Abortion in "Hills Like White Elephants"

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the short story, "Hills Like White Elephants," written by Ernest Hemingway, which features an intense conversation between a man and woman on the topic of her having an abortion. The paper shows how the events in the story clearly parallel many (if not all) aspects of the ongoing abortion debate today. The paper focuses on the abortion symbolism and metaphor within the story and discussion between the characters

From the Paper:

"Now their conversation about the 'white elephant', given their opposite opinions of it, has hit a stalemate and both are grateful when the woman who has brought them drinks announces the train will soon arrive, giving the man an excuse just now to get up from their table and take the "two heavy bags" (Hemingway, "Hills Like White Elephants") [one perhaps symbolizing for him the woman; the other the 'white elephant'] of theirs across the station to the boarding area and out of their sight for a few minutes. Having done that, on the way back to their table (grabbing another quick drink alone at the bar) the man notices how "reasonable" everyone else looks as they wait for the train. But then as he rejoins his companion, even she claims to have cheered up. She insists (not very convincingly) that "There's nothing wrong with me. I feel fine" (Hemingway). If this is at all true on her part it may be because the hills appearing to her like white elephants, visible to both of them as they have sat waiting here at this train station, will soon be gone from their sight."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Hemingway, Ernest. "Hills Like White Elephants." Plato. 4 December 2007. <http://plato.acadiau.ca/courses/engl/lawson/acadia03/texts/HillsLikeWE.html>

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