VCCS Litonline by Dale Hodges
In the short story by Ernest
Hemingway, “Hills Like White Elephants,” a couple, while delayed at a train
station on their way to Madrid, is observed in conflict over the issue of an
abortion. The setting at the station appears metaphoric, concerning the struggle
between life and death, in respect to their relationship and the unborn child.
As the story is read, one can visualize
the parallel tracks separating the
barren land from the fertile side. This symbolism identifies their choices; one
track travels closer to emptiness, despair, and even death, while the other
track is identified with happiness and the freshness of life. As I expound upon
the story line, I will expand on the symbolisms that
emphasize these characteristics and show that this couple is at a junction in
their lives, where each has one of two tracks to follow.
Jig, whom I identify as the protagonist, appears to be young. The narrator chooses to label her a girl, while her lover, the American, is denoted a man and the waitress, a woman. This is by no accident; the term girl is used 22 times in reference to Jig. Girl is defined in the New World Dictionary as an unmarried young woman, or “a female servant or other employee.” The American is depicted as mature, self-sufficient, and with an unlimited supply of money. This comes to light as the story develops, from the American buying the drinks, to his comments that they could have the whole world or go anywhere. He is also pictured looking at their bags, noticing the tags from the hotels and remembering the nights they spent there. It is not likely that a young man would be in this financial position, but an older man who was successful would. So the stage is set, a young girl, while carrying the child of an older man, is faced with the possible end of their relationship and/or the prospect of an abortion.
We get our first hint of their unreasonable relationship when Jig is pictured looking off to the barren hills, which were glistening white in the sun, and then making the comment, “They look like white elephants.” A white elephant is symbolic of something of little or no value to its owner (Merriam-Webster). This results in their first argument. The American states that he has never seen a white elephant, and the girl, with sarcasm, tells her lover; “No, you wouldn’t have.” Before an embarrassing situation develops, the girl quickly changes the conversation to a subject more appeasing to the man, alcoholic drinks. Just as the train represents departure, alcohol is often used to escape reality, to become numb to one's surroundings.
Jig seems to be trying to forget the pending doom at the forefront of her life through her consumption of alcohol, but she continues to find herself concentrating on the events that cast a shadow over her future. When she looked at the empty landscape, which resulted from the hot sun and lack of water, it seems to allude to the abortion, where the baby will be uprooted from its moist habitat, to dry-up and die, leaving behind a barren womb. This does not seem to be the reality that Jig desires. She probably analyzed the situation, and after realizing the consequence of having the baby alone, it enforced her frustration. For after her second drink, Jig announces, “Everything tastes of licorice. Especially all the things you’ve waited so long for, like absinthe.” Her overtone is bitter, as she relays to her lover that she has been waiting all her life to have this child, and now she stands to lose it and/or the man she loves.
The American realizes that Jig must rely on him, at least while in Spain, since she cannot speak the language, as indicated by the American translating for her. This gives the American leverage, but can he use it to penetrate Jig’s will? The beaded curtain symbolizes many things, the baby, their relationship, and a barrier. When the beaded curtain is looked upon as a barrier, it represents the protective wall that Jig has put up to protect her and the baby. The American works on this barrier by continually insisting on the operation and implying that it will bring back their happiness. He tries to convince Jig that it is simple, “perfectly natural.” When Jig enforces the barrier (by walking to the fertile side of the station), it seems like the American might come around to Jig’s side, but with disappointment, he ends the conversation with the simplicity of the operation. The roller-coaster ride places Jig in despair, and she tells the American to shut-up. Eventually, the American does penetrate the barrier, when he comes out from the bar through the curtain. Did Jig give up, or did the American come to Jig’s side? Let us explore.
We need to go back to the earlier conversations between Jig and the American and look at the surrounding symbols. After their first quarrel and into their third drink, the bead curtain is blown against the table. This represents when Jig starts to become defensive and puts up the wall. It is at this point when the American brings into the conversation the operation. Jig is pictured looking down at the ground and not replying. This body language is reclusive in nature, not showing a feeling of openness. The American continues by using phrases like, “We’ll be fine” and “It’s the only thing that’s made us unhappy.”
Jig takes two strands of beads from the beaded curtain and holds them in her hand. I can picture her moving her index finger and thumb around one of the beads as she listens and talks to her companion. Jig is formulating a decision; she is unsure about the abortion and whether giving up her baby would really solve all their problems. I believe that the two strands of beads represent their relationship and the beads symbolize the unborn baby. Without the beads, the strands would be barren, worthless, merely dangling strings. The baby would bring value to Jig’s relationship. She wants more than just sight-seeing, drinking, and sex.
Jig made her decision when she let go of the two strands of
beads. She gets up and walks to the other side of the
station, where the land is
fertile and full of life, and she begins to show signs of contempt and
frustration with her American lover. Looking at the fertile landscape, Jig sees
a shadow from a cloud moving across the field. This cloud could represent the
American, who is casting a shadow on her dreams and future. Jig turns to her
lover and tells him, “And we could have all this.” She continues, “And we could
have everything and every day we make it more impossible.” The closer they get
to the hour of the operation, the more impossible it will be for them to stay
together. The arriving train could spell doom for their relationship if the
American keeps ignoring Jig’s signals.
Jig must have a general idea of how much time they have left. This is signified when she starts telling her lover that they are no longer a couple.
“We can go everywhere.”
“No, we can’t. It isn’t ours any more.”
“It’s ours.”
“No, it isn’t. And once they take it away, you never get it back.”
The American doesn’t seem to understand as he continually implies “we” and “our.” Jig insists that he is wrong by saying, “No.” Jig is simply saying that he can go and do whatever he wants and she will do the same, but it will never be “we” anymore until he can accept the baby. The American is beginning to see Jig’s determination but tries to continue the conversation. Jig asks him to please stop talking, but in desperation he continues until Jig can’t handle any more and threatens to scream. At this point, the American sees the direction that their relationship has taken and takes their bags to the fertile side of the station. As he looks down the track for the arriving train, he must realize that although they are traveling parallel, each is going in opposite direction
The American is now confronted with a decision: does he continue going in the opposite direction, which will take him further away from the one he loves, or does he get onboard with Jig and accept her desires? Instead of going back to the table, where he already has a beer, the American goes into the bar through the back entrance and orders another drink. As he consumes the drink, he watches the people in the bar who are “all waiting reasonably for the train.” Has the American finally realized that he has been unreasonable concerning their situation? I believe the American has decided to get back on track with Jig and by walking through the beaded curtain, it signifies he is committing to Jig’s terms. Although the American is exiting the bar, he is entering into Jig’s realm as he passes through her barrier.
--posted by permission of the author in February, 2004
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