Many stories have hidden meanings about life within them. It is a way to get people really thinking about subjects that are otherwise hard to talk about, much less write a story about. Sometimes it takes a lot of creativity to realize exactly what the story is really about. Although, some are much easier to understand. There are many terms we use to help define a story that assist us in understanding easier.
The story, “Hills Like White Elephants” is primarily a conversation between an American man and his girlfriend, neither of which truly communicates with the other. Both talk, but neither listens, nor understands the other’s point of view. The American man, although the operation is not specifically mentioned, is trying to convince the woman to have an abortion; a subject the woman does not want to talk about and avoids by drinking. In this story, the white elephant symbolizes something nobody really wants, the baby. The girlfriend’s comment in the beginning of the story that the surrounding hills look like white elephants initially seems to be a casual remark, but it actually serves as a way for her and the American to discuss their baby and …show more content…
Located in the middle of a deserted valley, the station isn’t a final destination but merely a stopping point. Travelers must decide where to go and, in this case, whether to go with each other and continue their relationship. Furthermore, the contrast between the white hills and barren valley possibly highlights the difference between fertility and sterility, and mirrors the choice the girl faces between having the baby or having the abortion. The girl seems torn between the two landscapes, not only commenting on the beauty of the hills, but also physically walking to the end of the platform and looking around at the emptiness around the
The story, “Hills Like White Elephants” is primarily a conversation between an American man and his girlfriend, neither of which truly communicates with the other. Both talk, but neither listens, nor understands the other’s point of view. The American man, although the operation is not specifically mentioned, is trying to convince the woman to have an abortion; a subject the woman does not want to talk about and avoids by drinking. In this story, the white elephant symbolizes something nobody really wants, the baby. The girlfriend’s comment in the beginning of the story that the surrounding hills look like white elephants initially seems to be a casual remark, but it actually serves as a way for her and the American to discuss their baby and …show more content…
Located in the middle of a deserted valley, the station isn’t a final destination but merely a stopping point. Travelers must decide where to go and, in this case, whether to go with each other and continue their relationship. Furthermore, the contrast between the white hills and barren valley possibly highlights the difference between fertility and sterility, and mirrors the choice the girl faces between having the baby or having the abortion. The girl seems torn between the two landscapes, not only commenting on the beauty of the hills, but also physically walking to the end of the platform and looking around at the emptiness around the