Hills Like White Elephants - Book Report/Review Example

Hemingway utilizes imagery as a key element in this story. From the very beginning, he provides a detailed description of the setting: “The hills across the valley of the Ebro were long and white. On this side, there was no shade and no trees.It was very hot and the express from Barcelona would come in forty minutes”(Hemingway). The imagery of this hot and humid setting creates the idea of a large expanse with nowhere to run or hide from the heat. This creates a feeling of uneasiness, discomfort, and even slight claustrophobia for both the reader and the characters.

Additionally, the hills are introduced here which proves to be an important point later on in the story. The hills are not only apart of the imagery that occurs within the story, but also are an important symbol as well. The female character, referred to as Jig, notices these hills: They were white in the sun and the country was brown and dry. ‘They look like white elephants,’ she said”(Hemingway). The hills come to symbolize the ultimate issue that lies between the man and woman within the story.

It is inferred that the woman is pregnant and that the man is taking her to get an abortion. The hills are a symbol of this conflict. The female character brings up the hills and how they look like white elephants; however, later on in the story, she changes her tune about them: ‘They’re lovely hills,’ she said. ‘They don’t really look like white elephants. I just meant the coloring of their skin through the trees’”(Hemingway). Ultimately, these comments about the hills are symbolic of the female’s feelings about abortion.

With her first comment about the hills, it appears that she is not really in control of her life, simply making observations as life passes her by. However, when she takes back this comment about the hills at the end, it represents the doubts that she is having about having this abortion and represents her desire to ponder her options, instead of acting hastily. The alcohol is also an important symbol within the story. Both the male and female characters spend a great deal of the stories talking about alcohol and drinking alcohol.

In one exchange, the two characters talk about the drink called “Anis del Toro,” and they talk about having water with the drink, the taste of the drink, etc(Hemingway). The male character asks a few times in the story if they should get another drink as well(Hemingway). This emphasis on alcohol is important because it symbolizes a distraction. Neither character appears to want to talk about the actual issue of abortion, so they use alcohol as a way to keep from discussing their feelings about the situation.

Ultimately, “Hills Like White Elephants” is a story that delves into the idea of a relationship and how humans often talk around the issues instead of addressing them directly. Communication, or lack thereof, is an important theme within this story as the characters refuse to face their problem head-on. Hemingway allows the readers to infer from the other elements within the story like imagery and symbolism in order to understand what it really going on between these characters.