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The Literary Techniques Used In Ernest Hemingway's Hills Like White Elephants

1005 Words5 Pages

Ernest Hemingway is a well known American author. He is well known for his sparse writing style which consists of short sentences that aren’t very descriptive. In Ernest Hemingway’s story “Hills Like White Elephants” the reader is able to observe the importance of symbols. Ernest Hemingway’s uses symbols to explain the plot and theme of the story. This allows the reader to search for a hidden meaning in the story. This usage of symbols in story falls under the literary criticism of semiotics. Semiotics is the study of signs that can be applied to images, objects and color. By using symbols, it can also help the reader decipher the title and deeper meaning of the story. “Hills Like White Elephants” has many symbolic meanings that help explain how a couple struggles with communicating, the journey ahead and the options they have when making an important decision. …show more content…

Ernest Hemingway’s sparse writing style allows the reader to interpret the true meaning of the story by using the symbolic meaning of objects. This is very important when helping to understand the plot, theme and setting of the story. The objects in the story help entice the reader and make the plot more complex. Since Ernest Hemingway uses a simple writing style, the use of symbols is essential to have a story with depth and meaning. While the story is complex and insightful, the reader is challenged to solve the meaning of the story and use their own interpretations. The alcohol, the train and the scenery are all symbols of the difficulties the couple is currently facing. Ernest Hemingway does an excellent job at using symbols to help tell the story. He chose symbols that helped enhance the plot as well as the conflict which is the pregnancy. “Hills Like White Elephants” has many symbolic meanings that help explain how a couple struggles with communicating, the journey ahead and the options they have when making an important

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