Wordle

Wordle

Monday, January 26, 2009

Hills Like Elephants

In the short story "Hills Like White Elephants" there are two main characters, referred only to as the woman, Jig and 'the man.' They seem to be a couple who have seen happier days. They wait at a train station in Ebro, somewhere near Barcelona. There is palpable tension seen between them while they sit, wait for the train, and exchange drinks. The woman is concerned about the 'operation' that she is preparing to undergo. The majority of the piece is back-and-forth dialogue between the two characters, with some interjected descriptions of the landscape and close elements of their relationship. The opposing imagery of the bank on either side of the river shows the dichotomy going on in the mind of Jig. The symbolism portrays that her hesitation is about an abortion and their decision to have one. The comments about their drinking reveals an element that they are both under a lot of duress concerning the decision they had to make. The fact that they are also in a foreign country and that they speak English is a good indication that they are perhaps undergoing the operation outside of the States in order to avoid certain illegalities.

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