Narration is what allows us to grasp every action and detail in a story. Although authors are usually expected to guide readers through a book, Ernest Hemingway in Hills Like White Elephants decided to narrate his story in journalistic fashion. The story being told in an objective narrative format allowed for imagination and assumptions. The story being told in third person point of view which is objective, never allows us into the minds of the characters. We are only given minimal background and specifics.
Though not much is offered, we can analyze various moments in the narration that contributes and shapes to the meaning of the story. In the beginning of the story we are given little detail about the setting. The narrator only offers insight about the scenery concluding that the two characters must be in Spain near the Ebro river close to white hills while they wait for their train to Madrid. We know that the characters in the story happen to be to be an American who speaks Spanish and a girl who is nick named Jig. We are never given any background of who the characters are and given little detail of what they hope to achieve.
Although we are not allowed inside the minds of the characters, hidden details inside the dialogue help guide us to the dilemma the characters have between each other. We find out early in the story that the two characters are facing a dilemma when the man states, “It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jib”(116). We learn that this “simple operation” is not so simple but an abortion. Finding out the problem between the characters from the dialogue strengthens our understanding that we must look for the facts since we are given minimal knowledge of the two.
The male character who happens to be American, is given little description. Hemingway must have insisted that the characterization be anonymous as we know nothing about the man. We can conclude that the man must be older than the female character because of the title she is given as “the girl. ” Although characteristics about him are unknown, we know what he hopes to achieve even though he never mentions it. He fails at convincing the girl and the reader that he cares when states that “I think it’s the best thing to do. But I don’t want you to do it if you don’t really want to”(116).
Throughout the story we see many statements from him that recall how life will be fine after the operation and how he will continue to love her. It is as though he does not want to be tied down by this situation of having a child and is afraid of the responsibly. Though we are never actually told this information, we can assume this simply because the man repeatedly mentions the abortion. While we can agree that the male character is over powering the girl, it seems as though she approaches the dilemma with calm, hiding away her fear.
As mentioned before, the narrator never mentions her age or tone but we can guess that she only wants to please the man, as she accepts all his commands but with an unsure awareness of what she is doing. The comments she makes towards the man help better understand how insecure she is, “,1l do it. Because I don’t care about me”(117). He mentions how simple the “abortion” could be, which solidifies that she is not being supported by him but nearly forced into this action with no choice. The narrator never mentions details on how the characters evolve in this story.
Yet looking closely, we can see how the girl has changed her perspective. Her intentions seem to be completely different than the man. We can assume that the couple have not settled down because of the girls statement about what they do, “That’s all we do, isn’t it- look at things and try new drinks”(116). We can also suggest that they travel quite frequently when the narrator claims, “He did not say anything but looked at the bags against the wall of the station. There were labels on them from all the hotels where they had spent nights”(118).
Through the remarks of the girl we can assume that by keeping this baby instead aborting would allow her to settle down with the man. She also began to stand up for herself as she repeatedly tells the man if he can please stop talking. Hills Like White Elephant is a story that is narrated with very little detail. The subject of the couples argument is never given vet we are able to find out through the writing. This goes on with the whole story as we must dig deeper to see the hidden clues that Hemingway has left us with. Though this narration is very limited, we are able to analyze sections to strengthen the meaning of the story.
