Ernest Hemingway composed a short story called Hills like White Elephants.

It is
the story about the American man and the girl named Jig, who stopped by the bar to wait for
the train to come. They ordered a beer and discussed the scenario around them. As the time
passes, the American man started to bring the topic to the operation, He told her that it is very
simple to do and ensure that he will accompany her through the whole operation. However,
the girl seemed to be very uncertain about this. The man ensures that they will be happy
afterward and he had seen many people did this before. Nevertheless, the girl seemed to still
be uncertain, thus the man told her that she did not have to do it if she did not want and
insisted that he really cared for her. They then later argued, and the girl threatened that she
would scream if he did not stop talking. At the end, they ended up ordering more beer and the
man moved their luggage to the platforms after finished drinking. When he came back to the
barroom, he realized that there are other people at the barroom who were also waiting for the
train. The girl smiled at him. He asked if she felt better and she said that she felt fine.
In the short story, Hemingway makes use of symbolism to show the struggle of
unready pregnancy. Firstly, the white elephant in the story represents the unborn child of the
girl and the American man. A white elephant can literally mean the gift that is useless to the
receiver, which is how the American man viewed his unborn child and suggested her to have
the abortion to remove their unborn baby; "I'll love it. I love it now but I just can't think about
it. (p. 231) This is how the man responded to the girl when she again brought the subject
back to the white elephants. The way he responded that he would love it and loved it now,
showing that he also loved their unborn child because he was also the father of child after all.
However, he felt that they were not yet ready for it and the children would turn to be their
burden instead when the child was born. By having the children, the girl might need to spend
a lot of time in raising their kid and they might need more money to sustain their quality of
lives to be in good condition. Thus, he kept insisting for the girl to consider for the abortion
as it is the simple operation and their lives would be better. However, the girl viewed the
unborn child differently; They're lovely hills," she said. "They don't really look like white
elephants. I just meant the coloring of their skin through the trees." (p.230). The way that girl
said this implies that she viewed her children as a lovely present to her, and is not useless like
what the man thought. This can also further indicate that she valued that unborn baby and
wanted to keep, not having the abortion. She tried to convince the man that the baby was not
useless and burden by saying that it does not look like white elephant. It was just how
environment and the society around them that made them think that having baby was useless
and rather become their burden like the coloring of the hills that is shaded by the light and
makes it look white. However, she could not totally resist as the woman at that time was still
inferior to man, and she would not be the one that needs to find money to raise the family.
Another prominent symbol is the train station, representing represents the act of significant
deciding. The act of waiting for the train to come is the act of them in deciding whether to
have the abortion or not; He looked up the tracks but could not see the train (p. 232) This is
the scene where picked up their luggage and moved it to the platform after the argument
whether the girl should have the abortion or not. The act of him looking at the tracks shows
that he already has the path of the life that he chose and saw. The path that he saw is the path
where the girl has the abortion and then they can live happily after. However, the way he
could not see the train shows the inconclusive decision. This is because the girl seemed to
be uncertain about this issue and shows the concern of the consequence and the situation that
would arise after abortion. She also thought that the unborn child is like a gift that is precious
to her and him. It also shows the internal struggle within the American man. The man cared
for the girl and did not want the girl to do it if she did not want to do. However, he also
believed in his own path, which is abortion and tried to convince the girl to believe him. This
is the crack that started to make up in their relationship that could not be totally alleviated
regardless of any paths they chose because both could not mentally agree on one and another
choice. Therefore, he could not see the train because they still try to find the path of life that
will suit for both of them for the sake of their relationship. All of these came from the
unready pregnancy that one has the different view to respond to the situation.
After reading the story, there is something that really strikes me and makes me want
to point out and talk about it. I want to point out about the abortion that has been argued in
the story. First of all, I want to personally say that I do not agree on the idea of the abortion.
