Hills Like White Elephants is a short story by Ernest Hemingway, published in 1927. The story is set in a train station in Spain, where a young couple, referred to only as "the man" and "the girl," are having a conversation about an impending operation that the girl is hesitant to undergo. It is implied that the operation is an abortion, although the word is never used directly in the story.
The story is told through the dialogue between the man and the girl, and it is revealed that the man is trying to convince the girl to go through with the operation. He argues that it is a simple procedure and that it is the best thing for both of them. The girl, however, is hesitant and expresses her doubts and fears about the operation.
The title of the story, "Hills Like White Elephants," refers to a line in the conversation between the man and the girl, in which the girl looks at the hills in the distance and says that they look like white elephants. The man responds by saying that he has never seen a white elephant, and the girl replies that they are pretty. The reference to white elephants is a metaphor for something that is rare and valuable, but also burdensome and difficult to care for. This metaphor can be interpreted as representing the girl's unborn child, which is valuable and rare, but also a burden that she is not sure she is ready to take on.
Throughout the story, the man and the girl struggle to come to a decision about the operation, and their conversation touches on themes of love, responsibility, and the difficulties of communication in relationships. The man tries to reassure the girl by telling her that he loves her and that everything will be alright, but the girl remains hesitant and unsure.
In the end, the reader is left to wonder what decision the couple ultimately made. Did the girl go through with the operation, or did she choose to keep the child? The story ends with the man ordering two beers, and the girl saying "I feel fine." This ambiguity leaves the interpretation of the story open to the reader, inviting them to consider the larger themes and implications of the couple's decision.
Overall, Hills Like White Elephants is a poignant and thought-provoking story that explores the complexities of relationships and the difficult decisions that we face in life. It serves as a reminder that, even in our closest relationships, we may not always understand or agree with the choices that our loved ones make, and that sometimes the hardest decisions are the ones that are left unsaid.