hemingway’s most symbolic stories. He has skillfully used inference and illusion to present diverse viewpoints of the American and the Jig who are having a difficult time communicating with each other. The entire story is about a conversation between a man and a girl regarding the decision of abortion; though the word abortion is never used in the story. It’s only through symbolism that the reader is able to recognize what the American and the Jig are talking about. Hemingway sets the stage from the very beginning and uses symbolic objects to express the dilemma the young girl is faced with.
Hills Like White Elephants In Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants”, the story illustrates a young woman named Jig and an American man challenged with the decision of abortion. Throughout the sequence of the story it is apparent that the man is persuading Jig to undergo the procedure. The apprehensive discussion the two are having suggests that they are avoiding the underlying issue at hand. In addition, the setting of the story establishes the stigma involved with the procedure, as Jig left her town and traveled to Spain. Hemingway’s use of symbolism in the dialogue and setting helps reveal the difficult matter through suggestion without the actual term abortion being mentioned.
Flanders also made his main point very clear throughout his arguments by showing that Hemingway constantly left out detailed information, expected his readers to know what he knew and utilized obvious symbolism.Vast amounts of light was shed on Hemingway's short story by the way Flanders demonstrates his viewpoint and relationship to the omission style of writing and mentioned shocking points. Even though Flanders exhibited biases, he was able to show that Hemingway was being hypercritical in his writing throughout the short story. Throughout the early 1920s, abortion was not mentioned often; in fact, it was illegal and a touchy subject. It was common for woman with money to have success with abortions, due to the expenses. However, an overall picture about abortion was captured as being unsuccessful, harmful and dangerous.
She never states this, but it is in her tone. It is clear that the man in the story is sure if what he wants; his own happiness. The tone of a story is the feeling the author is trying to portray. In “Hills Like White Elephants” the underlying tone is restlessness and impatience. The girl in the short story is undeniably nervous about having an abortion.
Ernest Hemingway, 'hills like white elephants' the author used denouement to show he writes in third person dramatic, because he didn’t want to seem to create bias to the two characters. In the short story, we read about two characters, a girl and an American man. They have short conversations between them, and these conversations can hint of many clues about them and their relationship. In the story, we discover what the characters are like, through what they say, and also through the things they don't say. First, in the story, we understand that the American man has money, and he is an adult because he seems to know what he is doing.
7. What is the point of my narrative? I wanted to tell the reader that even the worst times can be overcame, especially with help from others. 8. How does the ending of my story make this a satisfactory ending?
“Faith” Ernest Hemingway’s short story, “A Clean Well-Lighted Place” while short, has been the cause of much controversy and various interpretations. These controversies range from the trivial, such as which waiter begins the opening lines of each exchange of dialogue (Thomson, 32), to the profound, such as the interpretation of “nada” as an existential or even nihilistic realization of the absurd in the text. While both of these have merit in their own rights, as numerous interpretation have been put forth as to which waiter says what, I have chosen to focus on the prevailing theme of existentialism/ nihilism in the text and the intricate ways in which it mingles, coincides, and contradicts the concept of “faith” in the story: Who has it, who does not, and which circumstance would be considered the “better” of the two. Many of the characters in Hemingway’s stories are found to be either in a transitional period or having come out of a transitional period and this story is no exception. The story revolves around two waiters who are observing their last customer of the night; a deaf old man who they know has recently tried to commit suicide.
(Wikipedia) Hemmingway does not state in the story what the circumstance is but to the reader and the assumptions made it is about the serious choice of having an abortion. There are many different situations, either by women’s own actions or by something that happens to them, that force women to sometimes have to think about having an abortion. Everyone has their own personal opinions and beliefs of whether it is right or wrong, but unless we are in the shoes of the person making the decision it is wise not to judge. It is very sad to say that the women who do have to make the choice are the ones who have to deal with the internal, emotional pain. The time-setting and place for the story “Hills Like White Elephants” is the 1920’s in Spain, thus making abortion illegal and explaining why the word is not used in the story.
What is symbolism? It is generally defined as the practice of representing things by symbols, or investing things with a symbolic meaning or character. (cite) When an author uses symbolism in his writing, it is not meant to confuse the reader but to provide a greater sense of meaning to what is written, beyond what is clearly described. Ernest Hemingway was a very talented writer. He is known for what he leaves out of his writing, not what he tells.
I would ask these questions of a man because some men not all tend to say they will but when it comes time to actually stand up and be a man they disappear like a ghost. Therefore, I feel like the choice should be the woman alone being she has to bare the burden/joy of raising a child alone There are a lot of issue to deal with when it comes to abortion, does are just some of the select few. I personally would advice any woman against abortion do to my own personal experience in which took me some years to get pass. But I do feel that a woman has the right to decide what goes into her body as well as comes out. So, who are we to decide a major life altering event in a woman’s life?