“Hills Like White Elephants” is a short story by Ernest Hemingway. It was first published in August 1927 in the literary journal Transition, and later in the 1927 short story collection Men Without Women. "Hills Like White Elephants" tells the story of an American man and a woman drinking a few beers in front of the station bar while waiting for the train to Barcelona. It explains how an irresponsible couple, unaccustomed to serious communication, interacts in a poisonous relationship and tries to manipulate each other to get what they want. “Hills Like White Elephants” is an extraordinary example of human communication. The story depicts a couple in crisis. point in their relationship, as they struggle to communicate their opposing views and the course their relationship should take. The ego prevents the couple from seeing the other's point of view. Although Jig appears somewhat submissive, both parties are strong-willed and consumed by power. of their ideas and this prevents them from understanding each other's point of view on the situation. When this happens, any chance of compromise is lost. Even halfway through the story, the couple begins to bicker. hills) They look like white elephants. The American: I've never seen one. Jig: No, you wouldn't have seen it. The American: I might have done it, just because you say I wouldn't have done it doesn't prove anything. (1) Immediately, tension builds between the two until the man says, "Oh, stop that" (1), then The American changes the subject. He's the one who starts the discussion by dismissing Jig's comment about the white elephant and bringing up abortion. The author makes the man very selfish by wanting the girl to have surgery so he can maintain his lifestyle...... middle of paper ...... I'm confident in saying that none of them wins the argument and no solution is found. Hemingway crafted a fleshed-out characterization of the couple and a clear and comprehensive exposition of their dilemma using almost nothing other than dialogue. The title of the story has led many people to speculate about what the "white elephant" symbolizes. It should be noted that "white elephant" is a term used to refer to something that requires a lot of care and yields little profit; like a relationship. A white elephant is generally considered unusual and cumbersome: it is more of a problem. Hemingway conceals the real underlying problem of this couple, by talking about abortion. This almost distracts the reader and encourages him to take sides: either in relation to Jig or The American, when the problem did not come from the operation, nor from the child, but from his poor switching skills..