“Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway

Author- Ernest Hemingway 1899-1961 - American, 1920s Lost Generation in Paris (live fast, die young, trauma from WW1). Journalist = economical style WW1 ambulance driver, Spanish Civil War,Normandy landings, liberation of Paris, novels & stories, Farewell to Arms, The Sun Also Rises, For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Old Man and the Sea, 1954 Nobel Prize, Pulitzer Prize. Four wives, several children, safari in Africa, Key West Florida (cats with four toes), Cuba, suicide in Ketchum, Idaho.. A big life. Depression, drinking, PTSD, trauma, etc. His children & grandchildren work for mental health / substance abuse issues in creative people…

Lit Crit- Iceberg Theory Theory of omission (leave out extra details = minimalism). Focus on reporting surface / “show, don’t tell” / leaves interpretation, meaning, subtext left out = reader must work and infer meaning. Adds gravitas (weight, importance). “The dignity of movement of an ice-berg is due to only one-eighth of it being above water.” EH

Style, P.O.V. & Dialogue Minimalism Limited adjectives & adverbs Objective “fly on the wall” point of view. No superfluous description Almost entirely dialogue (like a stage play). Almost in media res (in the middle of the action) very little exposition / context Entire scene = less than 40 minutes “Hills Like White Elephants” was first published in 1927 in a collection of stories called Men Without Women.

Setting - Ebro Valley Spain Waiting for the train from Barcelona to Madrid. Setting as symbol - draw /visualize Contrast- the “dry” side and the “green” side.

Characters “The American” and “the girl” named Jig* (associations? Dance? Tool?) What is revealed through their conversation? How does their conversation show their relationship? What kind of people are they? Do they have a good relationship? Should they have a child? What are their values?

Symbolism & Motif SYMBOL = concrete object that represents something else. MOTIF = recurring image or idea (look for repetition). The title, recurring references, and visual imagery help to build the symbol & motif. Multi-layered public and private symbols. Leads you towards the THEME. Break the whole thing apart= White White elephant Hills Travel Bamboo curtains Drinking - Anis del Toro & beer Train & tracks Baggage / luggage Operation Relationship communication

White Elephants Useless objects White elephant sales = garage sale / junk sale The cost of maintenance is much more than the usefulness of the object Comes from a fable of the Hindu Kings of Siam (Thailand)

The Colour White Western tradition = clean, pure, innocent, new beginnings (think white wedding dress, baby’s white swaddling clothes). Sacrifice (from white lamb scapegoats in Christianity). Black & white, good & evil, light & dark.

Hills - physical geography Compare the rolling white hills of the geography to the possible changes in Jig’s body as she becomes more pregnant. Look at how each character talks about the hills.

The Elephant in the Room Idiom / figure of speech meaning “a thing avoided, a truth being ignored, an issue not addressed.” A looming big issue. Avoidance techniques / evasion = passive aggressive approach. Embarrassment or taboo Triggers arguments, changes, confrontation. Reveals problems in relationships (no open communication), lack of trust, power issues, problems.

Theme & Literary Analysis Deconstruct the story. Examine all parts. Put it all back together like a puzzle. What is the main idea? What is the author’s message? What is your response and understanding? Various interpretations. More than one possible theme in any work. THEME = main idea, central message, interpretation of subject, big ideas about the human experience.

Subject vs. Theme What does the author say about the subject? Talking vs. communication Types and quality of relationships. Crisis, choice, decision, the crossroads. Lifestyle choices. Drinking, substance abuse, etc. Travel. Abortion. The role of a parent. Youth, innocence, age, stages of life. What does the author say about the subject? What is your interpretation of the subject?

Discussion Questions What do you think of the relationship between Jig and the American? If the situation were reversed, Jig wanting an abortion, how would it change the story? What do you think happens when the train arrives? What do you make of the emphasis on happiness? Do you like the characters? Why does Jig say, “I feel fine” at the end? Questions? Confusions? Other ideas?

Show What You Know Draw the setting Compare: character chart with evidence Symbolism analysis Reader response to theme and subject Detailed analysis of one quote