The purpose of this paper is to show that an analysis and interpretation of the topographical and architectural setting and of the objects within that setting in Ernest Hemingway’s short story “Hills Like White Elephants,” which was published in 1927, provides a fruitful understanding of the short story. This paper investigates how Hemingway transforms topography into metaphors and symbols and how the setting creates the mood and sets the tone of the short story. “Hills Like White Elephants” is a paramount example of Hemingway’s so-called "iceberg theory". Similarly, Hemingway’s short story “Hills Like White Elephants,” which is mostly told in dialogue, is like the tip of an iceberg—the succinct length and the seemingly simple language are deceptive. Analogously to Hemingway’s iceberg theory, there are concealed depths to the surface story. The fact that there are only a few sections in which the setting is described emphasizes that a close reading of the setting is necessary because the lack of description indicates that there is hidden meaning behind the overall setting. This paper argues that Hemingway uses the setting to demonstrate the struggle of the main characters, the American and the girl Jig, about whether to have an abortion—even though words such as ‘abortion’ or ‘pregnancy’ are not mentioned in the text. The paper argues that Hemingway integrates symbolism into the landscape and furthermore uses spatial concepts to convey meaning that goes beyond spatial information. The contrast between abortion or birth correlates with the dichotomy of the setting and is hence almost entirely expressed in spatial terms. Moreover, the descriptions of the setting reflect the couple’s contrasting points of view regarding the pregnancy. The paper aims to discover the implied and hinted meaning within the deceptive simplicity of the text by relying on narrative theory.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Analysis of the setting in “Hills Like White Elephants”
3. Conclusion
Target and Research Scope
The primary goal of this paper is to explore how Ernest Hemingway utilizes topographical and architectural elements in his short story "Hills Like White Elephants" to mirror the underlying psychological conflict of the protagonists regarding an unplanned pregnancy and their relationship.
- Analysis of geographical and spatial settings as metaphors for life, death, fertility, and sterility.
- Examination of Hemingway's "iceberg theory" and the significance of implicit narrative details.
- Investigation of the symbolic division between the protagonists through their surroundings and their differing views on the "operation."
- Interpretation of the narrative's tension through binary oppositions such as light and darkness, or nature and the artificial.
Excerpt from the Book
2. Analysis of the setting in “Hills Like White Elephants”
The short story takes place at a train station in Spain. There is a physical and metaphorical crossroads of railroad tracks which underlines that the relationship between the girl and the American is at a crossroads—it could go either way. The train station is located “between two lines of rails” (262); it is a junction between Barcelona and Madrid. Thus, the train station is only a stopping point for travelers who have to decide where to go—similarly to the main characters who have to decide whether to terminate the pregnancy, with each railroad track standing for a different life path. With the approaching train and the developing pregnancy, the couple has only a limited amount of time to make a decision.
The information that the train “would come in forty minutes” (262) might also be a reference to the length of a pregnancy, which also lasts about forty weeks. In his conception of artistic space, Lotman claims that “the spatial order of the world in [...] texts becomes an organizing element around which its non-spatial features are also constructed” (1977:220). This applies to Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” since the whole story takes place at a train station that symbolizes the protagonists’ current state of mind and relationship status—which is off-the-rails. In terms of geographical position, Hemingway’s description of the Ebro river is quite accurate since it is located between Barcelona and Madrid—except for the hills (Flora 2013:43). Clearly, Hemingway wanted to draw attention to the hills, which are also included in the title of the short story. Therefore, the setting in “Hills Like White Elephants” serves both to locate the story in space and time and to function as a key symbol.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the theoretical framework of narrative space and establishes the focus on Hemingway's "iceberg theory" and the symbolic setting of the short story.
2. Analysis of the setting in “Hills Like White Elephants”: This section investigates how topographical and architectural details function as metaphors for the characters' struggle and their conflicting views on an abortion.
3. Conclusion: The final chapter summarizes how Hemingway masterfully employs setting to convey deep-seated tensions and suggests that every detail serves as a key to interpreting the story's open-ended conclusion.
Keywords
Ernest Hemingway, Hills Like White Elephants, narrative space, setting, iceberg theory, symbolic analysis, pregnancy, abortion, binary opposition, literary interpretation, topography, metaphors, symbols, Spanish landscape, character conflict.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this academic paper?
This paper focuses on the analysis of the setting in Ernest Hemingway’s short story "Hills Like White Elephants" and how it functions as a symbolic framework for the protagonists' conflict.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The paper covers the themes of unplanned pregnancy, gender dynamics, the struggle between fertility and sterility, and the symbolic representation of life and death.
What is the primary research objective?
The objective is to demonstrate that the topographical and architectural environment is not merely a background but a critical tool Hemingway uses to convey meaning that is otherwise unspoken.
Which methodology is applied in the research?
The author uses a narratological approach, incorporating spatial theory (specifically referencing Jurij Lotman) and close reading techniques to interpret symbols and metaphorical structures.
What does the main body address?
The main body examines the train station as a location of transition, the significance of the "hills" as symbols, and the contrast between artificiality and nature in the dialogue and physical environment.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as symbolic space, iceberg theory, binary oppositions, narrative, and character struggle.
Why is the "bead curtain" considered a significant symbol?
The curtain serves as a physical and symbolic boundary between the inner and outer space, representing the division between the couple and, potentially, the entrance of the womb.
How does the author interpret the ending of the story?
The paper concludes that Jig’s physical movement and smile indicate a sense of resolution and her decision to move toward motherhood, despite the man's continued pressure.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Jella Delzer (Autor:in), 2021, The setting in Ernest Hemingway’s "Hills Like White Elephants". An analysis, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1139466
