Hills Like White Elephants Setting Analysis

The short story “Hills like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemmingway is about a couple that is sitting at a train station between Madrid and Barcalona struggling with a critical decision they are faced with. Hemmingway uses dialogue to tell the story and forces the reader to interpret what will happen next. The setting and symbolism gives the readers clues to understand the couple’s dilemma they are faced with. Hemmingway chose a public place for the setting for this story. This public place was a train station somewhere near Ebro, which is a river in northern Spain, between Barcelona and Madrid. The couple is waiting for the train to Madrid at the bar and then the American man says to Jig, his girlfriend, “It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig” (Mays 592). Then Jig replies by just looking at the ground (Mays 592). This shows that the couple is having a private conversation you would not typically discuss in a public setting in the 1920’s. At this time in the 1920’s women were …show more content…
The train station for example is set between two fields or sort of hilly valleys. One side of the station is brown and very dry, while another is very green, full of trees, and full of color (Mays 591/593). This area represents the two options Jig must face. The side that is full of color represents life. In this case it would be the unborn child’s life. The other side is the dry and dull side that represents death in this case if Jig decides to have the abortion the baby would die. Jig is the one who has to ultimately make the decision. This is why she is the one to see the sides of the train station. The train station also represents that the couple is at a crossroad in their relationship. For example this is shown in the story when Jig asks the American man if he will still love her if she has the abortion (Mays 592). This quote is showing that the couple does not truly know if the baby would affect their relationship or