SlideShare una empresa de Scribd logo
1 de 45
The Biography
of Ernest
Hemingway
- Born in Oak Park, Illinois, on July 21, 1899
- Both his mother and father were active members of the First
Congregational Church and ran a strict household.
- Hemingway wanted to enter the army or become a writer. When his
father refused to allow him to enlist, Hemingway left home and began
reporting for the Kansas City Star.
- In 1918 when Hemingway volunteered as a Red Cross ambulance driver to
do service on the front lines of World War I in Europe.
- While there, he met and fell in love with a Red Cross nurse named Agnes
von Kurowsky. They planned to marry; however, she became engaged to an
Italian officer instead.
- After the war, Hemingway returned to his work as a reporter. He married
Hadley Richardson in 1921, and the couple moved to Paris.
• - Ernest Hemingway began work as a journalist upon moving to Paris in the
early 1920s, but he still found time to write.
• - He was at his most prolific in the 20s and 30s. His first short story collection,
titled “Three Stories and Ten Poems,” was published in 1923.
• - His next short story collection, “In Our Time,” published in 1925, was the
formal introduction of the vaunted Hemingway style to the rest of the world,
and considered one of the most important works of 20th century prose.
• - In 1926, Hemingway published The Sun Also Rises, his first novel,
which generated considerable critical attention. The novel firmly
established Hemingway as the voice of his generation, which is
sometimes referred to as the „„lost generation.‟‟
• - In 1927, he and his first wife divorced, and he married Pauline
Pfeiffer. In that same year, he published the well-received collection of
short stories, Men Without Women, a collection that included the short
story, „„Hills Like White Elephants.‟‟
 In the years that followed, the Hemingway's established a
household in KeyWest, Florida. In 1929, Hemingway’s novel A
Farewell to Arms was published. Hemingway’s fame continued to
grow, but not only for his literary skill—his ‘‘extracurricular’’
activities placed him squarely in the public eye. He hunted big
game in Africa in the 1930s and German submarines in the
Caribbean in the 1940s, and after covering the SpanishCivilWar as
a reporter, he memorialized the Loyalist cause in For Whom the
BellTolls (1940).
 He also won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954.
• - Hemingway’s final years were filled with growing physical and mental pain.
• - In 1961, at his home in Ketchum, Idaho, he took his own life with a
shotgun blast, ending a decades-long literary career and a life filled with both
the highest adventure and the deepest depression.
• - The legend of Hemingway looms large, and his writing style is so unique
that it left a legacy in literature that will endure forever.
The relation between
Hemingway's life and the story
- Hemingway doesn't even say whether or not the two characters are
married. He presents only the conversation between them and allows his
readers to draw their own conclusions.
( Because Hemingway did not have a serious relationship in his real
life. He is known to divorce his first wife after the birth of child. )
Vocabulary
Bead:
- a small usually spherical piece of glass, wood, plastic, etc. with a hole through it by means
of which it may be strung with others to form a necklace, etc.
Reales:
- prenominal (economics) (of prices, incomes, wages, etc.) considered in terms of purchasing
power rather than nominal currency value.
Absinth:
- a potent green alcoholic drink, technically a gin, originally having high wormwood content.
Grain:
- the small hard seed like fruit of a grass, esp. a cereal plant.
Damp:
- slightly wet, as from dew, steam, etc.
Plot Overview
“Hills Like White Elephants” starts with a detailed description of the story‟s setting. A
man who is probably American and his girlfriend “Jig” sit at a table outside a train
station in a valley that is surrounded by hills and fields. They wait for a train to
Madrid.
The weather is very hot and they decide to drink some beers. While drinking, the girl
says that the nearby hills look like white elephants and the man responds that he
has never seen a white elephant. Then the girls changes the subject and asks to
drink a Spanish drink that she had never tested before. After tasting the drink, she
remarks that it tastes like licorice, bitter like all the things waited for so long. The
man criticizes her and says that they should try to have fun.
The girl retracts her earlier comment by saying the hills don‟t actually look like
white elephants to her anymore. The American mentions that he wants the
