Ernest Hemingway's short story "Hills Like White Elephants" is renowned for its sparse prose and an almost suffocating subtext, where crucial plot points and emotional turmoil are communicated through what remains unsaid. The story, set at a train station in Spain in 1925, centers on a conversation between an American man and a young woman named Jig. While the dialogue ostensibly revolves around ordering drinks and observing the surrounding landscape, it is deeply imbued with symbolism that reveals the couple's profound disagreement over an impending abortion. Hemingway masterfully employs the contrasting landscapes, the recurring motif of the white elephants, and the very act of drinking to represent the stark choices and emotional dissonance at play.
The most striking symbolic element in the story is the landscape itself, divided into two distinct views from the train station. To one side, the Ebro valley is described as "all dryly brown and the hills were brown too." This side represents a barren, life-averse reality, a stark and uninviting prospect. On the other side, however, Jig observes "hills that looked like white elephants." These hills, initially perceived by Jig as potentially beautiful and fertile, are later described as "lettuce and bamboo and the river." This latter imagery suggests growth, life, and a more verdant existence. The American man dismisses Jig’s observation, stating, "They're lovely hills," as if to quickly move past the implication of life and potential. His discomfort with the "white elephants"—a symbol often associated with something burdensome or unwanted—highlights his desire to avoid the responsibility and permanence of a child. The contrast between the dry, barren landscape and the potentially fertile hills mirrors the couple's fundamental divergence on whether to terminate the pregnancy.
The motif of the "white elephant" is central to the story’s thematic weight. Historically, a white elephant was a sacred, rare, and often burdensome gift in Southeast Asian cultures, a gift one could not refuse or get rid of easily. In Hemingway’s story, the pregnancy functions as this unwanted, yet significant, "white elephant." Jig initially sees the hills as white elephants, a fleeting observation that sparks a deeper contemplation. The American man’s dismissive reaction, "And you think they're lovely?" and his subsequent insistence that the operation is "perfectly simple" and will make them "perfectly happy" reveal his view of the pregnancy as an inconvenience to be disposed of. He frames the abortion as a way to return to their carefree, itinerant lifestyle, a life that the white elephant – the pregnancy – threatens to disrupt. Jig, however, grapples with the potential loss, her initial perception of the hills hinting at a desire for a more settled, nurturing life, a life that the abortion would preclude.
Furthermore, the repeated act of drinking, particularly the ordering and consumption of beverages, serves as a subtle but persistent symbol of the couple's attempts to navigate their difficult situation and their inability to communicate effectively. They order beer and Anis del Toro, alcoholic drinks that offer a temporary escape from their reality. The American man frequently encourages Jig to drink, perhaps to numb her feelings or to distract her from the gravity of their conversation. When Jig asks, "And you think then we’ll be all right and happy," the American replies, "I know we will. I don't want anything but that." His words, however, ring hollow, particularly after he has repeatedly asserted that the procedure is simple and will solve their problems. The act of drinking becomes a ritual of avoidance, a substitute for honest emotional engagement. The specific drinks themselves, like the slightly bitter taste of the beer or the potent sweetness of the Anis, can be seen as mirroring the mixed emotions and the bitter-sweet nature of their dilemma.
In conclusion, Ernest Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants" is a masterclass in symbolic storytelling. Through the stark contrast between the barren and potentially fertile landscapes, the potent metaphor of the white elephant, and the pervasive act of drinking, Hemingway crafts a narrative that transcends simple dialogue. These symbolic elements work in concert to expose the unspoken anxieties, the moral compromises, and the profound emotional chasm between the American man and Jig, offering a poignant commentary on choice, responsibility, and the enduring impact of decisions made in silence.