Week 2 : Alejandra Garcia

Much of “Hills Like White Elephants” is left for the reader to interpret. It begins with a description of the setting and an introduction to the characters, “The American and the girl…” Little is said about who they are or why they are on their way to Madrid. The short story is made up of mostly dialogue, a back and forth between the man and the girl. There is an ongoing conflict between the two, never stated but understood from the dialogue. The man appears irritable and dismisses the girl's comments on white elephants at beginning of their conversation. He later brings up an operation. Although the word abortion is never used, it can be inferred from their dialogue and the tension in their conversation. The man is trying to downplay the operation, while the girl questions their happiness and their love, “And if I do it you’ll be happy and things will be like they were and you’ll love me?” Hemingway is able to capture the tension of the couple without having to clearly state their emotions. Furthermore, the couple's relationship dynamics are revealed through Hemingway’s choice of words and descriptions. For example, the girl is dependent on the man to order and interpret since she does not know Spanish. The choice of the word girl versus woman also implies the man’s authority over her. These type of details help to build the short story which Hemingway has written rather scarcely.