girl, to have an operation, although he never actually specifies what kind of
operation. He mentions how easy the operation is. The man says that things
will be fine afterward, just like they were before, and that it will fix their
problems. He says he has known a lot of people who have had the operation
and found happiness afterward. The girl dispassionately agrees with him. The
American then claims that he won‟t force her to have the operation but thinks
it‟s the best course of action to take. She tells him that she will have the
operation as long as he‟ll still love her and they‟ll be able to live happily
together afterward.
The man then emphasizes how much he cares for the girl and weakly says that she
shouldn‟t have the operation if she is going to do that for him only. Then Jig gets
tired of that conversation and makes the man promise to stop talking . The Spanish
bartender brings two more beers and tells them that the train is coming in five
minutes. The girl smiles at the bartender but has to ask the American what she said
because the girl doesn‟t speak Spanish. After finishing their drinks, the American
carries their bags to the platform and then walks back to the bar, noticing all the
other people who are also waiting for the train. He asks the girl whether she feels
better. She says she feels fine and that there is nothing wrong with her.
Narrator of the Hills Like White
Elephants
The Narrator of the story is third-person objective.
That technique is also called “the fly on the wall”. The narrator doesn't tell us what
the characters are thinking but what they do, see and that they say.
The narration style is simple and compact.
The narrator does not explicitly state motives, thoughts and attitudes.
The narration leaves many questions unanswered.
HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS
Character List
The American
The male protagonist of the story
The American never reveals his name, nor does the girl ever directly address him
by name.
He is determined to convince the girl to have the operation but tries to appear as
though he doesn‟t care what she does.
He remains disconnected from his surroundings, not really understanding or even
listening to what the girl has to say.
HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS
Character List
The Girl
The female protagonist of the story.
The American calls the girl “Jig” at one point in the story but never mentions her real name.
Unlike the American, the girl is less sure of what she wants and appears reluctant to have the operation
in question.
She alternates between wanting to talk about the operation and wanting to avoid the topic altogether.
HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS
Character List
The Bartender
The woman serving drinks to the American man and the girl. The
bartender speaks only Spanish.
HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS
Analysis of Major Characters
The American
The American behaves according to Hemingway‟s rigid conception of masculinity.
Hemingway portrays the American as a rugged man‟s man—knowledgeable, worldly, and always in control of
himself and the situation at hand.
when vexed or confused, he maintains his cool and feigns indifference.
He avoids discussion of their problems.
He seems to identify more with the other passengers “waiting reasonably” at the station than with his own
girlfriend at the end of the story, which suggests that the two will go their separate ways.
HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS
Analysis of Major Characters
The Girl
Compared to the American, Hemingway‟s overly masculine character, the girl is less assertive and
persuasive.
The girl appears helpless, confused, and indecisive.
changes her mind about the attractiveness of the surrounding hills.
claims to selflessly care only for the American; and seems uncertain about whether she wants to have the
operation.
the girl can‟t even order drinks from the bartender on her own without having to rely on the man‟s ability to
speak Spanish.
HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS
Analysis of Major Characters
The Girl
the girl seems to understand that her relationship with the American has effectively ended, despite her
professed desire to make him happy.
She knows that even if she has the operation, their relationship won‟t return to how it used to be.
the girl‟s realization of this fact gives her power over the American, who never really understands why
they still can‟t have “the whole world” like they once did.
HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS
Setting
