Ernest Hemingway Hills Like White Elephants - Essay Example

Geoffrey Gomez English 101/ Hall 04/22 Opposite Sides of the Tracks The short story Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway has two unique characters caught in the difference of views and emotional substance. The American is a flat character who refuses to grow up and exists with a purely self centered and self interested motive while Jig is well-rounded character who initially is caught between her love and responsibility ultimately grows up to know that she is absolutely uncared of. The American likes wilderness, frolic and fun while the only reason Jig too like to do the same is because the American is interested in them.

They have been for a tour and apparently seem to have spent many nights in hotel rooms. While the reason for the American to do this seems to be for flat pleasure and enjoyment, only Jig has to pay for the mistakes both have done. As soon as the girl is pregnant, the American presses for an abortion saying that it will be a simple operation because he doesn’t want to settle down like the ‘white hills’ and still wants to enjoy life like the ‘elephant’. The emotional substance behind their togetherness is negated by the American’s attitude and Jig ultimately realizes this.

While the American has choices, Jig is left with none. She has to either lose the baby or the man. She has to choose between her love and her responsibility. While she chooses to listen to the American because she loves him, she ultimately realizes that the element of love itself is lost, for, he doesn’t love her. Else, he wouldn’t have worn that facade of love only for pleasure and just to run away like a coward as soon as the trouble comes. The way they react to the problem in hand is also different.

Jig is asking different questions and is genuinely interested in solving the problem. On the other hand, the American’s goal is to get rid of the problem instead of facing or solving it. It doesn’t take long for Jig to realize that the concerns and care that he apparently shows is only a facade. He also doesn’t mean it when he says, “But I don’t want you to do it if you don’t really want to”. The American remains as he was in the beginning while Jig goes through a transformation until the end of the story.

She realizes that everything was in vain, including her love, her care and genuine feelings for the American. She ultimately stops even communicating because even communication is in vain. Having grown up emotionally and having realized the reality, she ultimately refuses to talk and urges the American too to stop speaking anything. Now it is left up to the audience to fancy what Jig’s final decision would be. Would she decide based on her initial innocence or would the decision be enlightened one just like what she ultimately grows up to be?

References "Hills Like White Elephants Symbolism, Imagery & Allegory." 2011. shmoop web site. 27 April 2011 .