Essay Sample about Symbolism of Hills Like White Elephants

“Hills Like White Elephants”, a short story by Ernest Hemingway, provides many instances of symbolism. For a reader to understand the complexity of the story, they must see that the setting is symbolized significantly. The use of this symbolism regarding the story’s setting is carried throughout the short story. Since the theme is revealed through Hemmingway’s use of symbols, it is vital for readers to understand the meanings behind his uses of symbolism.

This story takes place at an outdoor café in a train station which is located between two hills that lie across the valley of the Ebro’ in Barcelona, Spain (Hemmingway 75). It is symbolic that both Jig and the American are seated at an outdoor café between two hills in the valley as this symbolizes a low point in their lives where both characters are going to have to face the decision to either keep or abort Jig’s baby. Jig truly desires to keep her baby while the American encourages her to terminate the pregnancy. The potential decision of keeping her baby represents the American’s valley, while the other potential decision of having to abort her baby represents Jig’s valley. As a final decision is determined, only one of the characters in the story will be satisfied in attaining their hill, and the other will remain fixed in their valley (Hemmingway). The hills also seem to represent hope that their relationship, centered around a debaucherous lifestyle, could evolve to a more meaningful one that includes bearing children (Hashmi, 2003, para. 8).

The story begins with both characters seated at one side of the bar where only one of the two hills can be seen. The hill that they glimpse from their view is brown and dry, which is the American’s favored view as it represents his life after aborting the baby (Renner, 1995, para. 15). This side is symbolized to show that it gives him the opportunity to continue traveling the world without having to be tied down raising a baby. Across the brown and dry hill view was a different hill view, lush with grain and flowing rivers. The grain described on this hill symbolizes fertility and the river symbolizes new life as recounted by the academic journal, “Moving to the Girl’s Side of ‘Hills Like White Elephants’” (Renner, 1995, para. 3). This is Jig’s favored view as it represents her interpretation of life after deciding to keep the baby, should this be the final decision. Both hills are further described in the short story’s title, which states that they are “like white elephants”. It seems intentional that the author does not, instead, describe them as “looking like white elephants”. This small detail may not seem very significant; however, it illustrates the idea that they do not look like white elephants, but instead represent the same value as white elephants (Link, 2004, para. 3). 

Throughout the short story, it is evident that the American makes several attempts to manipulate Jig into only seeing one of the hill views. This is because he does not want her to continue believing that her life will be happy if she decides to keep her baby. In one instance, he tells her that the having an abortion is a “perfectly natural” procedure (O’Brien, 1992, para. 3). The American also intends for Jig only to see what he could benefit from the decision that she makes. He does this figuratively by telling her to come back into the shade with him so she can no longer see the grain and river side as the narrator says,

"Come on back in the shade," he said. "You mustn't feel that way." " I don't feel any way," (Hemmingway 78).

The ethical dilemma weighs heavily on Jig as she is almost indomitably persuaded and manipulated to see just one of both sides: symbolically, the brown and dry hill and literally, having to give up her baby to appease the American. Throughout the short story, she seems to be unsure of fully committing to a decision, even until the very end. Though her decision is not directly stated anywhere in the story, many critics have made their assumptions as to what she finally chooses to do bases on clues and symbols. (Wyche, para. 2) 

Another way in which Hemmingway utilizes symbolism throughout the setting is revealed in the American’s name, or lack thereof. Though the story takes place in Spain, his primary desire is to move back to his country with Jig after aborting the baby. The technique that Hemmingway uses to limit the American’s name solely to his nationality represents his main intentions of traveling back to America.

There are many instances in which symbolism is provided regarding the setting of the short story, “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemmingway. From the bar they are seated at to the country they are located, symbolism can be found extensively throughout the setting. Interpreting these symbols is fundamental for readers to understand the theme of the story.