Hemingway sets “Hills Like White Elephants” at a train station to highlight the fact that the relationship
between the American man and the girl is at a crossroads.
the station isn‟t a final destination but merely a stopping point between Barcelona and Madrid.
Travelers, including the main characters, must therefore decide where to go and, in this case, whether
to go with each other and continue their relationship.
HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS
Setting
the contrast between the white hills and barren valley possibly highlights the dichotomy between life
and death, fertility and sterility, and mirrors the choice the girl faces between having the baby or having
the abortion.
The girl seems torn between the two landscapes, not only commenting on the beauty of the hills but
also physically walking to the end of the platform and gazing out at the brown emptiness around the
station.
HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS
Time
This story takes place in a very short period of time
but yet tells a tale that is much bigger than itself
However, a time period or a location does not need to be palpably and directly stated in the text.
In “Hills Like White Elephants,” Hemingway gives only indirect indication of the setting.
Never does he state the year. Hemingway writes, “It was very hot and the Express from Barcelona would
come in forty minutes
The time period is never explicitly stated but it can be assumed to be around 1927, as that is the date the
story was written.
Main Themes in „„
Hills Like White
Elephants‟‟
Talking versus
Communicating
-Inability to Communicate Effectively
-Language and Communication
"Let's drink beer." (4)
"They look like white elephants," she said.
"I've never seen one," the man drank his
beer.
"No, you wouldn't have." (9-11)
"Would you please please please please
please please please stop talking?" (98)
Conflict Between Personal
Responsibility and Hedonism
Choices and
Consequences
"We can go everywhere."
"No, we can't. It isn't ours any more.
(78-79)
"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."
(57)
He went out through the bead curtain. She
was sitting at the table and smiled at him.
„Do you feel better?‟ he asked.
„I feel fine,‟ she said. „There‟s nothing wrong
with me. I feel fine.‟
Some Important
Symbols in ‘‘ Hills Like
White Elephants’’
-Hills
- White Elephants
- Railroad Tracks
- Green Side of the Station
-Anís del Toro
- Baggage
- Train Station
- The Bamboo Bead Curtain
„„Hills‟‟ as a Symbol in „„Hills Like White Elephants‟‟
„„White Elephants‟‟ as a Symbol in „„Hills Like White Elephants‟‟
„„Railroad Tracks‟‟ as a Symbol in „„Hills Like White Elephants‟‟
„„The Green Side of the Station‟‟as a Symbol in „„Hills Like White Elephants‟‟
„„Anís del Toro‟‟as a Symbol in „„Hills Like White Elephants‟‟
„„TheAmerican With the Baggage‟‟as a Symbol in „„Hills
Like White Elephants‟‟
„„The Train Station‟‟ as a Symbol in „„ Hills Like White Elephants‟‟
Drinking
Drinking is a motif which helps the
characters to avoid talking about important
issues such as pregnancy of the girl. Drinking
seems like the only decision they make
together.
Reference
s;
http://www.sparknotes.com/short-stories/hills-like-white-
elephants/themes.html
http://www.123helpme.com/preview.asp?id=98492
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080211071639A
A0kWOd
http://www.shmoop.com/hills-like-white-elephants/choices-
quotes.html
http://cummingsstudyguides.net/Guides4/Hills.html
http://voices.yahoo.com/analyzing-symbolism-hills-like-white-
elephants-2408749.html
Referenceshttp://www.hemingwaypreservationfoundation.org/ernest-hemingway-a-short-biography.html
http://www.anafilya.org/go.php?go=7da36902e12dc
http://www.gradesaver.com/complete-short-stories-of-ernest-hemingway/study-guide/section5/
http://voices.yahoo.com/a-biographical-analysis-hills-like-white-elephants-3355504.html?cat=38
http://www.enotes.com/hills-like-white-elephants/author-biography
http://www.123helpme.com/complex-relationship-between-the-american-and-jig-in-hemingways-hills-like-white-elephants-
preview.asp?id=155770
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/hemingway-short-stories/summary-analysis/hills-like-white-elephants.html
http://contemporary-literature.yoexpert.com/reviews-of-fiction/symbolism-ernest-hemingway-and-how-it-is-portrayed-33188.html
http://www.collinsdictionary.com/
http://www.sparknotes.com/short-stories/hills-like-white-elephants/themes.html
http://www.123helpme.com/preview.asp?id=98492
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080211071639AA0kWOd
http://www.shmoop.com/hills-like-white-elephants/choices-quotes.html
http://cummingsstudyguides.net/Guides4/Hills.html

