Summary:
Examines the story, Hills Like White Elephants, by Ernest Hemmingway. Describes Hemmingway's use of time, setting and symbolism to intensify the central dilemma in a story about a man and a woman deciding on whether to go through with an abortion. Analyzes excerpts from the story.
Ernest Hemmingway uses time, place, and symbolism in "Hills like White Elephants" to intensify the central dilemma in a story about a man and a woman deciding on whether to go through with an abortion. Although a literal reading of the title may not seem to have any relation to the story, the title is rich in implications. Critics suggest that "Hills" refers to the shape of a woman's stomach when pregnant, and Webster's 21st Century Dictionary defines white elephant as: "[An] awkward, useless possession." The term is also defined in Webster's as an item that is worthless to some but priceless to others. According to Victor Lindsey, the child in the story is a white elephant in the view of the man, who is trying to convince the girl to get rid of it. Hemingway.....
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