Story Analysis of Hills Like White Elephants - 723 Words

Hills Like White Elephants Erich Auerbach wrote Mimesis in 1953 and used his theories about foreground and background to help in his analysis and understanding of the story of Odysseus. His analysis is appropriate for this one story but can also be applied to other stories wherein the truth of the tale is not expressed directly (Auerbach 3). Authors can instill additional meaning through the text by the tone that is set and the way dialogue is written. Background and foreground in this context refers to what is explicitly stated by the author and what is only implied and must be understood through careful reading of the viewer. Hills like White Elephants is about a despondent woman. A man and a woman are in a foreign land and stop at a small cafe while they wait for a train. It is evident from the dialogue that the two are not getting along. When the young woman says that the hills look like the elephants of the title, the man responds that he wouldnt know. I might have, the man said. Just because you say I wo uldnt have doesnt prove anything (Hemingway). Immediately the girl changes the subject, unwilling or unable to disagree with him about anything. This antagonistic relationship is made evident because even an off-hand remark about the scenery is taken by the man as an insult. This is what is explicitly stated. Jig (the woman) is in a relationship with a man who is angry. Additional information is provided regarding this couples relationship. AfterShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Story Of An Hour And Hills Like White Elephants1493 Words   |  6 Pagesshort stories, â€Å"The Story of an Hour† and â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants†, a symbolic setting representing the characters feelings, two themes- time and life decisions, and a feministic approach. The setting embodies the stories principal aspect contributing to why men and women have different perspectives and emotions. Revolving around the setting, both themes of time and life decisions support the idea that gender impacts our outlook in the world; however, the main characters in the short stories wereRead MoreCritical Analysis of the Short Story ‘Hills Like White Elephants’ by Ernest Hemingway.1497 Words   |  6 PagesCritical Analysis of the short story ‘Hills like White Elephants’ by Ernest Hemingway. Word Count: 1367 Hills like White Elephants – Ernest Hemingway â€Å"Will Jig have the abortion and stay with the man; will Jig have the abortion and leave the man; or will Jig not have the abortion and win the man over to her point of view?† (Hashmi, N, 2003). These are the three different scenarios that have been seriously considered in Ernest Hemingway’s short story, â€Å"Hills like White Elephants†. ErnestRead MoreEvaluation Argument Hills Like White Elephants1388 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿ Ernest Hemingway: Hills Like White Elephants A white elephant is an idiom for a valuable but burdensome possession, but also it means a rare and sacred creature. In Ernest Hemingway’s short story Hills Like White Elephants, Hemingway uses an unborn child as a white elephant. This short story depicts a couple of an American man and young women at a train station somewhere in Spain. Hemingway tells the story from watching the couple from across the bar and listening to their troublesome conversationRead Moreâ€Å"the Lottery† and â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† Essay881 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"The Lottery† and â€Å"Hills like White Elephants† Regardless of the type of society people live in controversial topics and cowardly individuals can create conflict. The stories â€Å"The Lottery† by Shirley Jackson and â€Å"Hills like White Elephants† by Ernest Hemingway implement this concept. â€Å"The Lottery† is about a small town that holds an annual lottery in which the winner will be killed. â€Å"Hills like White Elephants† is the story of a couple’s discussion over the decision they must make of whether orRead MoreHills Like White Elephants By Ernest Hemingway1446 Words   |  6 PagesErnest Hemingway’s short story â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† explores the topics of abortion, sex before marriage, and feelings of separation. There are many different points of view one can take on Hemingway’s work. The main literary analysis that will be explained is the significance of the title and how it is layered into the story in various places. In addition to this, the narrator’s point of view will also be discussed since it plays a role in bringing the characters together. Lastly, it willRead MoreMoving to the Girl’s Side of â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants†1697 Words   |  7 PagesMoving to the Girl’s Side of â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† In the article, â€Å"Moving to the Girl’s Side of ‘Hills Like White Elephants†, Stanley Renner carefully analyzes the movements of the female character and argues the different view from the general conclusion while still pondering on the open-end question the writer, Ernest Hemmingway, has left with the readers. Renner is left unsatisfied with the unresolved ending of the story. Although the majority of critics conclude that the girl will haveRead More Symbolism in Hills Like White Elephants, by Ernest Hemingway1687 Words   |  7 Pagesshort story, different literary elements and terms are incorporated into the story by the author. Ernest Hemingway frequently uses various literary elements in his writing to entice the reader and enhance each piece that he writes. In Hills Like White Elephants, Hemingway uses symbols to teach the reader certain things that one may encounter during daily life. Symbolism may be defined as relating to, using, or proceeding by mean s of symbols (Princeton). The use of symbols in Hills Like White ElephantsRead MoreErnest Hemingway s `` Indian Camp `` And Hills Like White Elephants ``928 Words   |  4 Pageswas well-known to scholars to have his short stories filled with male-chauvinist characters either abusing or disregarding weak and helpless women. However, Bauer, a professor of English and women’s studies, believes that the characterization of Hemingway as an abuser and having a blatant disregard of women is almost entirely created by the scholars and readers of his stories. With an analysis of Hemingway’s â€Å"Indian Camp† and â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants†, Bauer attempts to bring her own feminist perspectiveRead MoreCritical Analysis of Hills Like White Elephants923 Words   |  4 PagesMikhail Shimonov Professor Kaufman March 28, 2011 Critical Analysis of Hills like White Elephants At first glance, Hills like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway, may allude to many interpretations, however, the short story has a clear purpose. Set in the Ebro River valley in Spain, the story looms around the issue brought forth by Jig and the American, who is nameless throughout the whole story. The issue here being the ‘simple operation’ that Jig is about to undergo which happens to be anRead MoreHedonism in Hills Like White Elephants, by Ernest Hemingway Essay1588 Words   |  7 Pagesnature. The roaring twenties witnessed the uprising of a society that extolled such desire through the creation of a culture solely dedicated to consume. Ernest Hemingway analyses the behavioral patterns of such culture in his short story Hills Like White Elephants, where the concept of Hedonism- fathomed as an egotistical action whose only purpose is to bestow pleasure- and its consequences on the individual is explored. Through the characters dialogue in which they avoid a substa ntial conversation