Más contenido relacionado

La actualidad más candente

The shadow lines
The shadow linesThe shadow lines
The shadow lines
poojajumani
 
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
Mohammed Raiyah
 
Alice Walker Presentation
Alice Walker PresentationAlice Walker Presentation
Alice Walker Presentation
sjiles
 
World Theatre II - The Cherry Orchard
World Theatre II - The Cherry OrchardWorld Theatre II - The Cherry Orchard
World Theatre II - The Cherry Orchard
giangiacomocolli
 

La actualidad más candente (20)

I, robot
I, robotI, robot
I, robot
 
Dh Lawrence
Dh LawrenceDh Lawrence
Dh Lawrence
 
The shadow lines
The shadow linesThe shadow lines
The shadow lines
 
The Glass Menagerie by. Tennessee Williams
The Glass Menagerie by. Tennessee Williams The Glass Menagerie by. Tennessee Williams
The Glass Menagerie by. Tennessee Williams
 
Frankenstein power point
Frankenstein power pointFrankenstein power point
Frankenstein power point
 
Characters in 'The Crucible' by Arthur Miller
Characters in 'The Crucible' by Arthur MillerCharacters in 'The Crucible' by Arthur Miller
Characters in 'The Crucible' by Arthur Miller
 
Apollonianism and dionysianism
Apollonianism and dionysianismApollonianism and dionysianism
Apollonianism and dionysianism
 
A tale of two cities
A tale of two citiesA tale of two cities
A tale of two cities
 
"The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe Prepared by Kaushal Desai
"The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe Prepared by Kaushal Desai"The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe Prepared by Kaushal Desai
"The Black Cat" by Edgar Allan Poe Prepared by Kaushal Desai
 
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
 
Alice Walker Presentation
Alice Walker PresentationAlice Walker Presentation
Alice Walker Presentation
 
Rip Van Winkle
Rip Van WinkleRip Van Winkle
Rip Van Winkle
 
Themes of mid summer nights dream
Themes of mid summer nights dreamThemes of mid summer nights dream
Themes of mid summer nights dream
 
Hamlet & his problems
Hamlet & his problemsHamlet & his problems
Hamlet & his problems
 
The adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The adventures of Huckleberry FinnThe adventures of Huckleberry Finn
The adventures of Huckleberry Finn
 
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Little Women by Louisa May AlcottLittle Women by Louisa May Alcott
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
 
World Theatre II - The Cherry Orchard
World Theatre II - The Cherry OrchardWorld Theatre II - The Cherry Orchard
World Theatre II - The Cherry Orchard
 
Shooting an elephant by i.s
Shooting an elephant by i.sShooting an elephant by i.s
Shooting an elephant by i.s
 
The Anglo-Saxons and Beowulf
The Anglo-Saxons and BeowulfThe Anglo-Saxons and Beowulf
The Anglo-Saxons and Beowulf
 
Toni morrison
Toni morrisonToni morrison
Toni morrison
 

Similar a Hills like white elephants by ernest hemingway (11)

The cat in the rain
The cat in the rainThe cat in the rain
The cat in the rain
 
ERNEST HEMINGWAY and his works.pptx
ERNEST HEMINGWAY and his works.pptxERNEST HEMINGWAY and his works.pptx
ERNEST HEMINGWAY and his works.pptx
 
American heroes
American heroesAmerican heroes
American heroes
 
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest HemingwayErnest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway
 
The Californian´s Tale, Mark Twain, by Ronald Escorcia and Numas Gil
The Californian´s Tale, Mark Twain, by Ronald Escorcia and Numas GilThe Californian´s Tale, Mark Twain, by Ronald Escorcia and Numas Gil
The Californian´s Tale, Mark Twain, by Ronald Escorcia and Numas Gil
 
Ernest hemingway
Ernest hemingwayErnest hemingway
Ernest hemingway
 
Henry james paper copia
Henry james paper   copiaHenry james paper   copia
Henry james paper copia
 
ELYNNPROF(BLEU)
ELYNNPROF(BLEU)ELYNNPROF(BLEU)
ELYNNPROF(BLEU)
 
Best seller of class 9 cbse english
Best seller of class 9 cbse englishBest seller of class 9 cbse english
Best seller of class 9 cbse english
 
Best seller class 9 by SUSHANT & GROUP
Best seller class 9 by SUSHANT & GROUPBest seller class 9 by SUSHANT & GROUP
Best seller class 9 by SUSHANT & GROUP
 
Ewrt 1 c class 13 post qhq araby
 Ewrt 1 c class 13 post qhq araby Ewrt 1 c class 13 post qhq araby
Ewrt 1 c class 13 post qhq araby
 

Más de Mecnun Genç (10)

Simple past tense
Simple past tenseSimple past tense
Simple past tense
 
Henry james
Henry jamesHenry james
Henry james
 
Modernism in American Prose
Modernism in American ProseModernism in American Prose
Modernism in American Prose
 
Corpora in Translatıon Studies
Corpora in Translatıon StudiesCorpora in Translatıon Studies
Corpora in Translatıon Studies
 
Anlatım bozuklukları..
Anlatım bozuklukları..Anlatım bozuklukları..
Anlatım bozuklukları..
 
