Summary:
Ernest Hemingway's short story "Hills Like White Elephants" is a powerful story because of the subtlety with which it is told. The story addresses the issue of abortion, a taboo subject in Hemingway's time. The subtlety Hemingway used to describe such a traumatic undertaking, as well as the slow rising tension between the man and the American girl, keeps the reader engaged and curious to see whether an outburst ensues and to find out what caused the rift.
The thing that makes, Hills Like White Elephants, by Ernest Hemingway such a powerful story is the subtlety with which it is told. Hemingway is commenting on subject matter which for the time would have been considered taboo, but does so without actually spelling it out for the reader. As the characters sit together drinking beer and talking, it becomes immediately apparent that there is something weighty between them and as the conversation continues, the reader can feel pressure building between the two of them. At this point, the source of the tension could be anything and the reader follows along expecting not only some kind of outburst between the man and the American girl, but also to find out what has caused the rift.
At first glance the couple seems like any other, patiently waiting for.....
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