“Hills Like White Elephants” In this story, the American man and Jig are talking around an important issue, without ever mentioning what that issue could be. What is this issue? In a small group make a list of clues one could gather from the story, and then together brainstorm for a list of possible answers. Be ready to present your top idea. As a class we will decide the best possible answer.

Sometimes your understanding of a “thing” depends heavily on previous knowledge.

Ever heard of a white elephant gift exchange? A white elephant party’s main goal is entertainment. The gifts are supposed to be silly or make a funny statement. It is played like Dirty Santa, where the gifts can be stolen.

But why is called a white elephant gift exchange? It goes back to ancient times in Thailand and other Asian countries. If a Thai king became dissatisfied with one of his subordinates, he would give him a white elephant. The gift would, in most cases, ruin the recipient because of the cost to upkeep the elephant. But why would the subordinate accept the king’s gift? Because white elephants were regarded as holy.

In the Far East, the birth of a white elephant was regarded as a sign that the kingdom would prosper. In fact, Thailand is known as the Land of the White Elephant.

More Food for Thought….. The idea of a white elephant has worked it’s way into popular culture in other ways.

The idiom definition of “elephant in the room” is a problem that everyone knows very well but no one talks about because it is a taboo or is too embarrassing, too emotional a topic, etc.

A white elephant has come to be the “thing” no one is willing to discuss.

But are white elephants even real?

This is a white elephant located in Burma, also known as Myanmar, in 2010. She was estimated to be 38 years old at the time she was discovered.

Now, think about your new knowledge and decide for yourself if the American and Jig think of their “issue” as a positive or a negative situation.