Total Physical Response (TPR)
Total Physical Response (TPR)Total Physical Response (TPR)
Total Physical Response (TPR)
 
The tragic vision in the Tess of the D’urbervilles
The tragic vision in the Tess of the D’urbervillesThe tragic vision in the Tess of the D’urbervilles
The tragic vision in the Tess of the D’urbervilles
 
Civil War and American Literature (General Perspective )
Civil War and American Literature (General Perspective )Civil War and American Literature (General Perspective )
Civil War and American Literature (General Perspective )
 
America
AmericaAmerica
America
 
Evangelism
EvangelismEvangelism
Evangelism
 

Último

Jual Obat Aborsi Hongkong ( Asli No.1 ) 085657271886 Obat Penggugur Kandungan...
Jual Obat Aborsi Hongkong ( Asli No.1 ) 085657271886 Obat Penggugur Kandungan...Jual Obat Aborsi Hongkong ( Asli No.1 ) 085657271886 Obat Penggugur Kandungan...
Jual Obat Aborsi Hongkong ( Asli No.1 ) 085657271886 Obat Penggugur Kandungan...
ZurliaSoop
 
1029 - Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf
1029 -  Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf1029 -  Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf
1029 - Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf
QucHHunhnh
 
Vishram Singh - Textbook of Anatomy Upper Limb and Thorax.. Volume 1 (1).pdf
Vishram Singh - Textbook of Anatomy  Upper Limb and Thorax.. Volume 1 (1).pdfVishram Singh - Textbook of Anatomy  Upper Limb and Thorax.. Volume 1 (1).pdf
Vishram Singh - Textbook of Anatomy Upper Limb and Thorax.. Volume 1 (1).pdf
ssuserdda66b
 

Último (20)

ICT role in 21st century education and it's challenges.
ICT role in 21st century education and it's challenges.ICT role in 21st century education and it's challenges.
ICT role in 21st century education and it's challenges.
 
Food safety_Challenges food safety laboratories_.pdf
Food safety_Challenges food safety laboratories_.pdfFood safety_Challenges food safety laboratories_.pdf
Food safety_Challenges food safety laboratories_.pdf
 
Introduction to Nonprofit Accounting: The Basics
Introduction to Nonprofit Accounting: The BasicsIntroduction to Nonprofit Accounting: The Basics
Introduction to Nonprofit Accounting: The Basics
 
FSB Advising Checklist - Orientation 2024
FSB Advising Checklist - Orientation 2024FSB Advising Checklist - Orientation 2024
FSB Advising Checklist - Orientation 2024
 
Unit-V; Pricing (Pharma Marketing Management).pptx
Unit-V; Pricing (Pharma Marketing Management).pptxUnit-V; Pricing (Pharma Marketing Management).pptx
Unit-V; Pricing (Pharma Marketing Management).pptx
 
Making communications land - Are they received and understood as intended? we...
Making communications land - Are they received and understood as intended? we...Making communications land - Are they received and understood as intended? we...
Making communications land - Are they received and understood as intended? we...
 
Towards a code of practice for AI in AT.pptx
Towards a code of practice for AI in AT.pptxTowards a code of practice for AI in AT.pptx
Towards a code of practice for AI in AT.pptx
 
SKILL OF INTRODUCING THE LESSON MICRO SKILLS.pptx
SKILL OF INTRODUCING THE LESSON MICRO SKILLS.pptxSKILL OF INTRODUCING THE LESSON MICRO SKILLS.pptx
SKILL OF INTRODUCING THE LESSON MICRO SKILLS.pptx
 
On National Teacher Day, meet the 2024-25 Kenan Fellows
On National Teacher Day, meet the 2024-25 Kenan FellowsOn National Teacher Day, meet the 2024-25 Kenan Fellows
On National Teacher Day, meet the 2024-25 Kenan Fellows
 
Jual Obat Aborsi Hongkong ( Asli No.1 ) 085657271886 Obat Penggugur Kandungan...
Jual Obat Aborsi Hongkong ( Asli No.1 ) 085657271886 Obat Penggugur Kandungan...Jual Obat Aborsi Hongkong ( Asli No.1 ) 085657271886 Obat Penggugur Kandungan...
Jual Obat Aborsi Hongkong ( Asli No.1 ) 085657271886 Obat Penggugur Kandungan...
 
Unit-IV; Professional Sales Representative (PSR).pptx
Unit-IV; Professional Sales Representative (PSR).pptxUnit-IV; Professional Sales Representative (PSR).pptx
Unit-IV; Professional Sales Representative (PSR).pptx
 
Dyslexia AI Workshop for Slideshare.pptx
Dyslexia AI Workshop for Slideshare.pptxDyslexia AI Workshop for Slideshare.pptx
Dyslexia AI Workshop for Slideshare.pptx
 
Mixin Classes in Odoo 17 How to Extend Models Using Mixin Classes
Mixin Classes in Odoo 17  How to Extend Models Using Mixin ClassesMixin Classes in Odoo 17  How to Extend Models Using Mixin Classes
Mixin Classes in Odoo 17 How to Extend Models Using Mixin Classes
 
This PowerPoint helps students to consider the concept of infinity.
This PowerPoint helps students to consider the concept of infinity.This PowerPoint helps students to consider the concept of infinity.
This PowerPoint helps students to consider the concept of infinity.
 
