A white elephant is a symbol for something that is valuable, but cannot be kept because the cost of it is out of proportion to its worth. I believe that in this story Jig (the woman) is pregnant and that the man with her wants her to have an operation which suggests he wants her to have an abortion. Jig says "I don't want anybody, but you." This refers to the fact that she doesn't want anyone else in her life at the time. If it makes the man happy, she will agree to the abortion. Jig talks about white elephants because she knows that the baby is valuable to her, but she doesn't want it if it is going to interfere with her carefree, happy lifestyle (drinking a lot, and traveling). I believe the title is "Hills Like White Elephants" because maybe the woman's stomach is like a hill, but inside is a white elephant, or baby symbolizing something valuable but not worth the pain and cost according to the man.
The setting of Spain is also an important indicator of what's going on. In the 1920s, under Vladimir Lenen, abortion was legalized. The woman in this story is known as Jig which is also a significant indication because "jig" is often used in the phrase "the jig is up" meaning its all over. Hemingway used irony here because for Jig, this should be a new beginning since she is pregnant.
I don't understand what happens at the end of the story though. Jig says, "I feel fine." Does this mean she is fine and wants the operation? Or is she too intoxicated to know what she is saying? Or is there some other meaning behind the words? Hmmm...
One topic that seemed to be debated about in English class today was the topic of death. One constant theme that is continually touched on by authors is death. Death is a deeper concept, so I think that is why authors write about it a lot. I think writers are a different breed of people than most. They're not a bad breed, but it seems as if their minds work a lot different than the common person. I can tell as we break down their stories, and find the deeper meaning behind them, that most authors gears don't shift like most. Story writers like Frost and Hemingway are always reaching for more, trying to find out purpose and meaning. It's almost as if they're in an isolated world. They may have encountered the same situation or seen the same thing, but they always interpret it completely different. I don't know how to sort out the thoughts, but they just see the world completely different, and think completely different.
ReplyDeleteAnother topic we discussed in class also linked to death. "Would you like to know when you were going to die?" I'm not exactly sure if when that day came rolling around if I would have liked to have been warned. Yet for now, I prefer to not be told. Some say that they would prefer to know that way they would start checking those experiences and memories off of their bucket list. While I think this would make everyday seem so much more precious, it wouldn't be the same. If you were to start traveling the world and saw all of these great places, I would think it would almost be partly to get it over with. The thought of my expiration date would always be in the back of my mind. For example, I HATE shots. To me, they are the most terrifying thing in the world. I would much rather not know the day I was going to see the doctor to get one of those horrible arm stabbers injected into my flesh until I was in the waiting room. I can't even imagine knowing the apprehension of knowing I was going to die. To me, that would cause too much unnecessary unhappiness, stress, and sadness. For right now, I don't think I would like to know.
Well from the research Madison did on the short story, I think she hit the nail on the head. Now that she has figured out the symbolism of the story I think her theory is absolutely correct.
In the short story, Hills like White Elephants, Hemingway uses his unique style to begin the story with a series of observations, setting you up for the plot of the story. Like Madison said, white elephants are a symbol for something of value. But the actual animal, was considered holy in ancient times, because they were so rare. They were very hard to maintain, because they were so high maintenance and expensive. This suggests that the woman in the story (Jig) is pregnant, and can't decide whether to have an abortion or not. The couple thinks of the unborn child as a white elephant, realizing that if they were to have the baby, it would cost them money and the lives they are used to now. Obviously the man is for the operation, and does everything he can to persuade the woman of that, even though he says he's "okay with whatever she wants".
ReplyDeleteHemingway cleverly disguises his message in the setting. He starts off saying, "two lines of rails in the sun," which I think means two decisions. In this story the decision is whether or not to have an abortion. He sets up two completely opposite sides of the railroad station. One side has trees and mountains and rivers, while the other is pretty barren with dry land. This, once again, refers back to life verses death. The lush side represents the child and life, while the dry side represents abortion and death.
Though the ending is not made clear, as Madison says, I believe the woman had the baby and did not get an abortion. Why? Well, before the end of the story the woman says to the man, as she points at the side full of life, that she could have all of it, she could have everything, and as the man tells her, that she can't have everything, and that once they take it away you can't get it back (referring to the abortion), the woman is very optimistic and says, "But they haven't taken it away yet." Then a few paragraphs later, the man gets up and says, "Well i better take the bags to the other side of the station," The woman smiles at him when he says that, implying that he is taking the bags to the other side of the station, perhaps the side full of life, and she is happy with the decision they made to keep the baby.
