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Hills Like White Elephants Short Story

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There are several reasons why I decided to write about Hills Like White Elephants. The primary factor that led to me choosing this story is that it was my favorite overall story that we have read. Hills Like White Elephants is extremely relatable to a personal event that has happened in my life. Before I discuss how it relates to my life, I would like to share some details regarding the story. Hills Like White Elephants is being told by a narrator who is not a character in the story. The setting is in a valley in Barcelona, Spain. A man and his girlfriend are awaiting a train to Madrid, Spain. These two individuals are the primary characters in the story. Throughout the short story, the man attempts to talk to the girl about a predicament in …show more content…

Shortly after the girl mentions that the hills outside look like white elephants, she says, “But if I do it, then it will be nice again if I say things are like white elephants, and you’ll like it?” This passage is about halfway through the story. At this point of the story, the woman is disregarding her observation that the hills around them look like white elephants. She is also placing emphasis on the fact that she may want to keep the child, rather than having the abortion. The boyfriend says that he will support the woman’s decision, but it is clear that he truly wants her to have the abortion. He does not want the responsibility of raising a child at this point in his life. The woman also becomes extraordinarily skeptical and concerned about the future of their relationship. She believes that it will be difficult for them to return to how things used to be if she proceeds with having the unborn child …show more content…

The author leaves us asking whether or not the woman decided to have the abortion, which is one of the most difficult and impactful decisions an individual could make. The tone of the story is controlled. We are given a small amount of information and conversation throughout the story. It is up to the reader to interpret the story and discover the meaning. Symbolism plays a large role in this narrative. The main symbol is the concept white elephants. This symbolizes something that is unwanted. In this tale, the undesired commodity is the unborn child. The obvious imagery in the story are the surrounding hills. The description of the hills helps the reader picture how they resemble white elephants. The author also uses imagery when describing the train station. This gives the reader the opportunity to picture a bar at a train station in Barcelona, Spain that is surrounded by large hills that resemble “white elephants”. Ernest Hemingway, the author of this narrative, does a fantastic job of using the elements of literature. Hemingway also writes in a way that makes his stories tremendously relatable to those who read his works of

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