Graduate Outcomes Presentation Slides - English
Graduate Outcomes Presentation Slides - EnglishGraduate Outcomes Presentation Slides - English
Graduate Outcomes Presentation Slides - English
 
1029 - Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf
1029 -  Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf1029 -  Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf
1029 - Danh muc Sach Giao Khoa 10 . pdf
 
Unit-IV- Pharma. Marketing Channels.pptx
Unit-IV- Pharma. Marketing Channels.pptxUnit-IV- Pharma. Marketing Channels.pptx
Unit-IV- Pharma. Marketing Channels.pptx
 
UGC NET Paper 1 Mathematical Reasoning & Aptitude.pdf
UGC NET Paper 1 Mathematical Reasoning & Aptitude.pdfUGC NET Paper 1 Mathematical Reasoning & Aptitude.pdf
UGC NET Paper 1 Mathematical Reasoning & Aptitude.pdf
 
Understanding Accommodations and Modifications
Understanding  Accommodations and ModificationsUnderstanding  Accommodations and Modifications
Understanding Accommodations and Modifications
 
Vishram Singh - Textbook of Anatomy Upper Limb and Thorax.. Volume 1 (1).pdf
Vishram Singh - Textbook of Anatomy  Upper Limb and Thorax.. Volume 1 (1).pdfVishram Singh - Textbook of Anatomy  Upper Limb and Thorax.. Volume 1 (1).pdf
Vishram Singh - Textbook of Anatomy Upper Limb and Thorax.. Volume 1 (1).pdf
 