It is morally wrong and it is equivalent to the actual killing of another life just like you
stabbing the knife on another person. It is even worse because the person whom they are
killing and removing is their own children, thus they suppose to be responsible for their own
children and raise them even though they might not be ready for it. For me, the only
acceptable case for the abortion is rape because that is when they are forced and emotionally
and physically affected by that criminal who abused them. Also, they also risked for disease,
hence it was better to have the abortion. Lets discuss the abortion in the story. In the time,
when the story was published, the abortion was not yet legalized, but yet increasing in
popularity. For the society, having the children at the age of young adult seems to be the
burden and prevent them from achieving their dreams as they had to spend the time to find
money so that they raise their family. I do not really agree to this extent of the abortion. As
you can see in the story, it is really from the careless action of their own that led them to the
unwanted and unready pregnancy that raised the issue and tension between them. The
American man kept on insisting the girl have the abortion because he felt that it would be
better for both of them. He said that it was the simple operation to convince the girl to do it.
This may seem that he did not really care for the girl like what he said. Abortion is also risk
for mothers life in some cases and it is not as easy as what the man was trying to convince.
However, if we look carefully, we can see that he really cared for the girl. He said that it was
okay for the girl not to do it meaning that he could be a father and responsible for their family
if the girl really wants to keep the child. Also, the reason behind the abortion that he had
convinced is that he does not want them to struggle to raise the child when they are not ready,
which might come from the financial situation or any other things, he does not want the girl
to devote herself to raising children. By not readying for raising the children, it can lead to
the lack of food and poorer accommodation, which is certainly not good for both of them and
their child. This makes the man think that it is better for them to have the abortion and live
happily like before. On the other hand, the girl seemed to think the opposite of the man. She
wanted to keep her child and view this as a gift that she wants to keep. However, she also
loved the American man very much that she did not want to oppose his thought and changed
their relationship forever. She was afraid that the man might leave her alone and they would
not love each other like before. This made her decide to listen to the man convincing her to
do. Also, the woman in the society at that time was still inferior to the man, hence the girl
seemed to respect the mans choice and decision. At the end of the story, regardless of what
choice they chose, their relationship would not be the same as they could not totally agree
with each other decision. For me, it is the right for the girl to choose whether keep the child
or not as she is the one who will be pregnant for nine months and mostly take care of their
child after they are born. If she wants to keep the child, she should really tell the man and
discuss her thought not keeping all those things just to herself. Also, considering the situation
in the story, I think that they are capable of taking care of their child as their financial status
has to be well enough that they can travel to many places and have enough money to pay for
the alcohol like beer and other when they were waiting for the train. They are considered
quite ready in raising their child, hence they should not do the abortion. Finally, I would like
to end with one thing. I think that it is ready important for us to be ready before pregnant
People should really be careful of themselves and be aware of the consequence as sometimes
it can totally ruin peoples live. As we can see from todays society, the unready pregnancy
results in many adverse aspects. Just think about the possible scenario. If the young girl who
is still studying in the high school is pregnant, she indeed needs to quit the school because
she needs quite a lot of time to raise for the children as well as she might be pressured and
condemned by the society around. When she quits from the school, she cuts down her
opportunity for good education in good university, leading to the low position in the
workplace. Getting low position in the workplace means that she gets low wages, resulting in
the low quality of lives of her own and her child. Not having a lot of money, her child might
have to enter the school that is not so good and has bad environment. In that environment, her
child might become the peer of someone who did the bad things or even the gang. Moreover,
the father of the child might not stay with her like the American man in the story. He might
escape and refuse to accept the responsibility. This will make the situation even worse.
However, this situation can be prevented at first. They can choose to protect and say no when
they are not ready. It is also important for the school and the public to constantly remind and
teach people to be aware of this. This can be both through the education and the media. In the
story, if the girl and the man are really be careful and conscious of this, all of these things
will never happen and they might have love and affectionate each other like what they did
before, and that will be totally different story.