I agree with Morgan about the two sides of the railroad represent the two different choices. When the girl, Jig, sees the hills and says they look like white elephants I think she is talking about her baby and how it would be unique and rare like a white elephant. Also the color white represents innocence and purity like her child. When Jig examines the scenery and looks toward the trees and river i believe they represent life and fertility and the choice to have the child. Then the shadow cloud reminds her about the abortion and makes her unhappy. The next time she looks at the scenery she looks at the dry side of the valley that is barren and dead which would obviously represent the choice of abortion. The man is in favor of the abortion and tries to persuade her to kill her baby so they can continue their lifestyle because he is not ready to settle down and be a daddy. it talks about the labels from the hotels on the bags which means they probably travel a lot and if she kept the baby they would no longer be able to travel and the money would most likely be spent on their child. This goes back to the white elephants and how the man thinks the baby would be more to keep then what it is worth. I also think Morgan makes a very good observation on the ending. I think that they keep the child.
ReplyDelete1. Hills Like White Elephants obviously is jam packed with symbolism and hidden meanings. It's actually a story about abortion and the controversy that surrounds it. My question is what made Hemingway decided to tackle this difficult subject? But naturally because he is in fact Hemingway, that's why it's buried in symbolism.
ReplyDelete2. Are there really train stations like this in Spain? Is it possible that Hemingway had every been there and been inspired? Or is Hemingway even the type of writer that was ever inspired by seemingly simple things like that?
Do you think gender affects the difference on how the guy and girl see the situation? The girl doesn't seem to want to give up her child but the man seems not want to get rid of the child. I read in Madison's blog that the story was set in the 1920's. How long has abortion been an option? How much did they really know about pregnancy in the 1920's since the woman is drinking and with child?
ReplyDelete~Rachel~
As many people have said that the white elephant represents something of value. In the story "Hills Like White Elephants" I did not understand what Hemingway was trying tell the readers what type of operation it was but after I read the comments from the other it began to click. I think it was obvious that the Jig didn't care about herself from the begining because she is willing to give up something that is suppose to mean so much to her, just to make the man happy. I also think that she did not plan on keeping the baby no matter what the final choice was because she was drinking thoughout the would story. Also I think the title contradicts what is told in the story because the baby does not seem to be of much value to them because the man is trying to get rid of it and Jib is willing to do what ever he wants.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Rachel. Is abortion really what they are talking about in this story? Abortion is a serious issue, especially during this day and age. This story was placed a long time ago so how much did they really know about abortion at the time?
ReplyDeleteAnd as Hunter said, does Hemingway write about his own experiences? Or is he creative enough that he can just make in depth stories based only on the knowledge that he has inside of him?
Why would Hemingway address such a topic as abortion then leave the end hanging without giving his opinion on it? What's the point of writing this story without giving the beginning or end and on such a debatable topic too? Is it just about the hard decision that abortion brings about?
ReplyDeleteWhite elephants represent a burdensome possession that causes more trouble than it's worth. I agree with Morgan in saying that the woman is pregnant. I think this couple is going to keep the baby. In the story, the woman says that she doesn't care about herself, she just wants to make the man happy. I think she realizes that this is going to be a huge responsibility, but she wants her husband to be happy. The man keeps telling her that he does't want to do it if she doesn't want to. I think this is a sign of devotion to her. However, we get the feeling that he really does want this baby and wants to face the challenge head on. He Is ready to have this baby, but he doesn't want it to put too much strain on his wife.I think Hemingway is setting this situation up for trouble. If the white elephants represent things that cause more trouble than they are worth, what will come of this relationship between the two people?
ReplyDeleteIn the Story Hills Like White Elephants a couple debates on whether to get an abortion or have their baby. Why does this stories theme of trying to obtain something that you can't have refer to the idea of a white elephant? Why does Hemingway chose to explain the selfishness of Jig with the stories title, and the idea that ther are somethings that are more trouble than they're worth?
ReplyDeleteI agree with reilly, what do the white elephants symbolize? Did Hemingway ever have to decide on whether or not to have an abortion with a child him and his wife were having? Also, I think this story shows the viewpoints of the different genders. The girl wants an abortion because she does not want to have to go through pregnancy, but the man wants to have the baby because he does not have to endure and physical pain.
ReplyDeleteHey its Marrshall I thought the story was about these people getting married
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