What Is The Mood Of Hills Like White Elephant By Ernest Hemingway

When writing a short story, the details an author chooses to include are just as important as the details he or she excludes. An author often incorporates a variety of stylistic tools in order to strengthen the story’s message. They purposefully weave symbols into their stories that represent something larger than the simple material object. A writer uses his or her narrative style to intricately build meaning into the narrariation of the story. When constructing a story, a writer creates the perfect characters to act in his or her story. Ernest Hemingway flawlessly integrates these components in Hills Like White Elephants. Hemingway uses these stylistic elements to build upon his message. Hemingway succeeds in achieving his artistic goal of …show more content…
Hemingway ingeniously uses an impersonal point of view to tell the couple’s story. He describes the couple with an observer’s level of detail, “The girl looked across at the hills.‘They’re lovely hills,’ she said. ‘They don’t really look like white elephants. I just meant the colouring of their skin through the trees’” (Hemingway). Hemingway reports the characters visual actions and dialogue, but excludes any explicit disclosure of the character’s thought processes. At the surface level, the couple is trying new drinks and discussing elephants, however upon closer reading one finds that they are in a disagreement. As the man walks around the station’s bar, Hemingway describes him and how he perceives the other people, “He drank an Anis at the bar and looked at the people. They were all waiting reasonably for the train” (Hemingway). Hemingway describes the man watching all of the other people in the bar. Then, the author describes the people as the man is viewing them. Hemingway acts as impersonal author. He provides external knowledge that could be derived by a passerby watching closely. Describing the other people to be “waiting reasonably” is indicative that someone is not waiting reasonably (Hemingway). The man perceives the people waiting for the train as realistic and sensible in contrast to his perception of Jig. The man regards Jig’s behavior as irrational. As an objective author, …show more content…
Hemingway achieved his artistic goal of presenting an unhealthy, quarrelsome relationship to readers, so they are able to recognize the warning signs of an adverse relationship and make a favorable choice. Authors use their knowledge of hidden truths to write stories that change lives. Authors use their imaginative insight to form an artistic goal when writing a story. An author uses his or her knowledge of hidden truths in hopes to inform those who read their writing of these hidden truths. Hemingway presents a typical, carefree American couple who are unable to honestly communicate their true desires to each other. He uses developed symbols, astute narrative style, and prime characterization to achieve his artistic goal. Hemingway clearly achieve his artistic goal by giving readers a prime example of how a relationship lacking in communication can become unhealthy and result in extreme emotional distress. It is imperative that readers are aware of the levels of depth that authors incorporate into their reading. The ideas an author incorporates into a story are included purposefully to further his or her artistic goal. When a reader passively reads a passage, they lose an opportunity to gain a new level of understanding. The most brilliant and fascinating ideas can be lost due to a careless and uninformed reader. It is imperative to be an active