Hills like white elephants is a story of a couple waiting at a train station in Spain. The couple is facing a significant life changing decision; should the women get an abortion or keep the child. As they are communicating the conversation remains very vague and unreassuring. The couple never goes into detail of the abortion. Making the theme of this story: Clear communication is significant to make life decisions without creating doubt. Hemingway expands on this theme by using symbolism, Point of view and setting in the story.
The symbols clouds and the beaded curtain the author is using emphasizes the women's doubt and insecurities. One example that Hemingway points out is "The girl stood up and walked to the end of the station. Across, on the other side, were fields of grain and trees along the banks of the Ebro. Far away, beyond the river, were mountains. The shadow of a cloud …show more content…
Her feelings of how she views the unborn child changes as the couple starts to actually communicate. She uses words like "it" and then suddenly at the end it changes to a "somebody" which is referring to the baby. The author stresses "No we can't. It isn't ours anymore". (Hemingway 117) and then he states "Of course it does. But I don't want anybody but you. I don't want anyone else. And I know it's perfectly simple" (Hemingway 117). The word "it" comes off as very vague and gives the readers no indication of who the lady is referring to. Whenever the two are discussing the abortion it sounds forced because they’re not on agreeable terms. The couple never goes into detail specifying what "it" means in their conversation. Almost as if they just want the unborn to not exist. Using the word “it” makes sure the unborn baby gets little attention. In the 2nd example, all the sudden the "it" changes to "somebody" as if she acknowledges that the baby is
The symbols clouds and the beaded curtain the author is using emphasizes the women's doubt and insecurities. One example that Hemingway points out is "The girl stood up and walked to the end of the station. Across, on the other side, were fields of grain and trees along the banks of the Ebro. Far away, beyond the river, were mountains. The shadow of a cloud …show more content…
Her feelings of how she views the unborn child changes as the couple starts to actually communicate. She uses words like "it" and then suddenly at the end it changes to a "somebody" which is referring to the baby. The author stresses "No we can't. It isn't ours anymore". (Hemingway 117) and then he states "Of course it does. But I don't want anybody but you. I don't want anyone else. And I know it's perfectly simple" (Hemingway 117). The word "it" comes off as very vague and gives the readers no indication of who the lady is referring to. Whenever the two are discussing the abortion it sounds forced because they’re not on agreeable terms. The couple never goes into detail specifying what "it" means in their conversation. Almost as if they just want the unborn to not exist. Using the word “it” makes sure the unborn baby gets little attention. In the 2nd example, all the sudden the "it" changes to "somebody" as if she acknowledges that the baby is