Fan-Lit: Review of Hills Like White Elephants

Review of “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway

While I will admit I am not well versed in Ernest Hemingway’s work – I have only read “The Old Man in the Sea” (in high school) and this short story – I have enjoyed the simplicity in his writing. This short story is about a couple having a conversation about whether or not the girl will get an “operation.” It is a concise and simple story with only three speaking characters; the couple and the bartender. The story refers to the couple as the American and the girl. The man calls the girl Jig, but that appears to be a nickname.

“Hills Like White Elephants” takes place at a train station in a barren valley in Spain. The setting represents the crossroads that the couple is at in their relationship and the decisions that await them (Sparknotes.com). The story’s title comes from a comment the girl makes about how the hills look like white elephants. The girl changes her mind about the hills, which could represent her feelings about having the operation. It is never stated in the story, but it’s implied and widely acknowledged that the operation is an abortion. From the portrayal of the characters, I’ve interpreted the story to be about an older man’s fling with a younger woman and getting her pregnant. The girl appears to rely on the American, suggesting that she might be young and inexperienced in life. It is not clear if the man is married and having an affair, but he never mentions a wife and implies that he and the girl could still have a future together.

One of the main themes in the story is communication. The girl brings up the white elephants as a code for the unborn child, while the man does not understand her meaning (Sparknotes.com). The girl agrees with the man about the operation and then does not want to talk about it. The man continues to bring it up, showing that he is not taking her concerns seriously. When she asks what will happen to them if they have the operation, he suggests that things can go back to how they used to be, happy. However, the girl is not fooled; she questions his answer, knowing that with or without the operation, their relationship will never be the same. The man tries to hold on to this fantasy while the girl seems to understand the actual situation. The man does not comprehend what the girl is trying to tell him, and thus she tries to get him to stop talking.

It’s hard not to read this story through the modern lens. Without getting political here, the audience can read the story from the woman’s point of view about how she struggles with the choice of whether or not to have an abortion. It brings up the subject of female reproductive rights. The man treats the pregnancy as a condition that needs to be resolved. He blames their relationship problems on the pregnancy. However, the girl does not view it that way. She sees their future as being all about small chat and drinking. The last sentence of the story is her declaring that there is nothing wrong with her. She is implying that being pregnant is not the problem. The ending alludes to the idea that maybe the girl will keep the baby. Because in her mind, the relationship is over either way.

This is a great story and example about relationship communication and how men and women - specifically when the story was written – do not always understand each other. “Hills Like White Elephants” demonstrates the power indifference between an older man and a younger woman in a situation where he gets her pregnant and then wants to make it go away. At the beginning of the story, the girl feels that she has no choice in the matter, but she realizes that she is the one with the power towards the end.

Here is the link to a great infographic that breaks down the story.