The life of any person is paramount, the subsistence right is legally protected. The story “Hills like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway illustrates a situation where two partners have different visions of their future. The setting has a symbolic implication, emphasizing the contradiction of the characters’ views. It is used to demonstrate the stalemate in the couples’ relationships – the necessity to choose between an abortion and a breakup.
The train station where the action takes place serves as an indication of the relationships’ status. It is not the ultimate destination, but a base point. Therefore, the reader feels that the characters are in two minds. The decision they are to make is, indeed, vital. It is not just the question of where to go, but the one of whether to continue their relationships or not. The dichotomy that exists between the barren valley and the white hills signifies the girl’s options -giving birth or having an abortion. The brown emptiness of the station suppresses the young woman. Her restless strolling is followed by some vague remarks about the mountains that “looked like white elephants” (31).
The male protagonist is an American. The author portrays him as an intelligent man, who speaks, at least, two languages – English and Spanish. The American is capable of taking a hold on both himself and the situation – despite being confused, he still manages to keep a straight face. This character shows great skill and diplomacy while trying to force the girl to terminate her pregnancy. On the one hand, he says that “If you don’t want to you don’t have to. I wouldn’t have you do it if you didn’t want to” (55). On the other hand, he does his best to persuade her that the operation “is perfectly simple” (55).
The female protagonist is the girl. Unlike the American, she expresses less certainty. The young woman shows some reluctance discussing the operation. Yet, she says, “I’ll do it. Because I don’t care about me” (64). The reader understands she is disconcerted when she cannot order drinks. Despite her desire to please the American, the girl seems to realize that even if the operation is performed, their relationships will hardly remain the same. This inner contradiction makes her say: “Once they take it away, you never get it back” (81).
The white elephant embodies the unborn child. The narrator uses it as a symbol of something unwanted. In the beginning, the girl claims that the hills “look like white elephants” (9). However, after the man’s speculations on the forthcoming operation, she suddenly changes her mind saying that the hills appeared to look like white elephants, but, in fact, they do not. Here the reader gets a hint that she might keep the baby. Finally, the girl cries out: “Would you please please please please please please please stop talking?” (98). This exclamation gives strong grounds to suppose that the girl is likely to keep the baby, even though this step will lead to her breakup with the American.
The story enlightens the important question of choice and responsibility. It brilliantly illustrates the entire complexity of a decision-making process. The author does not give any judgments, supplying the readers with an opportunity to reflect upon the matter and to make their own conclusions.
References
Bain, Carl E, Jerome Beaty, and J. Paul Hunter. The Norton Introduction To Literature, New York: Norton & Company, 2014. Print.