Theme Of Symbolism In Hills Like White Elephants By Ernest Hemingway

The use of symbolism in any story is meaningful and important. Whether symbolism is trying to show something that is out of context or it represents the true meaning of an object or idea in the story, symbolism provides knowledge on something that could not be clear in the plot and theme of any story. Symbolism helps the readers to understand a deeper meaning to any story. An excellent example of a story that has symbolism is “Hill like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway. The symbolism found in Ernest Hemingway’s work has important value to a story, but also can be interpreted by readers deeply and from a different point of view. The use of symbols such as luggage, white elephants and a train in “Hills like White Elephants” shows how important …show more content…
The luggage represents the amount of freedom the couple has. The quote from the story that describes what the American man is, “He did not say anything but looked at the bags against the wall of the station. There were labels on them from all the hotels where they spent nights” (Hemingway 593). This quote demonstrates the couple’s freedom of doing anything they want, such as traveling and adventuring around the world. The freedom that the couple has will be gone forever if the couple happens to have the baby. This will be due to the couple having to take care for the baby and will not be able to travel around the world. The lifestyle that Jig and the American man is currently living is something they both enjoy a lot and they will not be able to continue their current lifestyle if a baby is born. The American man says, “No, it isn’t. And once they take it away, you never get it back (Hemingway 593). This line refers to the couple having the whole world to themselves and when the baby is born, the couple will lose it all and will not ever get the whole world back ever again. The decision of having the abortion or not decides if the couple can live their nice and fancy lifestyle in traveling and exploring the world or giving up the lifestyle for a new one that has the couple and the baby included. An author named Lewis Weeks Jr. states, “A number of images and emotional reactions floods the reader’s mind as the dialog swiftly makes clear that the girl wants the baby, not the abortion.” (Weeks Jr. 76). There were many references and symbols such as the title that Jig wants the baby and the relationship between the American man and Jig would be over at any situation possible due to the conflict of having the baby or