Hills like White Elephants Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hills like White Elephants - Coursework ExampleThe setting is in Spain, and the fact that the man speaks Spanish puts him in a decidedly advantageous position compared to the girl. Jig has to rely on the American while they are in Spain or, it is likely, she had to rely on him in all the places they visited. Their kindred is one of imbalance and inequality. Jig is dependent on the American, and obviously she feels compelled to abide by his decision to abort their child, even though the man places the moral accountability upon the woman (he pushes insistently on the operation being simple, but purports to go by means of the operation only if she wished).Hemingway meant for the setting to contribute to the central theme, which is Jigs dilemma of undergoing the abortion. The symbolism is clear that the setting contrasted the barrenness of this side with the fruitfulness of the other side. The station is midway between the two. These are evident in the linesAcross, on the other side, were fields of grain and trees along the banks of the Ebro. Far away, beyond the river, were mountains. The shadow of a cloud moved across the field of grain and she saw the river through the trees.The setting is a symbolism for Jig being midway in deciding whether to have the abortion (barrenness) or having her child (fruitfulness). The shadow of the cloud mournful across the field of grain shows that she may have considered that deciding to keep her child has become a dim prospect, in the face of the Americans insistence that the abortion is an awfully simple operation.The hills appearing like white elephants symbolizes the child they would have, which is now far off in the distance. The white elephant in Thailand is twain blessing and curse blessing because it is rare and considered valuable, curse because it may not be put to work and thus is fed and cared for