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What is the meaning of Hemingway's story Hills Like White Elephants?
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
The man and the woman are speaking about abortion.
This is the primary theme, but there are others: tension, isolation, and disconnection.
As the couple wait for the train, the woman gazes at the snow topped mountain.
"They look like white elephants," she said.
"I've never seen one," the man drank his beer.
"No you wouldn't have."
All of the themes of the story are hinted at here. The woman may be thinking of the mountains and her own body, which will soon be as swollen as the hills. The fact that they are cold and snow-capped may bespeak the isolation and "coldness" of her partner who does not want the pregnancy.
Additionally, there is symbolism present in calling anything a "white elephant." A white elephant is something that is not wanted:
"It's really an awfully simple operation, Jig," the man said, "It's not really an operation at all."
The fact that the couple refuse to directly say to one another the words "pregnancy" or "abortion," is akin to the adage, "the elephant in the room," which means something everyone knows but refuses to acknowledge. Even at the end, when there has been no resolution, the woman continues to ignore the (literally) growing problem.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
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What is the setting of Hemingways hills like white elephants?
Atrain station in the spanish countryside (Apex)
Where is the setting for Ernest Hemingways story hills like white elephants?
A train station in Spain
When was Hills Like White Elephants created?
Hills Like White Elephants was created in 1927.
What is flashbacks in hills of White Elephants?
The theme of the story Hills Like White Elephants is thedifference between talking and communicating.
Is the title simbolism or metaphore in ''hills like white elephants''?
The title "Hills Like White Elephants" is a simile because it's a comparison using like or as.
What actors and actresses appeared in Hills Like White Elephants - 2013?
The cast of Hills Like White Elephants - 2013 includes: YiHeng Gwok Vincent Ling
What couple in Hills Like White Elephants is mostly likely?
What is the couple in Hills like white elephant most likey want
What is the symbolism in Hills Like White Elephants?
In "Hills Like White Elephants," the white elephant symbolizes a burdensome or unwanted issue that the characters are grappling with. The hills that look like white elephants also represent the looming presence of this issue that cannot be ignored. Overall, the story captures the sense of unease and tension between the characters as they try to navigate a difficult decision.
What is hills like white elephants about?
Type your answer here... whether or not to have an abortion.
Symbols in hills like white elephants?
In "Hills Like White Elephants," the symbols of the white hills and the train station represent the idea of infertility and the possibility of change. The hills, like white elephants, symbolize the looming presence of an unwanted pregnancy, while the train station embodies the decision that must be made about their relationship and future. These symbols contribute to the overall theme of communication (or lack thereof) between the characters.
What are literary devices used in Hills like white Elephants?
Some literary devices used in "Hills like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway include symbolism (such as the hills and the white elephants representing the obstacles and unwanted burdens in the characters' relationship), dialogue (which conveys the underlying tensions and conflicts), and ambiguity (leaving the ending open to interpretation).
Which Modernist technique is most used in Hills Like White Elephants?
Compression
