Introduction
Authors have always embraced the usage of symbolism as a creative element in writing. The significance of symbols can be found in the oldest known examples of human storytelling, including cave drawings and hieroglyphics, which are figurative representations of more detailed stories or beliefs. Using symbolism, authors can convey intricate concepts while providing readers with a vivid, sensual experience. Literary and conventional symbolism are two different forms of symbolism. Metaphors, personification, and allegories are forms of literary symbolism employed in artwork and literature to express more excellent value beyond the obvious. Flags, company logos, and religious symbols are examples of conventional symbolism that is universally accepted and recognized. This essay analyses three symbols in “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway and includes the white elephant, the landscape, and the train station.
In “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway, an American man and a lady named Jig are conversing over beers as they wait to board a train in Spain. They exchange many words, but they seldom make it obvious what they discuss. The man feels concerned and upset even when he wants the lady to undertake an activity she is not interested in. While pushing the girl to get the operation, the man keeps repeating that he genuinely does not want her to if she does not desire to. However, the American man is adamant that the girl complies. After that, the man assures Jig that everything will be alright, just like before (Mays 636). The story is packed with symbolism and concentrates on three particular symbols to get its point out.
The White Elephant
The white elephant symbolism highlights the narrative’s theme as it represents the sensitive matter that Jig and the American are discussing but not naming. Any expensive, heavy, and worthless item that causes more difficulty than it is useful is referred to as a “white elephant.” The child developing inside the woman’s womb is a possession that cannot be effortlessly gotten rid of in this story. Jig’s first remark that the adjacent hills resemble white elephants is a springboard for her and the man to talk about their unborn child and the prospect of an abortion (Mays 635). Jig later amends her remark that the hills do not resemble white elephants, a subconscious indication that she could want to keep the pregnancy (Mays 636). Jig is ignored by the man, who keeps pressuring her to have the operation, making it even harder for her to decide.
In addition, Jig claims that the hills are actually rather beautiful and that, at an initial glimpse, they just appeared to be white elephants. However, the American believes that getting rid of it is a simple operation, but Jig is reluctant and skeptical in his approach. Relating the hills to elephants also brings to mind the phrase “the elephant in the room,” which refers to something blatantly obvious nobody wishes to discuss. The girl remarks that the nearby hills resemble white elephants as the dialogue involving the two gets going (Mays 635). It appears to be a casual, unprompted comment, but it essentially marks the beginning of their conversation about an operation that is thought to be an abortion. Presumably, the girl’s remark regarding the hills alludes to the unborn kid and the “something unwelcomed” they prefer not to talk about.
The Landscape
In his short story “Hills Like White Elephants,” Hemingway makes essential use of geographic characteristics.” In this literary work, the author uses the Ebro Valley to symbolize the decision to have a child, while the barren, arid land on the other side stands for life following abortion. Jig’s ambivalence towards childbirth is represented in the alteration in the symbolic vision of the valleys and hills. These geographical elements are transformed into a sign of life by the character’s skill of observation and imagination. This becomes something that is delightful and has plenty of vitality and strength as contrasting to a flat landscape that is “brown and dry” (Mays 637) But occasionally, in fleeting doubts about her decision to have a kid, Jig stops seeing elephants in the hills and loses faith in her ability to live among those vibrant green landscapes.
As a result, hills stop representing life and become inert terrain features that only serve as lovely natural décor. This shift in a natural element’s function is analogous to the challenging decision of whether to keep the pregnancy. The same fear is echoed by the denial of the valley’s actuality. The contrast between a happy, loving parental connection versus a standstill abortion relationship can be seen in the narrative. This is evident with the juxtaposition of arid land on one side of the station and fertile land on the other. Jig remarks, “We could have all this,” as he surveys the valley, which appears to be filled with joy, love, and peace (Mays 637). If river banks stand in for the favorable effects of a maternal decision, then the ideas they fear are those that are out of their line of sight.
The Train Station
Crossroads are frequently used in literature to symbolize a circumstance in which an actor should make a significant choice; similar to how a person must physically pick a route; they must also metaphorically select a life path. Hemingway uses a train station as the setting for “Hills Like White Elephants” to emphasize how the romance between Jig and the American man is in transition. The station, situated in the center of a lonely valley, serves as a stopover connecting Barcelona and Madrid rather than as an ultimate destination (Mays 635). Travelers should decide where to proceed and, in this example, whether to go together and keep their relationship going. Their delay at the station hints at a moment of suspension until they decide whether or not to obtain an abortion and, consequently, which way their relationship will continue moving forward.
The pair of rails that each symbolizes one of the options is present from either half of the station. The railroads pass through a pleasant, verdant area rich in trees and grain fields across one side of the station. A broad river meanders idly in front of some high mountains (Mays 637). This part of the station represents the decision to carry out the abortion. They tour the globe while indulging in alcohol, booking hotel rooms, and taking in all the sights. They do not have any obligations or commitments, and with an abortion, they will keep living their carefree, mindless, and party-filled lives. On the other hand, the opposite side of the station is unfertile and devoid of vegetation (Mays 637). The ground appears to have been dry for a considerable amount of time.
Hills can be seen off on the horizon that is white in appearance due to the sun’s rays. The emptiness of the countryside alludes to the tame life—settling down and taking on parenting duties—that the couple would have to begin living once the kid was born (Mays 635). This life can be more mundane but would still have meaning. The approaching train stands for the weighty, imminent decision that Jig must confront. Jig has forty minutes before the train comes to the station, allowing her plenty of time to consider her options. The train is later reported to arrive at the station in 5 minutes, alerting the girl that the duration is quickly running out and she needs to make a decision immediately (Mays 638). The train represents the time-limited decision to have an abortion, where the stage of pregnancy affects whether the procedure can be completed.
Conclusion
The symbolism in this short narrative, “Hills like White Elephants,” is abundant. The white elephant symbolizes the object that is difficult to get rid of and comes at a high expense. Furthermore, as implied by the phrase “elephant in the room,” the white elephant serves as a literary symbol for Jig’s pregnancy and for something glaringly evident that no one wants to discuss. The landscape is a convectional symbol where the fertile side represents the choice to have a child, and the arid, barren side represents life after an abortion. Hemmingway emphasizes how the relationship between Jig and the American man is in transition by using the train station as a conventional symbol. By giving an event, object, or person added significance, symbolism in the story creates an emotion.
Works Cited
Mays, Kelly. The Norton Introduction to Literature (12th ed.). W.W. Norton & Company, 2016.