Hills like white elephants by ernest hemingway

  • 1.
  • 3. - Born in Oak Park, Illinois, on July 21, 1899 - Both his mother and father were active members of the First Congregational Church and ran a strict household. - Hemingway wanted to enter the army or become a writer. When his father refused to allow him to enlist, Hemingway left home and began reporting for the Kansas City Star.
  • 4. - In 1918 when Hemingway volunteered as a Red Cross ambulance driver to do service on the front lines of World War I in Europe. - While there, he met and fell in love with a Red Cross nurse named Agnes von Kurowsky. They planned to marry; however, she became engaged to an Italian officer instead. - After the war, Hemingway returned to his work as a reporter. He married Hadley Richardson in 1921, and the couple moved to Paris.
  • 5. • - Ernest Hemingway began work as a journalist upon moving to Paris in the early 1920s, but he still found time to write. • - He was at his most prolific in the 20s and 30s. His first short story collection, titled “Three Stories and Ten Poems,” was published in 1923. • - His next short story collection, “In Our Time,” published in 1925, was the formal introduction of the vaunted Hemingway style to the rest of the world, and considered one of the most important works of 20th century prose.
  • 6. • - In 1926, Hemingway published The Sun Also Rises, his first novel, which generated considerable critical attention. The novel firmly established Hemingway as the voice of his generation, which is sometimes referred to as the „„lost generation.‟‟ • - In 1927, he and his first wife divorced, and he married Pauline Pfeiffer. In that same year, he published the well-received collection of short stories, Men Without Women, a collection that included the short story, „„Hills Like White Elephants.‟‟
  • 7.  In the years that followed, the Hemingway's established a household in KeyWest, Florida. In 1929, Hemingway’s novel A Farewell to Arms was published. Hemingway’s fame continued to grow, but not only for his literary skill—his ‘‘extracurricular’’ activities placed him squarely in the public eye. He hunted big game in Africa in the 1930s and German submarines in the Caribbean in the 1940s, and after covering the SpanishCivilWar as a reporter, he memorialized the Loyalist cause in For Whom the BellTolls (1940).  He also won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1954.
  • 8. • - Hemingway’s final years were filled with growing physical and mental pain. • - In 1961, at his home in Ketchum, Idaho, he took his own life with a shotgun blast, ending a decades-long literary career and a life filled with both the highest adventure and the deepest depression. • - The legend of Hemingway looms large, and his writing style is so unique that it left a legacy in literature that will endure forever.
  • 9. The relation between Hemingway's life and the story - Hemingway doesn't even say whether or not the two characters are married. He presents only the conversation between them and allows his readers to draw their own conclusions. ( Because Hemingway did not have a serious relationship in his real life. He is known to divorce his first wife after the birth of child. )
  • 10. Vocabulary Bead: - a small usually spherical piece of glass, wood, plastic, etc. with a hole through it by means of which it may be strung with others to form a necklace, etc. Reales: - prenominal (economics) (of prices, incomes, wages, etc.) considered in terms of purchasing power rather than nominal currency value. Absinth: - a potent green alcoholic drink, technically a gin, originally having high wormwood content. Grain: - the small hard seed like fruit of a grass, esp. a cereal plant. Damp: - slightly wet, as from dew, steam, etc.
  • 12. “Hills Like White Elephants” starts with a detailed description of the story‟s setting. A man who is probably American and his girlfriend “Jig” sit at a table outside a train station in a valley that is surrounded by hills and fields. They wait for a train to Madrid. The weather is very hot and they decide to drink some beers. While drinking, the girl says that the nearby hills look like white elephants and the man responds that he has never seen a white elephant. Then the girls changes the subject and asks to drink a Spanish drink that she had never tested before. After tasting the drink, she remarks that it tastes like licorice, bitter like all the things waited for so long. The man criticizes her and says that they should try to have fun.
  • 13. The girl retracts her earlier comment by saying the hills don‟t actually look like white elephants to her anymore. The American mentions that he wants the girl, to have an operation, although he never actually specifies what kind of operation. He mentions how easy the operation is. The man says that things will be fine afterward, just like they were before, and that it will fix their problems. He says he has known a lot of people who have had the operation and found happiness afterward. The girl dispassionately agrees with him. The American then claims that he won‟t force her to have the operation but thinks it‟s the best course of action to take. She tells him that she will have the operation as long as he‟ll still love her and they‟ll be able to live happily together afterward.
  • 14. The man then emphasizes how much he cares for the girl and weakly says that she shouldn‟t have the operation if she is going to do that for him only. Then Jig gets tired of that conversation and makes the man promise to stop talking . The Spanish bartender brings two more beers and tells them that the train is coming in five minutes. The girl smiles at the bartender but has to ask the American what she said because the girl doesn‟t speak Spanish. After finishing their drinks, the American carries their bags to the platform and then walks back to the bar, noticing all the other people who are also waiting for the train. He asks the girl whether she feels better. She says she feels fine and that there is nothing wrong with her.
  • 15. Narrator of the Hills Like White Elephants The Narrator of the story is third-person objective. That technique is also called “the fly on the wall”. The narrator doesn't tell us what the characters are thinking but what they do, see and that they say. The narration style is simple and compact. The narrator does not explicitly state motives, thoughts and attitudes. The narration leaves many questions unanswered.
  • 16. HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS Character List The American The male protagonist of the story The American never reveals his name, nor does the girl ever directly address him by name. He is determined to convince the girl to have the operation but tries to appear as though he doesn‟t care what she does. He remains disconnected from his surroundings, not really understanding or even listening to what the girl has to say.
  • 17. HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS Character List The Girl The female protagonist of the story. The American calls the girl “Jig” at one point in the story but never mentions her real name. Unlike the American, the girl is less sure of what she wants and appears reluctant to have the operation in question. She alternates between wanting to talk about the operation and wanting to avoid the topic altogether.
  • 18. HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS Character List The Bartender The woman serving drinks to the American man and the girl. The bartender speaks only Spanish.
  • 19. HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS Analysis of Major Characters The American The American behaves according to Hemingway‟s rigid conception of masculinity. Hemingway portrays the American as a rugged man‟s man—knowledgeable, worldly, and always in control of himself and the situation at hand. when vexed or confused, he maintains his cool and feigns indifference. He avoids discussion of their problems. He seems to identify more with the other passengers “waiting reasonably” at the station than with his own girlfriend at the end of the story, which suggests that the two will go their separate ways.
  • 20. HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS Analysis of Major Characters The Girl Compared to the American, Hemingway‟s overly masculine character, the girl is less assertive and persuasive. The girl appears helpless, confused, and indecisive. changes her mind about the attractiveness of the surrounding hills. claims to selflessly care only for the American; and seems uncertain about whether she wants to have the operation. the girl can‟t even order drinks from the bartender on her own without having to rely on the man‟s ability to speak Spanish.
  • 21. HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS Analysis of Major Characters The Girl the girl seems to understand that her relationship with the American has effectively ended, despite her professed desire to make him happy. She knows that even if she has the operation, their relationship won‟t return to how it used to be. the girl‟s realization of this fact gives her power over the American, who never really understands why they still can‟t have “the whole world” like they once did.
  • 22. HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS Setting Hemingway sets “Hills Like White Elephants” at a train station to highlight the fact that the relationship between the American man and the girl is at a crossroads. the station isn‟t a final destination but merely a stopping point between Barcelona and Madrid. Travelers, including the main characters, must therefore decide where to go and, in this case, whether to go with each other and continue their relationship.
  • 23. HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS Setting the contrast between the white hills and barren valley possibly highlights the dichotomy between life and death, fertility and sterility, and mirrors the choice the girl faces between having the baby or having the abortion. The girl seems torn between the two landscapes, not only commenting on the beauty of the hills but also physically walking to the end of the platform and gazing out at the brown emptiness around the station.
  • 24. HILLS LIKE WHITE ELEPHANTS Time This story takes place in a very short period of time but yet tells a tale that is much bigger than itself However, a time period or a location does not need to be palpably and directly stated in the text. In “Hills Like White Elephants,” Hemingway gives only indirect indication of the setting. Never does he state the year. Hemingway writes, “It was very hot and the Express from Barcelona would come in forty minutes The time period is never explicitly stated but it can be assumed to be around 1927, as that is the date the story was written.
  • 25. Main Themes in „„ Hills Like White Elephants‟‟
  • 26. Talking versus Communicating -Inability to Communicate Effectively -Language and Communication
  • 28. "They look like white elephants," she said. "I've never seen one," the man drank his beer. "No, you wouldn't have." (9-11)
  • 29. "Would you please please please please please please please stop talking?" (98)
  • 32. "We can go everywhere." "No, we can't. It isn't ours any more. (78-79)
  • 33. "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." (57)
  • 34. He went out through the bead curtain. She was sitting at the table and smiled at him. „Do you feel better?‟ he asked. „I feel fine,‟ she said. „There‟s nothing wrong with me. I feel fine.‟
  • 35. Some Important Symbols in ‘‘ Hills Like White Elephants’’ -Hills - White Elephants - Railroad Tracks - Green Side of the Station -Anís del Toro - Baggage - Train Station - The Bamboo Bead Curtain
  • 36. „„Hills‟‟ as a Symbol in „„Hills Like White Elephants‟‟
  • 37. „„White Elephants‟‟ as a Symbol in „„Hills Like White Elephants‟‟
  • 38. „„Railroad Tracks‟‟ as a Symbol in „„Hills Like White Elephants‟‟
  • 39. „„The Green Side of the Station‟‟as a Symbol in „„Hills Like White Elephants‟‟
  • 40. „„Anís del Toro‟‟as a Symbol in „„Hills Like White Elephants‟‟
  • 41. „„TheAmerican With the Baggage‟‟as a Symbol in „„Hills Like White Elephants‟‟
  • 42. „„The Train Station‟‟ as a Symbol in „„ Hills Like White Elephants‟‟
  • 43. Drinking Drinking is a motif which helps the characters to avoid talking about important issues such as pregnancy of the girl. Drinking seems like the only decision they make together.
  • 45. Referenceshttp://www.hemingwaypreservationfoundation.org/ernest-hemingway-a-short-biography.html http://www.anafilya.org/go.php?go=7da36902e12dc http://www.gradesaver.com/complete-short-stories-of-ernest-hemingway/study-guide/section5/ http://voices.yahoo.com/a-biographical-analysis-hills-like-white-elephants-3355504.html?cat=38 http://www.enotes.com/hills-like-white-elephants/author-biography http://www.123helpme.com/complex-relationship-between-the-american-and-jig-in-hemingways-hills-like-white-elephants- preview.asp?id=155770 http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/literature/hemingway-short-stories/summary-analysis/hills-like-white-elephants.html http://contemporary-literature.yoexpert.com/reviews-of-fiction/symbolism-ernest-hemingway-and-how-it-is-portrayed-33188.html http://www.collinsdictionary.com/ http://www.sparknotes.com/short-stories/hills-like-white-elephants/themes.html http://www.123helpme.com/preview.asp?id=98492 http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080211071639AA0kWOd http://www.shmoop.com/hills-like-white-elephants/choices-quotes.html http://cummingsstudyguides.net/Guides4/Hills.html